2020 Honda Odyssey Review

　　

2020 Honda Odyssey Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　The 2020 Honda Odyssey marks 25 years since the popular minivan entered production. Consider that impressive milestone for a minute. The Odyssey, like a handful of other popular minivans, has survived the SUV Era of the late 1990s/mid-2000s, the Crossover Era (present) and today's much-mulled Decline of the Sedan Era. As much as many buyers say they can't stomach the thought of driving a minivan, someone is buying them.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Honda Odyssey LX 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$165/mo  for Odyssey LX

　　Odyssey LX

　　LX 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) - $30,690 MSRPEX 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) - $34,690 MSRPEX-L 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) (Most Popular) - $37,960 MSRPEX-L 4dr Minivan w/Navigation and Rear Entertainment System (3.5L 6cyl 10A) - $40,060 MSRPTouring 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) - $44,960 MSRPElite 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 10A) - $47,320 MSRP

　　vs

　　$203/mo

　　Avg. Large Minivan

　　It's not hard to see why. Minivans offer unparalleled comfort and cargo versatility. No SUV can touch them for ease of use or flexibility. From low step-in heights to walkable aisles and floor space to near-luxury features and technology, today's minivan is an almost no-compromise solution for families large and small.

　　The Odyssey sits at the top of that class with a slew of features that make life easier, such as configurable second-row seats and a zoomable, night-vision-equipped cabin camera that makes checking on your rear passengers a cinch. Anyone can cram in a load of features, though. What sets the Odyssey apart is its smooth-operating V6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission and its alert, stable handling that makes it feel more like driving a sedan than a truck or SUV. It's not by coincidence that today's Odyssey sits atop our zzdcar rankings for minivans.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Odyssey drive? If there's such a thing as a "driver's car" among minivans, the Honda Odyssey is it. A strong V6 engine delivers plenty of power while the van's precise steering and stable handling instill confidence at higher speeds and on tighter roads. Even with passengers aboard, the Odyssey gets up to highway speed in no time, needing just 7.6 seconds for 0-60 mph in our tests.

　　The suspension can also handle bumpy roads without feeling overwhelmed, and the 10-speed transmission operates with swift and unobtrusive gear changes. Standard paddle shifters are a nice touch if you want to shift for yourself.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Odyssey? The Odyssey excels at comfort in all three rows. The front seats are supportive and perfect for logging miles, while the second and third rows offer enough room for kids and adults. (You won't want to keep adults in the very back for too long, though, since footroom is a little tight.) The suspension shakes off bumps pretty well, but the ride is firmer than you might expect, even more so with the Elite's 19-inch wheels, and the van can get a little jittery over rough pavement.

　　Despite the firmer ride, the Odyssey is quiet on the highway. Credit goes to the active noise cancellation system and noise-reducing glass on the Odyssey's upper trims. Only on broken asphalt and rough concrete roads did we experience some tire noise.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? A minivan should make your life easier, and the Odyssey comes through. The sliding rear doors beat a crossover's traditional doors for ease of use, and slipping into the front seats is effortless. The sliding and reclining second-row seat also provides superb access to the third row. Both the driver's seat and the steering column offer a wide range of adjustment, and finding a natural driving position is a cinch.

　　Mediocre visibility is the only downside. It's hard to gauge space around the front of the car, and the second-row headrests block over-the-shoulder views. Front pillars and mirrors are typically bulky. Honda should offer a surround-view camera here.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? An 8-inch display, large icons and a snappy response make the Odyssey's infotainment system easy and enjoyable to use (standard on the EX and higher). When you don't feel like touching the screen, use voice commands to control navigation, front-row entertainment and calling functions, or summon your iPhone or Android voice assistants through the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections. An onboard Wi-Fi hotspot helps keep everyone connected on the go, although it's only available on the top two trim levels. A rear-cabin camera and intercom are also useful.

　　Driver aids are a mixed bag. Adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist aren't that refined, but lane departure and blind-spot warnings work well.

