What You Need to Know - gemek-premium

The 2020 Honda Odyssey ranks near the top of the minivan class thanks to its sophisticated cabin, overall spaciousness, and exceptional performance.

a car driving on a road: 2020 Honda Odyssey

© American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
2020 Honda Odyssey

Is the Honda Odyssey a Good Minivan?

Yes, the 2020 Honda Odyssey is a great minivan. In fact, we named the Odyssey as a finalist for our 2020 Best Minivan for Families because it has the best combination of cargo and passenger space, safety and reliability ratings, positive reviews from automotive journalists, and available family-friendly features in its class. It was also a finalist for our 2020 Best Minivan for the Money award thanks to its combination of quality and value. This Honda is also proof that a minivan can be much more than a practical family shuttle. Its comfortable and roomy cabin has sophisticated styling and upscale materials that bring a rare touch of class to the segment.

The Odyssey also makes your time on the road more enjoyable and convenient thanks to an abundance of available high-tech safety and technology features. Its performance is equally impressive, with a powerful engine, a smooth ride, and handling that’s as carlike as you can get from a minivan. And with a class-leading cargo capacity, there’s plenty of space for family trips.

Should I Buy the Honda Odyssey?

Minivans don’t get much better than the modern, roomy Odyssey. It’s one of the priciest options in the class but worth the cost if it fits your budget. If you want to spend a few thousand dollars less, you may want to check out the Kia Sedona or Chrysler Pacifica.

Should I Buy a New or Used Honda Odyssey?

The 2020 Honda Odyssey is part of a generation that began with the 2018 model year, and there have been few changes since. You’ll likely save money and get a very similar Odyssey by shopping for a 2018 or 2019 model instead.

You can save even more money if you purchase a 2017-or-older Odyssey, but you won’t get all the features and upgrades that came with the 2018 redesign. Models from the previous generation have less cargo space, a less powerful engine, and fewer available features.

If you’re considering an older model, be sure to read our 2017 Odyssey, 2018 Odyssey, and 2019 Odyssey reviews to help make your decision. Also check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts you can find on used vehicles.

We Did the Research for You: 35 Reviews Analyzed

To keep our car rankings and reviews as consumer-oriented as possible, we do not rely on our personal opinions. Instead, we analyze concrete data such as crash test results, reliability ratings, and the viewpoints of the automotive press. This Honda Odyssey review draws from 35 professional reviews and uses applicable research and data from all model years of the current Odyssey generation, which runs from 2018 to 2020.

Why You Can Trust Us

Our staff has more than 75 years of combined experience in the automotive industry, and we’ve ranking the best cars, trucks, and SUVs since 2007. To keep our reviews impartial, we don’t accept expensive gifts or trips from automakers, and an outside firm manages our advertising.

How Much Does the Honda Odyssey Cost?

The 2020 Odyssey starts at nearly $30,800, making it one of the most expensive minivans. That said, there’s only about a $3,500 base-price gap between the Odyssey and the most affordable vehicle in the class. The Odyssey Elite, the top trim level, starts at about $47,400.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Honda dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Honda deals page.

Honda Odyssey Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna?

The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey share many similarities. Both have user-friendly infotainment systems, strong engines, and comfortable rides. They both have excellent cargo capacities as well, though you must completely remove the second row to access their maximum storage space. They’re also the two of the most expensive minivans.

The Sienna has one notable advantage over the Odyssey: It’s one of the only minivans available with all-wheel drive. That said, its cabin is outdated and isn’t as well-built as the Odyssey’s. Unless all-wheel drive is a priority, the Odyssey is the better van. The Honda beat out the Toyota, which was a finalist, to win our 2020 Best Minivan for Families award.

Which Is Better: Honda Odyssey or Chrysler Pacifica?

Like the Sienna, the Chrysler Pacifica was also a Best Minivan for Families finalist. The Pacifica features a comfortable ride, a refined interior, and good gas mileage. The Odyssey offers livelier handling, however. When it comes to cargo space, both minivans have their advantages. The Odyssey has more overall volume by about 18 cubic feet, while the Pacifica has convenient second-row seats that collapse easily into the floor instead of needing to be removed. Unlike the Odyssey, the Pacifica is available with all-wheel drive. However, the Honda is more affordable than the Chrysler, and it offers more standard features. Both are solid vans, but the Odyssey is slightly better all-around.

Odyssey Interior

How Many People Does the Odyssey Seat?

The Odyssey can seat seven or eight people, depending on its configuration. The base Odyssey trim comes standard with seating for seven. This includes the two front seats, two captain’s chairs in the second row, and a three-seat third row. All other trims come with seating for eight people and feature a second-row center seat with Magic Slide capabilities. This means the second-row seats can slide side to side, forward, and backward, so it’s easier for passengers to enter and exit the Odyssey as well as find a comfortable seating position.

From front to back, every occupant will enjoy ample head- and legroom, as well as comfortable, supportive seats. An eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, and cloth upholstery come standard. Moving up the trim levels gets you upgraded features like leather upholstery, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, and a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory positioning.

Odyssey and Child Car Seats

There are four complete sets of LATCH connectors for installing child safety seats. There are two sets in the second and third rows, as well as an upper tether for the third row’s middle seat.

