2025 Honda Odyssey Test Drive Review: Giving Families What They Want

Minivans are few and much between today, so Honda brings its Odyssey minivan into 2025 with a bunch of further options and up to date styling. It turns thirty this yr and though the minivan now not holds the identical reputation of years previous and the household SUV has taken its place, the 2025 Honda Odyssey needs to show that it is nonetheless an amazing selection for household life. We spent a while behind the wheel to see how nicely it manages.

What’s New for 2025

There’s a brand new search for this yr’s Odyssey with a revised grille and new entrance and rear fascias which supplies this minivan a extra premium look – it is nonetheless unmistakably a van, although, which can or might not attraction to you. It additionally will get vertical rear bumper reflectors taken from the Acura NSX sports activities automotive, if that provides to the attraction in any respect; it does make the Odyssey look good, however don’t anticipate it to drive like a sports activities automotive. There are additionally new wheel designs and new colours, together with Photo voltaic Silver Metallic and Smoke Blue Pearl.

Inside, there’s now an ordinary customizable seven-inch digital instrument cluster with a nine-inch infotainment touchscreen. To maintain the youngsters blissful, the rear leisure system now has a 12.8-inch high-resolution display.

Exterior: Minivan Type With Persona

It’s exhausting to make a minivan look good. Nothing a designer does goes to make a minivan look attractive or sporty, however that doesn’t imply it has to look bland. This yr’s refresh provides a wanted dose of fashion to the Odyssey with the brand new entrance and rear fascias making its extensive stance look much less cumbersome and extra daring. The Acura NSX vertical rear bumper reflectors are a pleasant contact, as are the bigger black fog mild surrounds up entrance. A lot of the Odyssey’s character comes from its placing wheel designs, particularly the brand new machine-finished 19-inch alloy wheels on the Elite.

Inside: Residing The Household Life

The Odyssey has a roomy inside with seating for as much as eight folks. This contains the Magic Slide second row. This distinctive setup isn’t the standard bench seat. The center seat might be eliminated, turning the outboard seats into captain’s chairs. Moreover, these seats can slide side-to-side. This allows you to transfer them shut collectively or additional aside if the youngsters are liable to bickering. Additionally they slide front-to-back to both enhance legroom or broaden cargo capability behind the seats.

It is a comfy minivan, particularly up entrance. The seats are plush and supportive with modest bolstering that accommodates quite a lot of physique sizes. It’s a pleasant place to spend a while, whether or not it’s working the youngsters round city or heading out for that household street journey. Even the third row is sweet, although it’s not the place any grownup will wish to spend an excessive amount of time. It is available in with barely much less room in comparison with the Toyota Sienna within the third row, however presents extra room compared to the Chrysler Pacifica. Let the older youngsters hang around again there, and so they’ll be thrilled with the sense of privateness.

Expertise: An Improve No Matter The place You Sit

Up entrance, there’s now an ordinary seven-inch digital instrument cluster, and it’s configurable so you may select precisely what info you wish to see at a look. This sits beside an ordinary nine-inch infotainment touchscreen. This isn’t an particularly massive display, with the Toyota Sienna providing an out there 12.3-inch touchscreen, however it’s massive sufficient to simply function.

A seven-speaker audio system is commonplace together with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wif-Fi hotspot connectivity, charging ports for the primary and second row, and a wi-fi cellphone charger. Obtainable upgrades embody charging ports for the third row, an 11-speaker audio system, and a rear leisure system with a 12.8-inch high-resolution touchscreen. This contains headphone jacks and HDMI plugs relocated to the within of the console with a bin designed to carry units.

There’s additionally one thing referred to as CabinTalk, which is commonplace on the complete Odyssey lineup. On the press of a button, the driving force’s voice is projected via the rear audio system. It’s precisely what mother and father want to ensure the youngsters hear them when it’s time to get them to calm down. They will’t say they didn’t hear mother when her voice is coming via the speaker.

Cargo: Sufficient House To Maintain It All

Whereas folks consider SUVs as being the factor to have for carrying cargo, don’t low cost the flexibility of the household minivan. There’s a lot of room contained in the Odyssey, with 32.8 cubic ft behind the third row, 86.6 cubic ft behind the second row, and 140.7 cubic ft behind the primary row. This makes it one of many roomier choices within the phase. It might additionally tow 3,500 kilos, which solely the Pacifica beats with 3,600 kilos for its gasoline trims solely.

Energy: Sufficient To Get The Job Accomplished

The powertrain within the Odyssey stays unchanged with a 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 280 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. That is paired to a 10-speed automated transmission with front-wheel drive solely, which makes it much less interesting for individuals who stay in wintry climates. Each the Chrysler Pacifica and the Toyota Sienna do have all-wheel out there.

One thing else you may’t get with the Odyssey is a hybrid. That doesn’t make an enormous distinction in terms of how this minivan drives, nevertheless it’s going to matter much more when it comes time to go out on that household street journey. With out a hybrid choice, gasoline economic system for the Odyssey trails the competitors. The Toyota Sienna has solely a hybrid engine, whereas the Pacifica can also be supplied because the Pacifica Hybrid with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.

Drive Impressions: A Household Pleasant Journey

A minivan is at the beginning a folks mover. It’s going to spend its days hauling the youngsters to high school after which throughout city as soon as faculty lets out. The Odyssey has an inside that provides loads of room for the youngsters and their stuff, whether or not sporting tools or faculty luggage. It additionally has room for mates, so it’s simple to carpool or head out collectively for a day journey.

It’s equally comfy for adults – nicely, apart from the third row which is greatest left to the youngsters except the experience is a brief one. The second-row seats are extra comfy than common for the phase, however the very best seats are within the first row. The motive force and entrance passenger get handled to downright plush seating that makes street journeys a much less daunting proposition.

Driving the Odyssey is, nicely, like driving a minivan. This isn’t an particularly participating or sporty selection, however that’s not why you purchase a minivan within the first place. You purchase it for its potential to get you thru the day with youngsters in tow and room for the groceries and possibly the household canine. On that entrance it shines.

There’s loads of energy to rise up to freeway speeds with a minimal of noise intruding into the cabin, even in unhealthy climate. It’s a clean freeway cruiser, as soon as once more excelling at conserving the household comfortable. Passing slower visitors will not be an issue and the transmission has well-timed shifts to maintain energy supply constant. Steering is considerably relaxed, nevertheless it’s by no means sloppy. This can be a well-mannered minivan that’s not going to make you’re employed exhausting. You already try this, working the youngsters all over the place. The Odyssey permits you to loosen up if you’re behind the wheel and take a breath in the course of a busy day.

Pricing And Verdict: Worth And Consolation

The Honda Odyssey is out there in 4 trims with pricing from $41,920 to $50,880, not together with $1,395 vacation spot. It’s well-equipped in each trim with a gorgeous inside and high quality supplies which can be additionally sturdy sufficient to deal with no matter your youngsters can throw its manner. This can be a competitively priced minivan, which makes it a sensible choice.

It additionally has an excellent fame for reliability. That is at all times essential, however by no means extra so than if you doubtlessly have a bunch of children alongside for the experience. There’s room for everybody, ample expertise, interesting styling, and a clean, quiet experience that households on the go will recognize.