2020 Honda Odyssey Review: Family Fun Time

As spacious and accommodating as an SUV is, sometimes you need something more. Enter the Honda Odyssey minivan, an even more spacious and accommodating option. But don't let its looks deceive you: the chunky minivan is fun to drive and offers a long list of available features, too. With a V6 engine delivering 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels, the Odyssey is nimble around town and capable on the highway, with enough cargo capacity for eight passengers' luggage. Combined with an attractive price tag and competitive fuel economy, the Honda minivan fares well against its competitors, like the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica. Some of the available features, such as the Honda Sensing safety suite, could be available as standard rather than being locked behind higher trim levels, but, overall, the Honda Odyssey is a solid option when considering a family-friendly, safe, and even engaging minivan.

What’s the Price of the 2020 Honda Odyssey?

The Odyssey is well-priced for the segment, with a starting price of $30,690, at least a grand below similar rivals. But if you want more than the bare-bones LX, though, you will be considering the EX or better, starting at $34,690. The mid-tier EX-L goes for sale below $40k at an MSRP of $37,960, while the touring hikes the price quite a bit to $44,960. To get behind the wheel of the premium Elite trim, you will need to put aside $47,320. With a bit of customization and extra fees, you can expect to hit the $50k mark. These prices exclude tax, registration, licensing, and Honda's destination charge of $1,095.

Handling and Driving Impressions

Minivans are by no means designed to be thrilling drives, but that doesn't mean they should actively disappoint. The Honda Odyssey is a well-behaved driver that instills confidence without sucking out all the fun.

Sharp, reactive steering at lower speeds helps the hefty minivan maneuver around busy town streets or packed parking lots. On the highway, the steering gains some weight to keep the vehicle stable, but on-center feel is a bit lacking. There is a surprising amount of feedback for a minivan, but it's not unwelcome. The brakes are just as capable, adjusting the pressure of input in a predictable manner and bringing the large minivan to a stop in just 123 feet from 60 mph.

The suspension handles road imperfections without complaint, although the larger 19-inch wheels on the Elite or Anniversary Package don't do the job as well, delivering a more jarring ride over consistently rough roads. The comfortable seating helps to mitigate some of this, thankfully.

Despite its size, the Odyssey handles in a more car-like fashion than you might anticipate. The talkative steering and good road manners combine to deliver a pleasing driving experience, and the van never loses its cool when maneuvering around town or the occasional sharp turn.

Verdict: Is the Honda Odyssey A Good car?

The minivan segment may not be an overly populated one, but that doesn't mean it isn't important to stand out. Honda seems to realize this, and the Odyssey minivan is clearly designed to turn heads. While it won't win any beauty pageants, the minivan is still elegantly styled, and it handles remarkably well despite its bulk and awkward dimensions.

The Odyssey is available with a long list of features, including smartphone integration and a full suite of advanced safety aids. Unfortunately, many of these desirables are not standard on the base model, forcing you to upgrade a trim or two. However, this is not uncommon for the segment, with the Chrysler Pacifica locking its best safety features behind even higher paywalls. Despite this drawback, the Honda minivan impresses in just about every other area. It offers superior passenger capacity and its cargo capacity is rivaled by only a select few competitors.

None match the Odyssey's playful driving dynamics, however, and its price tag is hard to beat. Coupled with competitive fuel economy figures and excellent safety ratings, it's not hard to see why the Honda Odyssey is leading the pack in most critics' opinions. Try it out, and we guarantee you won't be disappointed.

What Honda Odyssey Model Should I Buy?

The Honda Odyssey EX should provide you with all the amenities you need in a minivan, in terms of both comfort and safety. It isn't as premium as the Touring or Elite, but it also isn't as expensive. You get the Honda Sensing safety features as well as modern features like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The tri-zone climate control and larger infotainment interface are certainly welcome too. If you can afford the extra cost, then the EX-L or Touring might be more to your taste with their leather interior and extra conveniences like a hands-free liftgate or a CabinWatch/CabinTalk. Just give the entry-spec model a skip.

2020 Honda Odyssey Comparisons

2020 Honda Odyssey vs Toyota Sienna

With a bit more power on tap, the 296-hp Toyota Sienna is very capable around town and on the highway. It also offers all-wheel-drive, whereas the Honda Odyssey is restricted to front-wheel-drive only. However, the Odyssey gets a smoother ten-speed automatic transmission. The Sienna supplies comparable cargo space to the Honda, but it comes standard with advanced safety features like forward collision mitigation and lane keeping assistance, which are reserved for upper trims on the Odyssey. Where the Honda minivan redeems itself, however, is in its impressive handling dynamics and comfortable ride quality. It also provided more passenger space than the Toyota. With a slightly lower price tag and competitive fuel economy, the Honda Odyssey is the better choice, but you may need to make a larger initial investment to get the best value for your money.

2020 Honda Odyssey vs Chrysler Pacifica

The Chrysler Pacifica is almost as new to the market as the Honda Odyssey, having been redesigned only a year prior. As such, it presents buyers with a similarly upscale interior, but it doesn't offer the same level of spaciousness as the Honda, with less passenger and cargo space than is common for the minivan segment. The advanced safety features available on the Pacifica are also locked behind one of the highest trim levels, and don't even come standard; you'll need to opt for the Advanced Safety Tec package. And, while the Chrysler may offer comparable performance figures, with a 287-hp and 262-lb-ft V6, it isn't as capable on the road as the Honda. The Pacifica does offer a hybrid model, which helps it stand out from the pack, but in almost every other regard, the Honda Odyssey is the better financial buy. Still, we can't shake the inkling that the Pacifica feels more premium, and while it doesn't have the same driver thrills, passengers will love you more for buying it, and the tech-savvy will fall in love with its easier to use infotainment. At the end of the day, the Pacifica edges the contest.