Honda Odyssey

If you go by sales, minivans get short shrift these days compared to SUVs. But for family-friendly versatility, they're still tops. Not only do they have deep cargo wells behind the third row — perfect for swallowing gear on a road trip — third-row passenger space is usually more generous in a minivan too. Even with so many admirable attributes baked in, it takes a lot for one minivan to rise above the rest. We think the 2022 Honda Odyssey is the standout, with superlative ride comfort, thoughtfully executed technology features, and surprisingly capable handling among its many appealing qualities.

Naturally, the Odyssey isn't your only choice for a minivan. The Toyota Sienna exhibits many of the same qualities, and its hybrid engine delivers exceptional fuel economy. The Chrysler Pacifica is luxuriously equipped and offers a hybrid of its own, and the new Kia Carnival promises more high-tech features at a lower cost. Is the Odyssey going to be the best van for you? Check out the categories of our Expert Rating below to help you decide.

Which Odyssey does MatoCar recommend?

Every Odyssey has value in what it offers, so feel free to get as well equipped of an Odyssey as you can while staying within your budget. Still, the EX is hard to beat for overall value. It comes with many conveniences that aren't present on the base LX, including power-sliding rear doors, second-row sunshades, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.

The 2022 Odyssey minivan is available in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Elite. All are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 (280 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque) powering the front wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The LX comes with second-row captain's chairs, allowing seating for seven. All others come installed with a removable middle seat to increase capacity to eight. Feature highlights include:

LX The base LX model starts you off with:

LED headlights
18-inch alloy wheels
Push-button ignition
Automatic climate control
Power-adjustable front seats
5-inch central display screen
Seven-speaker audio system
Rear-seat reminder system (alerts you as a reminder to check the rear seats for occupants when you park the car)

Every Odyssey also comes with:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Honda and the car in front)

EX The EX upgrades the Odyssey with:

Dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera
Heated mirrors
Remote engine start
Keyless entry
Power-sliding rear doors
Tri-zone automatic climate control
Heated front seats
Second-row bench seat
Second-row sunshades

The EX also comes with:

8-inch touchscreen
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
Satellite radio
Blind-spot monitoring (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while in reverse)

EX-L Upgrades on the midtier EX-L model include:

Sound-reducing windshield
Sunroof
Power liftgate
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Driver-seat memory settings
Leather upholstery
Second-row USB charging ports

Touring The Touring model ups the feature content significantly, with additions that include:

19-inch wheels
Ambient interior lighting
Third-row sunshades
Third-row USB charging port
Integrated navigation system
Onboard Wi-Fi hotspot
Rear-seat entertainment system with 10.2-inch screen, Blu-ray player and wireless headphones
In-headphone cabin intercom system
Rear-cabin camera monitoring system (known as CabinWatch, it displays a view of the rear seating area on the touchscreen)
Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)

Elite The range-topping Elite is fully equipped with:

Automatic wipers
Power-folding and auto-dimming side mirrors
Sound-reducing side and rear window glass
Hands-free tailgate
Heated steering wheel
Ventilated front seats
Wireless charging pad
11-speaker premium audio system
Intercom system (known as CabinTalk, it broadcasts the driver's voice through the rear speakers)