Pros: ‘Magic’ middle row great for parents with small kids; plush ride; Honda reliability reputation
Cons: It’s not a cheaper model and is difficult to drive, even for a minivan.
The 2023 Honda Odyssey isn’t so much an automobile as it is the ultimate piece of parenting gear. From novel features like its “Magic” sliding second-row seats and available onboard vacuum to common-but-indispensable traits like remotely opening doors and gargantuan cargo space, it’s far more akin to a BOB Rambler, Britax Boulevard or MamaRoo – cleverly engineered items specifically designed to make parents’ lives easier. Although it might be obvious that minivans are oriented towards parents and children, the Odyssey is unabatedly focused on this goal.
Odyssey stands out from the rest of the van crowd, while competitors hide their vanness. The Odyssey did not attempt to make the exterior look sporty, or SUV-like, but the interior has the same visual appeal as an ATM. Like the Odysseys of earlier Accords, it is characterized with loose steering and a bouncy ride. This is all about the children, so they care little if your feedback comes through the steering wheel or if your eyes see an entertaining dash.
They also probably don’t care about fuel economy, but that’s one of the few objective areas where the Odyssey trails its competitors. While its V6 engine is perfectly fine relative similarly powered vans, the Chrysler Pacifica offers an exceptional plug-in hybrid model while the Toyota Sienna is only offered as a hybrid that gets an estimated 36 mpg combined. While the Odyssey achieves 22 mpg and is much more powerful, we think it will still be worth trading off some acceleration for an approximate $1,000 per-year in gas savings.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What is new in 2023?
LX was discontinued. EX will be the new base trim. New Odyssey Sport will also be available. It basically takes the EX-L trim and adds a black grille, wheels and exterior trim, plus red contrast stitching to the interior’s black leather. Red is used for interior ambient lighting. Honda Service Pass is available on the 2023 Odyssey. This allows for scheduled maintenance over a period of two years, or 24,000 mi.
What is Odyssey interior like and what technology does it have?
The Odyssey cabin will seem dull if you have just driven a Kia Carnival or Chrysler Pacifica. Although the materials quality and Honda’s skill to put together things is admirable, the interior is functional. All of its competitors have made strides toward cabins that feel less van-like when behind the wheel – the Odyssey leans hard into its vandom.
However, the design is extremely functional. You can securely stash your purse in the gutter behind the front seats. A hidden drawer can be divided to prevent things sliding around, and there’s another bin underneath the console’s rolling door. There is also a top-level wireless charging pad. The console has a number of useful holders that can hold cups, bottles and other items. You’ll also find places for your gadgets in the door and the seatbacks. The highest trims even include a vacuum.
All trims have a touchscreen infotainment that is easily visible and accessible. It’s also easy to use. It has intuitive menus with clear graphics as well configurable tiles, which allows you to put functions wherever you like. We’ve had some freezing when using the standard Apple CarPlay, however, especially when also trying to use the car’s native navigation system (which is also a disappointingly sparse affair). We also generally prefer the interfaces of the Carnival and Pacifica, plus the Sienna’s available widescreen system.
You will find other useful and innovative features on the top trims. The in-car vacuum is also available by Toyota and Chrysler. CabinWatch is also available. It uses a wide angle lens to see the inside of each seat, even the rear facing child seats (the Pacifica has something similar). The CabinTalk system pairs it with this system, which allows you to project your voice via the rear speakers or rear-seat entertainment system’s headphones. (The Sienna has something similar). Warnings about “don’t force me to stop this car!” They will never again be forgotten.
What is the Odyssey’s size?
Although it is smaller than the Sienna and Pacifica in size, the Odyssey outside looks almost identical to them. The interiors of the Odyssey and Sienna are so vast that any differences in their dimensions are almost irrelevant. That includes the amount of space behind their third-row seats, which we found to be even more immense than expected in the Odyssey. You can fit more back there than in the cargo areas of most compact and midsize crossovers (and exponentially more than you can behind the third rows of large crossovers).
