2011 Honda Odyssey

The completely redesigned, all-new 2011 Honda Odyssey receives a number of improvements that make it the best minivan on the market, many reviewers claim. Roomy seating configurations, remarkable handling, best-in-class fuel economy and myriad safety and convenience features have helped the already acclaimed Odyssey maintain its position at the top, according to reviewers. Automobile Magazine assistant editor David Zenlea says, "It's the thoroughly engineered competence that makes this Odyssey what it always has been: the best minivan, period."

Edmunds Inside Line compares the 2011 Odyssey to its closest natural competitor, the highly regarded 2011 Toyota Sienna (Base MSRP: $25,060 to $40,570). In numerical scoring, the Honda test vehicle beats the Toyota in almost every category. The test pits the expensive, top-of-the-line Honda Odyssey Touring Elite trim level (Base MSRP: $43,250) to the middle-grade Sienna XLE (Base MSRP: $32,475 to $34,815). Editor Chris Walton points out that had they matched the Honda with a comparably equipped Sienna Limited, the Toyota's price would be $395 more expensive. Regardless, the Honda soundly beats the Sienna XLE. "The Odyssey Touring Elite is the better overall value, though, as its boatload of features easily offsets its price disadvantage versus the Toyota Sienna XLE," Walton says.

Other reviews mention worthy alternatives such as the lower-priced 2011 Kia Sedona (Base MSRP: $24,595 to $29,195) and the smaller 2010 Mazda5 (Base MSRP: $17,995 to $23,005). While the 2010 Chrysler Town & Country (Base MSRP: $25,175 to $35,575) and sibling 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan (Base MSRP: $21,800 to $27,975) are also mentioned as rivals, Edmunds.com editors comment, "Poor construction and materials have us steering shoppers away from them." (It should be noted that for 2011, the aforementioned Chrysler and Dodge minivans receive all-new powertrains and interiors, as well as a variety of exterior styling tweaks to bring them more in line with the competition.)

Weird-looking, but supremely family-friendly

For 2011, the Honda Odyssey grows slightly in overall size, adding valuable interior space. The second-row middle seat width is up by 4 inches, and it slides forward 5 1/2 inches to allow the driver or front-seat passenger to have easier access to a child in that position. The second row also has a "wide mode" setting that adds 3 more inches of hip room. The third row gets an additional 1.1 inch of leg room as well. Despite the larger dimensions, overall weight is down by 50 to 100 pounds, depending on trim.

The redesign includes new exterior styling, which fails to win over most reviewers. USA Today's James Healey calls it "ugly," adding that the unusual dip in beltline near the third window makes it look like "a pieced-together vehicle from a salvage yard, where a guy welded the back of something onto the front of something else." On the other hand, Cars.com's David Thomas says, "The somewhat odd profile design will likely be the last thing Odyssey shoppers notice."

The interior is more important to minivan owners, reviewers insist. Thomas says, "To woo parents, the redesigned 2011 model is relying on features like an expandable second row that fits three child-safety seats, a built-in trash bag holder, and enough cupholders for 15 cans, bottles and juice boxes."

MotherProof.com's Lori Hindman says, "In a stroke of genius, the Odyssey's five sets of LATCH anchors actually fit five child-safety seats at the same time. Amazing!" She admires all the features that make a parent's life on the road easier, such as "bins and cubbies everywhere, and they're all made of substantial plastic, with no rough edges or flimsy construction." However, she suggests, "If I could ask for anything more, it would be some wood trim to warm up the abundance of black and gray plastic in the cabin."

That idea is echoed by Motor Trend's Frank Markus, who says, "I prefer the interior ambiance of the top Toyota's wood and chrome to Odyssey Touring Elite's soft-touch tech plastics." He adds, "The way the seats flip, fold, and slide seems top-notch, though muscling the 49-pound middle seats out to carry drywall could be taxing." The cargo space behind the third row is 38.4 cubic feet -- unchanged from last year and slightly smaller than the Toyota Sienna's 39.1 cubic feet. The third row folds flat easily with the pull of a strap, expanding the space to 93.1 cubic feet, larger than the Sienna's 87.1 cubic feet. Removing the second row expands the Odyssey's total cargo space to 148.5 cubic feet, just short of Sienna's 150 cubic feet.

