Image-conscious parents may avoid them, but there's simply no beating a minivan for overall versatility and practical family transportation. The Honda Odyssey blended a comfortable cabin, flexible seating, and room for eight people with responsive handling and impressive fuel economy.
The smooth six-speed automatic transmission boosts fuel economy to a best-in-class 21 mpg overall. That's very good for a vehicle this spacious. Crash test results are excellent. And advanced electronic safety features, such as forward-collision and lane-departure warnings are commonly available.
Its slick engine and transmission also deliver relaxed cruising and ample power. The ride is supple and steady. The Odyssey also has commendably agile handling and sharp steering, challenging the notion a minivan has to be boring. However, the Odyssey doesn't offer all-wheel drive.
Inside, you're treated to a quiet cabin and supportive, well-padded seats. The spacious second- and third-row seats can be folded or deployed in numerous configurations to accommodate varying cargo and passenger needs. Easy access, generous child-seat accommodations and abundant cabin storage let you check off three more boxes on the family-friendliness wish list.
Among our few gripes is the two-tier, dual-screen dashboard and radio design, which scrapped the previously simple control layout in favor of a needlessly complicated high-tech command center.