UPDATE: 2021 Honda Odyssey
Service Life 8 mo/11,902 mi Average Fuel Econ 20.4 mpg
“After a long, meandering journey, what do we think of this Odyssey?”
Zach Gale
Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $92.52 (oil change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal wear $0 Base price $39,635 As tested $39,635 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 19/28/22 mpg
One road trip, two dreams fulfilled. Few would think of the Honda Odyssey as a dream machine, but in our case the minivan was key to making our nearly 1,000-mile journey happen so smoothly. Sure, enormous SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban can also seat five adults in comfort with room for four sets of golf clubs and a couple of suitcases, but those behemoths start at $50,000. And no SUV will have the ease of use provided by sliding doors.
This was no ordinary road trip. We were celebrating my father-in-law’s birthday and retirement with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Pebble Beach. And once that ended, we set off to Sacramento to say hello to our adorable new puppy before returning home. Here’s a mile-by-mile look at how the Odyssey performed.
2 MILES: No surprise here. Traffic is slowing our escape from Los Angeles. As we roll along, I wonder how many people realize how useful adaptive cruise control is in traffic. Every 2021 and 2022 Odyssey gets this tech as part of the Honda Sensing group of features, and, well, it’s not perfect. But even when the system is a little jerky with acceleration and braking, it can de-stress a short or long drive. I end up using it a lot on this trip.
16 MILES: We’ve barely left home, and already I want more real estate than this 8.0-inch touchscreen offers. Here’s why: If you’re listening to terrestrial or satellite radio, a split-screen function on a larger display allows you to see an approaching exit while your significant other serves as the trip’s DJ. There’s more to automotive life than big screens, but this is one area where the segment has passed the Honda by. The Toyota Sienna offers a 9.0-inch screen, the Chrysler Pacifica is now up to 10.1 inches, and the Kia Carnival goes big with an available 12.3-inch unit.
23 MILES: As I negotiate a tight corner in a drive-through, I think about cameras. Our 2021 Odyssey EX-L is only $39,635, but I still would have liked a 360-degree camera system right about now in this 205.2-inch people mover.
As the sun starts to dip below the horizon in the scenic Lake Cachuma area, a newer Audi Q7 passes an older black Q7. I can’t help but think of how much more attractive the older model is. The old-versus-new comparison makes me grateful for how far
