2021 Honda Odyssey Review _ A terrific value—for now.

Hi, I'm Chris Wardlaw for CarGurus, and this is the refreshed 2021 Honda Odyssey. Aside from some minor exterior styling and interior design changes that you might not even notice, the latest Odyssey now comes standard with several safety system and technology improvements. Otherwise, it's the same minivan that you've come to know and love, the best-seller in the segment when it comes to retail sales. But with fresh competition coming soon from Chrysler, Kia, and Toyota, does the Odyssey still have what it takes to woo American families onto the open road for adventure? Let's take a closer look at the 2021 Honda Odyssey to find out. As was true before, the 2021 Honda Odyssey comes in LX, EX, EXL, Touring, and Elite trim. Prices start at $31,790 and climb to as high as $47,820. In fact, that's with this Odyssey Elite test vehicle costs plus a destination charge of $1,120. Each version of this minivan makes a compelling case for itself. Clearly, the LX trim is for bargain hunters. If you want leather and a power tailgate, you need EXL trim or higher. Touring trim is necessary for Wi-Fi and a rear seat entertainment system, and Elite has numerous exclusives such as an integrated vacuum cleaner, wireless smartphone charging, and more. As nice as the Odyssey Elite is, however, the CarGurus recommendation to families buying this minivan is the EX trim level. You'll get all of the safety tech, the upgraded 8-inch infotainment system and all of its features, all of the seating functionality, a triple-zone climate control system, rear side window shades, power sliding side doors, and much, much more for just $35,190. Now, when you go to the Honda Consumer website, it's going to tell you the Odyssey is redesigned. That's not true. It's not even restyled. Instead, Honda makes a few minor design tweaks inside and out. They include a restyled grille and front bumper, standard LED headlights, and black trim on the tailgate. Starting with Touring trim, front parking sensors are new, and this Elite trim test vehicle has a new 19-inch wheel design and new auto-dimming side mirrors. Overall, the changes definitely give the 2021 Odyssey a more refined look. And as far as minivans go, this Honda certainly expresses some flair with its hockey stick door sculpturing, but the kinked beltline and its associated sheet metal stampings are just plain weird. Inside, all but the base LX trim level get updated seats and new tri-color floor mats that Honda says will hide dirt better. Odysseys with leather have new contrast stitching, while Touring and Elite add piano black interior trim that serves as a dust magnet. Elite trim gets a new exclusive perforated leather with contrast piping for a more luxurious look and feel, and new ambient dashboard lighting at night. From a daily driver's standpoint, the Odyssey's interior is firing on almost all cylinders. I'd prefer some more seat height adjustment for the driver, but otherwise, this is both a stylish and functional cabin, perfect for conducting the business of daily family life. I mean, look at all of the storage in this thing. The center console is actually on the small side because of the wireless smartphone charger, but otherwise, from the floor tray and storage drawer in front of the console to the shelves on the door panels, you should have no trouble finding places to stash things. All versions of the Odyssey, except for the LX trim, get a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat. It's comfortable, I just feel like I'm sitting too low behind the steering wheel. When you get an Odyssey with leather seats, it includes an 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. However, half of those adjustments apply to lumbar support. There still isn't a height adjuster for the front passenger. Seriously, Honda, you couldn't add that to the list of 2021 updates? Power sliding side doors are standard, starting with EX trim, and adults can easily fit into the Odyssey's second and third row seats. In all but the Odyssey LX, the second row seats are Honda's Magic Slide design. Now, the test vehicle doesn't have it installed, but a removable center seat between the two outboard captain's chairs gives this minivan eight passenger seating capacity. Take it out, and the Magic Slide seats offer multiple modes. Wide mode is the two separate seats with a pass-through to the third row seat. This is what you want if your kids are like mine and they're squabbling over their personal space all the time. Or you can slide the seats together to place children closer to the center of the vehicle where they're safest. That's buddy mode, according to Honda. Or you can move one of them toward the center, creating a big pass-through to the third row seat. Honda calls this configuration Super Mode. Super Mode is also great for parents of newborns because you can slide the seat forward for easier access to the baby. It's perfect for carrying longer items, too, without needing to remove a rear seat or kick someone out. For 2020, the second-row seats now fold almost flat, which Honda says will make them easier to remove from the van in order to create maximum storage room. You know what would make these easier to remove? There's some kind of a handle on the bottom and also making them lighter. However, since the second-row seats fold flatter than before, you might not need to take them out and your teenagers might prefer to keep them that way sitting in the third-row seat with their legs resting on the folded second-row chairs. But wait, there's more! The second-row seats also tilt and slide, making it easier to access the third-row seat, though you clearly can't use this function if a child safety seat is installed there. So then, the Odyssey supplies remarkable seating configurability and room for up to eight people. It also supplies a whole bunch of room for cargo. Power open the tailgate and behind the third-row seat you'll find 32.8 cubic feet of space. Of course, much of that is impractical