While the Odyssey's functionality gets few complaints, some critics feel there are simply too many buttons on the dash panel. Edmunds.com says, "The numerous controls are more logically placed and within easier reach, but the mere fact that we counted no fewer than 80 buttons and knobs at the driver's command has us longing for a more elegant solution."

Powerful and efficient. Good handling, too

The Honda minivan surprises many critics with its handling prowess. Edmunds Inside Line's Walton claims the Odyssey "is the closest thing there is to an eight-passenger sport sedan." In skidpad and slalom testing, the Odyssey achieves respectable figures, noticeably better than the Sienna's. Walton adds, "In contrast, the Honda's firmer suspension transmits more of the road's texture, but the ride isn't busy or uncomfortable." Automobile Magazine gives its perspective: "The Odyssey retains its independent rear suspension -- a rarity in the segment -- and presses its ride and handling advantage with a stiffer unibody, softer bushings, and new bypass dampers that provide better body control over most surfaces but soften large impacts."

Acceleration to 60 mph takes 8.1 seconds, Edmunds Inside Line reports, and larger brakes bring the 2011 Honda Odyssey to a stop shorter with much better control and feel than last year's minivan. Revised steering also gets compliments from most reviewers as being sufficiently light for easy maneuvering, while still providing good feedback from the road.

Honda Odyssey trim-level breakdown

The 2011 Honda Odyssey trim levels, from bottom to top, run LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite. The base LX lacks the second-row center seat, and seats only seven. The EX adds the eighth seat, a center console, power sliding doors and driver's side power lumbar control. EX-L adds leather upholstery, a refrigerated front storage compartment, Bluetooth and a sunroof, among other amenities. There's also an EX-L model with rear-seat entertainment and one with navigation and a rearview camera (you can get either in the EX-L, but not both). The Honda Odyssey Touring model has both the rear entertainment system and navigation, plus a six-speed automatic transmission instead of the lower models' five-speed auto. The fully-equipped Touring Elite adds a 12-speaker, 5.1-channel surround-sound system, widescreen rear monitor, HID headlights and blind-spot monitoring system.

V6 Odyssey delivers four-cylinder efficiency

Honda uses a single engine across all 2011 Odyssey trim levels: a 248-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. The LX and EX models pair said V6 with a five-speed automatic, a combination that yields an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway/21 mpg combined. The two Odyssey Touring trim levels receive a six-speed automatic. That powertrain pairing achieves best-in-class fuel economy of 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. Not only is this a significant improvement over the 2010 Honda Odyssey's 17 city/25 highway/20 combined, it beats the base four-cylinder Toyota Sienna's 19 city/24 highway/21 combined.

Honda achieves these gaudy fuel economy numbers with its powerful V6 largely due to sophisticated cylinder deactivation technology. While cruising at highway speeds, the V6 can shut down half its cylinders, therefore operating like a three-cylinder engine.

Motor Trend's Markus dings both available automatic transmissions for their lack of a manual gear selector, which he calls the Honda minivan's "single greatest flaw." He explains: "A button allows you to request D4 in the six-speed (D3 in the five-speed), and both have an L position that will suddenly and unexpectedly grab the next lowest gear with a lurch when the speed falls within range."

Safety is a strong point for 2011 Honda Odyssey

All 2011 Honda Odyssey models come with side airbags for the front seats, side-curtain airbags for all three rows, antilock brakes and electronic stability control. In government crash testing, the 2011 Odyssey earns the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top 5-star overall rating. The independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the 2011 Odyssey a Top Safety Pick for scoring the maximum rating of Good in front- and side-impact crash tests, as well as the organization's roof strength evaluation.

Finding the best 2011 Honda Odyssey reviews

One of the best articles for minivan shoppers is Edmunds Inside Line's comparison test between the new Odyssey and the latest Toyota Sienna, which was also redesigned for 2011. Other comprehensive road test reviews can be found at Motor Trend, Cars.com, Edmunds.com, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. MotherProof.com gives a useful family perspective. For more about the technical details inside the cabin, check the review at CNET.