The Honda Odyssey thread

[DC Car Examiner]

 

Spending a week in this fully-loaded Touring Elite model. Anything in particular I should be on the lookout for?

[PREMiERdrum]

The one new Odyssey in our fleet at work has had a noticeable shudder when downshifting. It's been back to the dealer a few times but they haven't found a fix. Of course, we get the cars for free now so I'm not sure how motivated the dealer is to investigate.

[DC Car Examiner]

The one new Odyssey in our fleet at work has had a noticeable shudder when downshifting. It's been back to the dealer a few times but they haven't found a fix. Of course, we get the cars for free now so I'm not sure how motivated the dealer is to investigate.

 

This one's transmission sometimes gets confused when it's rolling at maybe 20 mph with no foot on the gas, but it's otherwise been well-behaved.

[aneekr]

The high definition widescreen rear entertainment display on the Honda Odyssey is nice! If you get a chance, hook up a Blu-Ray player, XBox, Wii, etc. to the RES. :happy feet:

[taxman100]

My wife and I are shopping for a minivan, and we test drove an Odyssey. To us, it felt absolutely hugh, and the dealers do not seem interested in dealing much on them. You have to get an EX-L to get any kind of rear entertainment system, which lists for $36,830.

 

It seems overpriced to me.

 

So, does it feel smaller after you drive it a few days?

[DC Car Examiner]

My wife and I are shopping for a minivan, and we test drove an Odyssey. To us, it felt absolutely hugh, and the dealers do not seem interested in dealing much on them. You have to get an EX-L to get any kind of rear entertainment system, which lists for $36,830.

 

It seems overpriced to me.

 

So, does it feel smaller after you drive it a few days?

 

It doesn't feel small, no. It doesn't feel unduly bulky to me, but that's not one of its particular strengths. It got wider in the redesign to accommodate the comfortable eighth seat, so that may be contributing to the feel you don't like. And if you didn't love it, it's definitely overpriced for you, unless you liked the competition even less.

 

I'm hoping to quickly drive the other minivans in the morning, so I'll be on the lookout for which has the "smallest" feel.

[old_fairmont_wagon]

Anyone know when Kia is redoing their van? At this point, they have the oldest van on the block. If they redo it with the style that they've infused into the rest of their lineup, as well as the GDI 2.0L turbo that's in the optima, they could have a contender for a leader in this class.

[ANTAUS]

I have my godfather whos wife owns an Oddysey and he who was "pro Honda", said it's been the biggest dissapointment he's ever had. Between tranny failures, A/C compressor dying, and horrible paint job, he says he'll be shopping for a Ford to replace that rolling POS as he calls it. And it's only 3 years old, fyi...

[CKNSLS]

I have my godfather whos wife owns an Oddysey and he who was "pro Honda", said it's been the biggest dissapointment he's ever had. Between tranny failures, A/C compressor dying, and horrible paint job, he says he'll be shopping for a Ford to replace that rolling POS as he calls it. And it's only 3 years old, fyi...

 

The story I am reading on Honda Forums is that they used the Honda Accord transmission, without much "beefing up" for the extra weight and torque of the motor, hence too much strain on the transmission which accounts for the failures. It's my understanding the new models get a redesigned transmission.

[DC Car Examiner]

The story I am reading on Honda Forums is that they used the Honda Accord transmission, without much "beefing up" for the extra weight and torque of the motor, hence too much strain on the transmission which accounts for the failures. It's my understanding the new models get a redesigned transmission.

 

Uplevel 2011 Odysseys have the new Honda six-speed automatic, which first appeared on Acura SUVs.

[taxman100]

It doesn't feel small, no. It doesn't feel unduly bulky to me, but that's not one of its particular strengths. It got wider in the redesign to accommodate the comfortable eighth seat, so that may be contributing to the feel you don't like. And if you didn't love it, it's definitely overpriced for you, unless you liked the competition even less.

 

I'm hoping to quickly drive the other minivans in the morning, so I'll be on the lookout for which has the "smallest" feel.

 

Of the ones we test drove (Odyssey, Town & Country, Sienna, and Routan), the Routan drove the best by far. To be fair, the Chrysler we drove was a leftover 2010, and I could not stomach the cheap feeling interior. Supposidely the 2011's improved both, but we wanted full sized captains' chairs in the 2nd row.

 

Of the 2011's we drove, the Odyssey is by far the most expensive and the largest, the Sienna felt the cheapest, and the options are pricey. On the Routan we liked the low maintenance Leatherette vinyl interior and full size 2nd row captains chairs over a similar Town & Country. Eight passenger seating is not a priority for us, nor is the stow n' go seating. The bonus is oil changes are a snap on the new Chrysler 3.6 liter engine, as I turn my own wrenches on weekends.

 

To make a long story short, with the Town & Country and the Routan being mostly identical, it came down to Volkswagen is selling them at hugh discounts - thousands less than the T&C if you shop around and are patient to find a motivated dealer when buying. Without the discounts, we probably would be buying a used minivan instead.

 

With Mercury closed, I have no brand loyalty - the only minivan we didn't consider was the Kia. With options, it is really not that much cheaper than the Chrysler platform mates, and a Kia is fine as a commuter car, but not my family truckster.