The difference between vans is really down to how functional their second-row seating is. All three vans have different designs that can be tailored to individual owner preferences and needs. The Odyssey is distinguished by its second-row seats, the “Magic Slide”. We go into those in depth in this Odyssey Driveway Test, along with their excellent ability to accommodate infant car seats, but in short, it’s a brilliant idea and well suited to parents of young children (although the Carnival’s own unique eight-passenger configuration comes close). Older kids would probably appreciate the far-sliding captain’s chairs in the seven-passenger Carnival and Sienna that provide far more sprawl-out space (the Odyssey’s limited fore-aft adjustment also results in a smaller gap between the seat and pillar for third-row access). Should you be prioritizing cargo versatility, the best bet is unequivocally the non-hybrid Pacifica’s fold away Stow ‘N Go seats.
How does the Odyssey perform in terms of fuel economy?
The powertrain for every Odyssey is the exact same: A 3.5-liter V6 with 262 horsepower and 262 pounds-feet torque, paired to a 10 speed automatic and front wheel drive. Honda offers neither a hybrid option nor an all-wheel drive option, which is not available on the Sienna or Pacifica. However, to conserve fuel, the engine shuts down one bank of cylinders. The van stops when it stops. The hybrids’ fuel economy, at 19 mpg per mile, 28 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg together, is far superior. The EPA says you’ll spend $1,000 more on a gas per year compared with the Sienna and possibly more compared with the Pacifica Hybrid.
How does the Odyssey drive?
It is surprising that the Odyssey’s steering wheel, which was a Honda, feels loose and sloppy for such a large vehicle. The Odyssey’s steering required more care and adjustments when we were driving along rural roads than we would prefer. We also found the lane-keeping system to be less helpful. It doesn’t inspire confidence or engagement. Odysseys used to be described as big Accords driving. The new Odyssey is not like that, so we enjoy driving it more.
Despite that caveat, the 2023 Odyssey remains incredibly comfortable and quiet. You and your passengers will feel completely at ease, contented, and unaffected by whatever is playing on their phones. You can park easily due to its large visibility and the short front end. It has plenty of power. You can spin the rubber at a slow stop even with a heavy foot. It also has enough horsepower to pull you onto narrow roads or merge with other highway traffic. You’ll feel proud to drive your family hauler occasionally, even though it sounds macho. The standard 10-speed auto transmission keeps the revs under control for calm driving. You can even feel the standard paddle shifters. free to ignore unless you’re traversing steep hills or towing something behind you.
Are there any other Honda Odyssey reviews?
Test Driveway Test Honda Odyssey Infant Car Seat
This video will take you deep into the Magic Slide 2nd row seats. We also show how the Odyssey works as an infant car seat.
Honda Odyssey Luggage Test: What’s the space behind the third row of seats?
Were we aware that all of our bags would fit in the third row? Ah yes. Are we surprised at how much space was left? Yes.
2021 Honda Odyssey First Drive Review
For 2021, there were major changes to the Odyssey. We have our first impressions about whether these changes made any difference.
How much is 2023 Odyssey worth?
The base LX Odyssey trim level is no longer offered by the Odyssey. Therefore, the EX entry-level 2023 Odyssey costs $38,635 plus the $1,295 destination fee. It is the least expensive minivan you can get in, especially when you consider the Kia Carnival. Things start to even out from there, but we will say that the Odyssey’s rather utilitarian interior makes the $50,765 Elite trim seem like poor value in the face of the high-lux range-topping rival trim levels. Therefore, Odysseys at lower trim levels are less competitive.
The $1,295 charge for destination is included in all prices.
EX: $38,635
EX-L: $41,705
Sport: $42,505
Touring: $44,450
Elite: $50,765
Which safety features are available on the Odyssey?
All Odysseys come standard with forward collision alert with automatic emergencybraking and pedestrian detection.
NHTSA awarded the Odyssey five of five stars in each category: overall, side and frontal crash protection. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Odyssey the Top Safety Pick+ for top marks in all categories except headlights. It received an “Acceptable”, grade. Even its LATCH anchors were given the best-possible rating of Good+ for their ease of use – something we can definitely confirm.
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