because things would fall out when you open the tailgate, but even if you only used half of that amount, you'd match what an Accord sedan offers. Oh, and look what Honda added for 2020, grocery bag hooks. And for spills, the Elite includes the HondaVac, an onboard vacuum cleaner that actually works pretty well. If you're one of the few Odyssey owners that doesn't keep a bunch of junk in the trunk well, you can quickly flip and tumble the third-row seat down to open up 88.8 cubic feet of cargo space. To put that figure into perspective, that's more than a Honda Pilot can carry with all of its seats folded down. Here, you can still also carry your kids. Okay, let's say your kid is finally leaving the nest and you're going to move her into a dorm. If you lug the second-row seats into the garage to make room for all of her stuff, you'll have 144.9 cubic feet of space. You know what else can hold that much stuff, aside from other minivans? Nothing. Not even the all-new 2021 Chevy Suburban. Okay, now that we've proven the Odyssey to be exceptionally practical, you should also know that it's exceptionally safe. Unless the federal government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety change their standards for 2021, it should get top marks for crash protection. Honda has also added more safety features to the 2021 Odyssey. The automaker's Honda Sensing collection of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems is now standard on all trim levels, and it comes with improvements including pedestrian detection, low-speed following capability for the adaptive cruise control, and a traffic sign recognition system. A new button on the lower left part of the dashboard makes it easier to quickly access Honda Sensing settings and to change them as is preferable. A new rear seat reminder system is also standard, and with Touring and Elite trim levels, it's tied in with the Odyssey's CabinWatch rear seat camera system. Honda's CabinTalk intercom system continues this year, included with Touring and Elite trim. It allows the driver to address passengers through the wireless headphones and, with Elite trim, the stereo speakers. Hey, kids, knock it off. Don't make me turn this car around. Honda says a change for 2020 is that you can now use CabinWatch and CabinTalk simultaneously, so when you see one kid swat the other one, you can immediately issue a reprimand. Every Odyssey except for the base LX trim comes with an infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen display. Highlights include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text messaging support, and satellite radio. Upgrade to Touring or Elite trim and you get navigation and HondaLink subscription services, including a Wi-Fi hotspot. Elite trim also includes wireless smartphone charging, a premium sound system, and multi-zone audio settings. Overall, the Odyssey's infotainment system needs some improvement. The lack of a tuning knob is a source of frustration. It also took a long time to pair my iPhone to the Bluetooth connection. The voice recognition system doesn't respond to natural commands, and the screen is on the small side. When you get Touring and Elite trim, a rear seat entertainment system is standard, and it includes a 10.2-inch viewing screen, a Blu-ray disc player, wireless headphones, and built-in apps like How Much Farther that uses navigation system route information to answer that age-old road trip question from whining kiddos. Speaking of road trips, it's time to drive. When you get behind the wheel of a minivan, you really don't expect that much in the way of driving pleasure, and that's where the 2021 Odyssey is a pleasant surprise. It's got a 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Unlike with the updated 2021 Chrysler Pacifica and the redesigned hybrid-only 2021 Toyota Sienna, you cannot get all-wheel drive in an Odyssey. If that's not a deal-breaker for you, you'll find this powertrain offers plenty of performance. Accelerating to match the pace of traffic on wide suburban boulevards or fast-moving freeways is no problem at all, and I averaged 22 miles per gallon on my testing loop, exactly matching the EPA estimate for combined driving. As far as the ride and handling are concerned, the Odyssey displays all of the typical Honda goodness that's baked into the engineering of nearly all the company's vehicles. The ride is connected and communicative, but compliant. The handling, especially on the wider 19-inch wheels and tires, is predictable and even entertaining, even if only because you don't expect a minivan to put a smile on your face. Remember, a minivan handles better than a typical crossover SUV thanks to its lower center of gravity, and given a choice between an Odyssey and a Pilot for any trip involving twisty roads or undulating pavement, I'll take the minivan. However, and this was especially true during a brutal Southern California heat wave, the brakes need an upgrade. As I hauled my family up and over the Santa Monica Mountains to the beach, they began to heat up, shudder, and even fade a bit as we made our way down to sea level. In spite of its handful of flaws, I really like the Honda Odyssey, and I've recommended this minivan to several friends. In fact, it's my favorite example of the breed. However, three of the Odyssey's remaining competitors are getting substantial makeovers or complete redesigns this year and next, and after I've had a chance to sample the updated 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, the all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna, and the completely redesigned 2022 Kia Sedona, perhaps my opinion will change. In the meantime, if you want a minivan and you don't care about getting all-wheel drive or a hybrid powertrain, the 2021 Odyssey is the one to buy. Be sure to read my full review of the 2021 Honda Odyssey at CarGurus, and if you found this video helpful, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. For all of us here at CarGurus, thank you very much for watching.