[DC Car Examiner]

For what it's worth, the 2011 Stow-n-Go seats are now larger and more comfortable. They're worth a test sit, unless you are in fact finding a Routan for much less money. (It used to be very much the other way around.)

 

I wish I could say "make sure to drive the Kia, too," as its price -- also generally heavily discounted -- is significantly lower than any of the other vans. But the one I drove yesterday, while far from terrible, felt like you-get-what-you-pay-for more than newer Kias.

[Chester]

Of the ones we test drove (Odyssey, Town & Country, Sienna, and Routan), the Routan drove the best by far. To be fair, the Chrysler we drove was a leftover 2010, and I could not stomach the cheap feeling interior. Supposidely the 2011's improved both, but we wanted full sized captains' chairs in the 2nd row.

 

Of the 2011's we drove, the Odyssey is by far the most expensive and the largest, the Sienna felt the cheapest, and the options are pricey. On the Routan we liked the low maintenance Leatherette vinyl interior and full size 2nd row captains chairs over a similar Town & Country. Eight passenger seating is not a priority for us, nor is the stow n' go seating. The bonus is oil changes are a snap on the new Chrysler 3.6 liter engine, as I turn my own wrenches on weekends.

 

To make a long story short, with the Town & Country and the Routan being mostly identical, it came down to Volkswagen is selling them at hugh discounts - thousands less than the T&C if you shop around and are patient to find a motivated dealer when buying. Without the discounts, we probably would be buying a used minivan instead.

 

With Mercury closed, I have no brand loyalty - the only minivan we didn't consider was the Kia. With options, it is really not that much cheaper than the Chrysler platform mates, and a Kia is fine as a commuter car, but not my family truckster.

 

I'm surprised with your criteria that you have not considered a Flex.

[CKNSLS]

I'm surprised with your criteria that you have not considered a Flex.

 

I am wondering how many people cross shop the Flex with a mini van? If so, what are the price differences? Do people want the "stow and go" seats? Or the dual sliding doors? Also, car seats and "baby stuff" are a lot easier to get in and out of a mini van.

 

I see a few Flex around my (some would consider slightly upscale area) and have never seen a Mom with small children in them. It looks like to be mostly woman I see driving the Flex (based on age) would have teenagers or have grown kids.

 

I know it's been going "back and forth" between people on this board if it's successful or not, to me Ford is chasing a market with the Flex it has yet to define.

Edited April 24, 2011 by CKNSLS

[cheri/ck]

I am wondering how many people cross shop the Flex with a mini van? If so, what are the price differences? Do people want the "stow and go" seats? Or the dual sliding doors? Also, car seats and "baby stuff" is a lot easier to get in and out of a mini van.

 

I see a few Flex around my (some would consider slightly upscale area) and have never seen a Mom with small children in them. It looks like to be mostly woman I see driving the Flex (based on age) would have teenagers or have grown kids.

 

I know it's been going "back and forth" between people on this board if it's successful or not, to me Ford is chasing a market with the Flex it has yet to define.

 

 

 

 

Frankly, Ford has got a ways to go on their "way forward" in my mind. Wish I could buy an AWD van and/or mini-van with a camper package. Wish there was some smaller truck alternative with at least the 3.7 V-6 offered. Only option for me with Ford is a big array of cross-over vehicles which do not work for us. We don't have kids, don't need the passenger space and have generally bought 4WD Ford pick-ups forever.

 

Or of course, there is still the way too heavy F-150 that struggles with new engine options to be competive with gas mileage.

 

Like I said before - I think Ford has lost their way. Dictating to customers what they will buy has never worked. And it won't work again.

 

 

 

 

.

[taxman100]

I'm surprised with your criteria that you have not considered a Flex.

 

The big issue with the Flex is no sliding doors - I don't my kids bouncing the back doors off of the side of my 67 Galaxie that will share the garage with our van. Sliding doors allows my wife to load into car seats, etc. without backing out of the garage. Plus it seems harder to access the 3rd row.

[taxman100]

For what it's worth, the 2011 Stow-n-Go seats are now larger and more comfortable. They're worth a test sit, unless you are in fact finding a Routan for much less money. (It used to be very much the other way around.)

 

I wish I could say "make sure to drive the Kia, too," as its price -- also generally heavily discounted -- is significantly lower than any of the other vans. But the one I drove yesterday, while far from terrible, felt like you-get-what-you-pay-for more than newer Kias.

 

Next door neighbor has a Kia - it seems to get one with the RSE and noncloth interior runs almost $34,000, and it is still a Kia. I admit that includes a sunroof and memory seats the competition won't have at that price. However, even if you get $4,000 off, you can get about the same on a Chrysler Town & Country if you shop around. I was turned off by the poor fit of the sliding doors to the body on the Sedona I looked at when I visited the auto show - maybe it was a fluke.

 

The Volkswagen dealer from which I'm buying a Routan SE with RSE, with no trade and paying cash, gave my over $7,600 off of list price on my choice of 13 Routans. I had to travel about 100 miles to get that as the local dealers could not come close to that, and I think if I could have waited until the end of the model year, there might be higher discounts then.