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. The Odyssey may seem like a typical minivan that is geared toward parents and kids, but it’s not.
Odyssey stands out from the rest of its competitors by letting their van pride fly. 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 you 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. Although the Odyssey is more powerful than its counterparts, it gets only 22 MPG. We think that trading for a little acceleration to save an average $1,000 per year on gasoline will make sense.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s New for 2023
LX base is no longer available. The EX base trim will replace it. This makes the EX base trim significantly more expensive. 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. Interior ambient lighting in the interior is red. Honda Service Pass is the new Honda 2023 Odyssey. This allows for scheduled maintenance over a period of two years, or 24,000 mi.
What is Odyssey’s interior like and what technology does it have?
You might find the Odyssey cabin a little dull after you test driven a Kia Carnival, Chrysler Pacifica, or Toyota Sienna. While the quality of materials is good and Honda is able to make things work, the overall aesthetic of this cabin is quite 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. You can partition the hidden drawer to stop things sliding, as well as another bin beneath the console’s roll door and wireless charging pads on higher trim levels. Cup and bottle holders are available in both the console’s doors and in the console. There is also a place for you to store your phones in the doors or seatbacks. High-end trims include an integrated vacuum.
The touch-screen infotainment system, which is available on every trim except the base trim, is simple to read and 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. You can also get an in-car vacuum, which is offered now by both 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!” Will not be repeated.
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. They have such huge interiors that they are virtually indistinguishable. 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. Each van has a different design that caters to the needs of different owners. The Odyssey’s second-row “Magic Slide” seats are a different design. 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, paired together with 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 comes to a halt and restarts automatically. 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.
Is it fun to drive the Odyssey?
For a Honda, the Odyssey’s steering feels a bit loose and lacks precision. 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 once drove like large Accords. We prefer to drive all the competition, but that’s not true with the Odyssey.
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. It’s easy to park thanks to the large visibility and narrow front end. The steering is also loosely goosey. You won’t be disappointed by the power. The 280 horsepower is enough power to turn rubber with heavy feet, pull out onto roads with poor visibility and merge with traffic. You’ll feel proud to drive your family hauler occasionally, even though it sounds a little too macho. You can keep your revs down with the standard 10-speed automatic transmission. 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 – How big is the luggage space in front of the third row?
Were we aware that all of our bags would fit in the third row? Yes. Did we not find it surprising how much room was still available? It is also true.
2021 Honda Odyssey First Drive Review
For 2021, there were major changes to the Odyssey. These changes are described and our initial impressions of whether or not they were significant.
Is the 2023 Odyssey cost?
Since the Odyssey does not offer its LX base trim, it now offers the EX model. This makes the 2023 Odyssey a very expensive $38,635 and comes with a $1,295 destination cost. It is the least expensive minivan you can get in, especially when compared to 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. The lower trim levels of Odysseys offer more value.
Prices shown below do not include $1,295 delivery charge
EX: $38,635
EX-L: $41,705
Sport: $42,505
Touring: $44,450
Elite: $50,765
How safe are Odyssey’s driver aid features and safety rating?
All Odysseys come standard with forward collision alert with automatic emergencybraking and pedestrian detection.
NHTSA gave the Odyssey five stars for its overall, frontal, and side collision protection. It also received the highest possible Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for all its top scores in each category except one, headlights. This was where it earned an “Acceptable”. 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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