Honda Odyssey Pros and Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision
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If you think of a family car, you think of the Honda Odyssey. This minivan has been carrying families around for a long time, providing a reliable ride for everyone. However, not every detail about the Honda Odyssey is perfect. Before purchasing one for yourself, it’s critical to determine if the Odyssey is worth your hard-earned cash.
An examination of the Honda Odyssey pros and cons is the best place to start when considering if the Honda Odyssey is the best choice for your life. Though there are some standout areas for the Odyssey, there are also some aspects in which it lags behind the competition. We’d love to help you make the right choice.
What We Love: Honda Odyssey Pros
The best aspects of the Honda Odyssey pros and cons are the ones that improve the overall driver and passenger experience. Let’s look at the offerings from the Honda Odyssey.
Valuable Standard Driver Assist Features
There are many excellent standard driver-assist features in the Honda Odyssey, each designed with the passengers and driver in mind. You don’t have to pay extra for any of these items. Honda is known for adding driver assistance features to their best designs.
According to caranddriver.com, the Honda Odyssey comes with the Honda Sensing driver suite of features to provide an excellent defense. Popular additions include a lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control.
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Exciting Magic Seats
One of the selling points for the Honda Odyssey is its Magic Seats. These seats in the second row are some of the most comfortable on the market. They also slide in all four directions, which is where they get their name from. They’re easy to adjust based on what you need to happen in the vehicle for your passengers.
Whether your kids are fighting or you need a little more room on the side, Magic Seats makes it possible to access any configuration you want for the best passenger and driver experience. They’re one of the best in their category, though there are some cons associated with them that we’ll discuss later.
Top-Notch Performance
The Honda Odyssey possesses excellent performance for a minivan. It’s a fun minivan to drive, which might sound like an oxymoron to many as it’s only really valid for the Honda Odyssey. The V-6 engine can go from 0-60 in 7.6 seconds - an incredible feat for something as large as a minivan.
The car also has precise steering, steady braking, and a 10-speed automatic transmission. It isn’t sporty, but it can take on various road conditions and types with relative ease for what it is.
Modern Tech Features
Finally, the Honda Odyssey comes with plenty of modern tech features. Most of them are standard in the system, which is a benefit to those who want technology but don’t want to pay too much for their minivan. It might seem surprising that a minivan has these features - but it’s a wonderful addition.
Every Odyssey comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display where the driver can customize the menu layout to their desired appearance. It also permits connectivity for Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. The Touring and Elite systems even come with screens that have built-in apps for the entertainment of passengers.
What We Dislike: Honda Odyssey Cons
Unfortunately, the bad comes right alongside the good. Let’s review the next section of the Honda Odyssey pros and cons, focusing primarily on the worst it offers drivers and passengers.
Terrible Optional 19-Inch Wheels
One of the optional upgrades on the Honda Odyssey is 19-inch wheels. Unfortunately, these wheels don’t just look bad - they also make the driving experience incredibly bumpy and uncomfortable. They handle bumps and dents in the road much worse than the standard options with the Odyssey.
If you can upgrade to the 19-inch wheels, we recommend avoiding it. It isn’t worth the money. You’ll spend more on a feature that makes your driving experience far worse.
Lagging Infotainment System
The infotainment system attached to the Honda Odyssey also seems to lag, especially when speaking about the base trim. It comes with items like Apple Carplay and Android Auto, but that’s almost all there is. You won’t get anything more advanced until you spend more money on the higher trim levels.
Of course, this disadvantage might not be a frustration for everyone. However, it’s critical to consider that you won’t get as much out of the infotainment in the Honda Odyssey as you would in other car options - though it’s not uncommon for minivans across the board to be a little behind in their infotainment systems. The Odyssey is certainly getting better.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE HONDA ODYSSEY
If you’re interested in a used version of this vehicle, it’s helpful to invest in the best version of the product. However, it’s tricky to decide. What year is the most reliable Honda Odyssey?
Magic Seats Bulky and Heavy
The Magic Seats are a valuable addition to the Honda Odyssey, but they come with one major flaw - they’re very heavy. If you need to move them, you’ll need someone capable of lifting them. Unfortunately, many people who invest in the Honda Odyssey may struggle to shift the Magic Seats.
According to caranddriver.com, each Magic Seat weighs 68 pounds. Also, once they’re out, there is a track and other items in the way that can make loading cargo into the vehicle much harder than in a traditional minivan.
Should You Buy a Honda Odyssey?
We’ve done a thorough investigation of the Honda Odyssey pros and cons, so it’s time to answer one final question - should you go for a Honda Odyssey?
If you’re hunting for a minivan or three-row SUV, the Honda Odyssey is an incredible option. It provides plenty of room for family, friends, and cargo throughout the cabin. It also brings solid fuel economy and safety features, along with Magic Seats and more.
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If you get the Honda Odyssey, avoid the 1995, 2001, 2002, and 2003 Odyssey. They are problematic and have experienced recalls over the years, making them more likely to remain in excellent condition than they are worth.
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