　　

Storage

9.0/10

　　How’s the storage? Few vehicles can beat a minivan for cargo space and utility. The Odyssey has an above-average amount of cargo space, nearly 156 cubic feet at maximum capacity. You'll need to remove the second-row seats to clear all that room, and that's a tough task given the weight and awkward shape of the seats. A deep storage well behind the third row is useful for grocery bags and loose items. There's also ample room in the door pockets and deep bins all around the cabin for personal items.

　　The car seat anchor points for child seats are easily accessible in the second- and third-row seats. And the second-row sliding function comes in very handy when installing a large or bulky child seat.

　　

Fuel Economy

6.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA puts the Odyssey Elite's fuel economy at 22 mpg combined (19 city/28 highway), which is about in line with the segment. During our mix of driving, we ranged from 14 to 24 mpg, achieving 21 mpg on our fuel loop, somewhat less than advertised.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the Odyssey a good value? The Odyssey Elite trim level that we tested is pricey, no question. But the fundamentals of the Odyssey are available for much less if you can live without tech features such as active noise cancellation or a rear-seat vacuum cleaner. If you simply need maximum people-moving space, even the base LX captures the Odyssey's best qualities: smooth power, comfortable seating and an open, airy cabin.

　　Compared to its EPA rating, we saw slightly less fuel efficiency from the Odyssey during our testing. It's rated at 22 mpg combined, but we got anywhere from 14 to 24 mpg. However, it came closest with a steady diet of highway miles. Inside, the Odyssey is very well put-together.

　　

Wildcard

8.0/10

　　Most buyers think of minivans primarily as family movers. And they indeed excel in this role. But the Odyssey's range of qualities will appeal to drivers of many stripes, including empty nesters, tech-savvy drivers, outdoor enthusiasts, home project enthusiasts, musicians and film professionals. Anyone needing to move people or equipment will appreciate the Odyssey's space and cargo versatility.

　　

Which Odyssey does zzdcar recommend?

The EX hits the spot if you're on a budget. For not much more money than the base trim LX, you get active safety features and driver aids, conveniences such as power-sliding doors and three-zone climate control, and the desirable second-row Magic Slide seats. If you're looking for more, try the Touring, which gives you tons of extra features — including a built-in vacuum cleaner and a rear-seat monitoring system.

　　

2020 Honda Odyssey models

The 2020 Odyssey comes in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Elite. But in typical Honda fashion, there aren't any packages or factory-installed options offered aside from a navigation and rear-seat entertainment upgrade for the EX-L. So to find the Odyssey you want, you'll need to pick a trim that matches your desired features and budget.

　　All Odysseys are equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 (280 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque) paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

　　The Odyssey LX is a good platform if you want minivan versatility at the best price. It comes with a robust list of standard features, including automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, a 60/40-split folding third-row seat, a 5-inch central display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, two USB ports and a seven-speaker sound system.

　　Moving up to the EX starts to make life easier, adding features such as power-sliding rear doors, three-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and enhanced sliding second-row seats with a removable center seat. The EX also tacks on more tech, including an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a host of driver aids such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.

　　The EX-L notches up the luxury factor with a sunroof, a noise-reducing windshield, a power liftgate and leather upholstery. As an upgrade, an EX-L subtrim (EX-L with Advanced Navi and RES) adds a navigation system, a 10.2-inch overhead display in the second row, and a Blu-ray player. This version of the EX-L also has a cabin intercom system, which broadcasts the driver's or front passenger's voice to the rear seating areas.

　　The Touring takes things up with front and rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, an integrated vacuum cleaner, a rear-cabin camera monitoring system (CabinWatch), and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Elite trim tops it off with luxuries such as ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and a premium audio system.

　　

2020 Odyssey Highlights

Trim: LXEXEX-LTouringEliteLX

　　

Base MSRP	$30,690
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$165/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	38.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles