Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey Models

The Honda Odyssey comes in two trim levels, LX and EX.

A 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 powers the front wheels, generating 210 horsepower when fed premium-grade fuel. (Regular unleaded can be used, but output suffers about 5 horsepower.) A four-speed automatic transmission comes standard.

LX offers almost every feature most buyers want, including air conditioning, antilock brakes, cruise control, adjustable steering column, and power assists for windows, mirrors and door locks. The EX adds power sliding side doors, automatic climate control, upgraded sound system with a CD player, a keyless remote entry and security system, and handsome alloy wheels. Both models get standard traction control.

A factory-installed navigation system is available as an option on the EX. It uses a satellite-linked Global Positioning System working in conjunction with a DVD-generated map to give route instructions within major cities in the continental 48 states.

Safety features include dual front airbags and a three-point seatbelt/shoulder harness for each of the seven seating positions. There are child safety seat anchors on the second- and third-row seats. NHTSA awarded the Odyssey five stars for occupant protection in frontal collisions, the highest government rating. Side-impact air bags are not available.

Driving the Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey drives and rides like a minivan. While the Odyssey offers class-leading horsepower, this is negated by its weight. Nevertheless, it accelerates briskly, as quick as many sport-utilities. Fuel economy is average. Honda's V6 is smooth and quiet, though it makes its presence known under full acceleration. The automatic transmission works well, though the column-mounted shifter feels a bit funky as it travels an elliptical path when manually shifting through the gears.

In most situations, the Odyssey delivers a smooth, comfortable ride. On a bumpy road into Washington, D.C., however, the suspension seemed to lack sufficient damping. Potholes are felt and heard as rattles emanating from the rear of the vehicle. Odyssey is easily maneuvered in close-quarters, better than most SUVs. Braking is reasonably stable, though there's more mass here than in an Accord wagon, and Odyssey's stopping distance is about average for a minivan.

Big, well-designed mirrors are easy to adjust and provide good rearward vision. The view from the inside mirror is obscured a bit by the rearmost headrests, but they are removable. Sound quality from the premium six-speaker stereo is mediocre. It has difficulty reproducing tracks with a broad range. Distortion occurs at higher volumes and the system lacks efficiency to reproduce low-volume segments well.