Odyssey Interior Quality

With modern styling, excellent build quality, and soft-touch materials throughout, the Odyssey’s cabin is one of the most attractive in the class.

Odyssey Cargo Space

The Odyssey gives you nearly 39 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, 92 cubic feet behind the second row, and 158 cubic feet behind the first row. That’s plenty of storage space for a large family. Unfortunately, accessing the full cargo area requires removing the hefty second row of seats.

Odyssey Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The Odyssey’s standard infotainment system is simple and user-friendly with straightforward menus. Upgrading to the available infotainment system will get you far more versatility and connectivity. This system includes a responsive 8-inch touch screen, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, satellite radio, an additional USB port, and much more as you move up the trim levels. Regardless of the infotainment system, there are easy-to-reach physical controls that manage climate and audio adjustments.

This Honda minivan also offers some parent-friendly features that set it apart from many of its competitors and help make it less stressful to haul the family around. For example, by utilizing the stereo’s speakers, the available CabinTalk feature helps parents project their voice throughout the cabin via microphone to any bickering siblings with selective hearing. To limit your quarreling little one’s excuses, the available CabinWatch feature uses a camera to provide a view of the second and third rows on the touch screen. Lastly, the available CabinControl feature lets you control the rear-seat entertainment system and climate settings to help keep your rear-seat passengers entertained.

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?

Odyssey Performance

Odyssey Engine: Plenty of Hustle

The Odyssey’s 280-horsepower V6 engine feels smooth, powerful, and capable. It delivers quick acceleration for a minivan.

Odyssey Gas Mileage: Good on Gas

The 2020 Odyssey gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Those are good numbers for the class.

Odyssey Ride and Handling: Gentle Giant

The Odyssey’s smooth suspension shields occupants from the unpleasantness of most rough road surfaces. Its handling is impressive too. Its nicely weighted steering and limited body roll deliver the kind of handling that you might expect more from a sporty SUV than a minivan.

Does the Honda Odyssey Have All-Wheel Drive?

Like most of the minivan class, the Odyssey is not available with AWD. Regardless of the configuration, the Odyssey comes with rear-wheel drive. The Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna are the only minivans offered with AWD.

Odyssey Reliability

Is the Honda Odyssey Reliable?

The 2020 Odyssey has a predicted reliability rating of three out of five from J.D. Power, which is about average.

Honda Odyssey Warranty

Honda backs the Odyssey with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Odyssey Safety

Odyssey Crash Test Results

The 2020 Odyssey received five out of five stars for overall safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It earned five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Odyssey the highest rating of Good in all crash test categories. When equipped with the optional Honda Sensing system, the Odyssey earned the top rating of Superior for front crash prevention. The Odyssey received mixed ratings for the effectiveness of its headlights though: Poor for the LX trim, Marginal for the EX and EX-L trims, and Acceptable for the Touring and Elite trims.

Odyssey Safety Features

A multi-angle rearview camera comes standard. Available active safety features include park assist, blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, and the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features. Honda Sensing includes pre-collision braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, road departure warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.

Odyssey Dimensions and Weight

The 2020 Odyssey is nearly 17 feet long. Its base curb weight ranges from 4,354 to 4,593 pounds.

Where Is the Honda Odyssey Built?

Honda builds the Odyssey in Alabama.

Which Honda Odyssey Model Is Right for Me?

The Odyssey has five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. A 280-horsepower V6 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission are standard in all trims. The base LX model seats seven, while all other trims seat eight.

The EX is the best trim for most shoppers. It costs about $4,000 more than the base trim but adds a significant number of worthwhile features, including a touch screen, smartphone integration, and a host of advanced driver assistance features. Additionally, it comes with family-friendly features like power-sliding doors and a second row Magic Seat that slides backward, forward, and sideways.

Honda Odyssey LX

The base Odyssey LX starts at $30,790. It comes standard with spill-resistant fabric upholstery, a multi-angle rearview camera, push-button start, a 5-inch display, a seven-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, two USB ports, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat.

Honda Odyssey EX

The EX model (MSRP: $34,790) adds a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, proximity keyless entry, power-sliding doors, Magic Slide second-row seats, heated front seats, an 8-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, satellite radio, and CabinControl, a smartphone app that allows passengers to adjust the rear-seat entertainment and climate settings, as well as send destinations to the navigation system. HondaLink (which gives you remote access to your minivan) is also standard but requires a subscription.

The EX also comes with several advanced safety features, including pre-collision braking, forward collision warning, road departure warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert.

Honda Odyssey EX-L

The EX-L (MSRP: $38,060) adds a moonroof, a power liftgate, driver’s seat with memory settings, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and leather-trimmed seats.

Honda Odyssey Touring

The Touring trim (MSRP: $45,060) adds park assist, a hands-free power liftgate, HondaVAC (an in-vehicle vacuum), CabinWatch (which provides a view of the second and third rows on the touch screen), CabinTalk (which allows drivers to speak to rear-seat passengers via a microphone), navigation, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Honda Odyssey Elite

The top-of-the-line Elite model (MSRP: $47,420) adds ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an 11-speaker sound system, and wireless device charging.