2018 Honda Odyssey

The 2018 Honda Odyssey is offered in about 6 trims, namely LX, EX, SE, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The prices for the same start from an MSRP of $29,850 for the base LX trim, and go all the way up to $45,325 for the Elite trim. granted the top-end trims are a little pricier, but it nevertheless holds some of the most premium features yet available in a minivan. The engine is the same standard 3.5L V6, although the transmission setup is different. While the top-end Touring and Elite trim get a 10-speed automatic unit, the base trims get a rather efficient 9-speed AT unit.

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Our pick of the lot would definitely be the Honda Odyssey Touring trim. The reason being due to its 10-speed automatic transmission unit, and also due to it getting standard "Magic Slide seats". The sliding seats are only available as optional extras in the base trims. Plus the Touring trim also gets plenty of standard driver-assistance features from the Honda Sensing system.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey delivers an EPA estimated 19 MPG in the city and 28 miles to the gallon out on the highway. Pair that with the 19.5-gallon fuel tank, and the minivan stretches out to 546 miles on the go-between fuel stops. The EPA-estimated figures are the same for both the 9-speed and the 10-speed AT. It definitely is placed higher in the segment on the fuel efficiency front.

The Odyssey also has a Start/ Stop feature, that only manages to enhance fuel efficiency. Plus add to its the cylinder deactivation system, which shuts down three-cylinder out of the six, under different conditions, saves fuel while going on long journeys. The Sienna outperforms the Odyssey with its segment-best 22-gallon fuel tank.

Overall, the 2018 Odyssey strikes us as the best pick for shoppers with young children or big families - Edmunds

A minivan usually excels on the interior front, and without surprise the 2018 Odyssey most definitely aces it. With plenty of space to seat in 7 or even 8 passengers at a stretch, the 2018 Odyssey is one of the most spacious minivans in the segment. There is plenty of headroom and legroom to seat above-average adults. The seats are well-bolstered, and you get either captain's chairs or bench seats depending on the trim of your choice.

The seats do recline, whereas the newest addition to this year's lineup is the " Magic Slide seats", which allow you to recline, or slide the seats in their entirety sp as to move about. Traveling across states for long weekend journeys is a breeze in the Odyssey. The only drawback, that the Honda puts forth is the outside noise that creeps into the cabin. Cloth upholstery is standard in the base trims, whereas leather upholstery is offered with the higher trims.

Some of the interior features included with the 2018 Odyssey are-

• Cloth upholstery
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory settings
• Power sliding doors
• Magic Slide second-row seats
• Active moon roof

2018 Honda Odyssey Cargo Space

The 2018 Honda Odyssey, manages to deliver a respectable 38.6 cu. ft of cargo space. this is behind the rear seats, which can also be enhanced by folding down the seats to give way to more space. Folding them down gives way to 92 cu. ft of space, while folding down the second-row seats paves way for 158 cu. ft of cargo space.

Its boxy silhouette and the low cargo floor paves way for more outright cargo space. The automated rear liftgate also manages to offer you a hassle-free loading and unloading option. Being a minivan, the interior storage spaces offered with the Odyssey are plenty. Enough for your long weekend getaways. The Sienna, having a longer wheelbase, manages to put forth a better cargo room.

2018 Honda Odyssey Infotainment system

Honda has brought a few changes to its infotainment front following the row of complaints it had from its customer base. An inconvenient previous iteration system paves way for a 5-inch touchscreen system in the base trims, and an 8-inch infotainment display in the EX trims and higher. the system comes with in-built Navigation. It has an adequate number of buttons to scroll through options, whereas the touchscreen interface seems quite cumbersome to use. The minivan also gets a 10.2-inch rear entertainment system. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available now. 

Some of the infotainment features on offer are-

• 8-inch touchscreen
• Active Bluetooth
• Android Auto and Apple Car Play
• Cabin Control and Cabin Talk
• Wi-Fi hotspot.
• 11-speaker premium audio system
• SiriusXM radio

The redesigned 2018 Honda Odyssey is exceptionally well thought out, brimming with cool tech, spacious, comfortable, and well controlled on the road - TheCarConnection 

Minivans have always been dubbed as a practical offering with conservative looks. The 2018 Honda Odyssey stands true to that very fact quite literally. Even after the Odyssey has been put through a redesign, it still has that rudimentary feel to it. The front end is dominated by a low-slung chrome-laden grille, along with a tapered LED headlights with LED DRLs. 

The side profile is filled with character lines that go all the way back to the rear end. It also comes with easy access features such as the power-sliding doors and an automated rear-liftgate to name a few. 17-inch alloys are standard throughout, but as you go up the trim ladder, Honda provides you with 18-inch ones. There are definite chrome accents all around the structure. Coming onto the dimensions, it might be the smallest minivan in the class, but nevertheless has plenty of cabin space inside.

Some of the exterior features of the 2018 Honda Odyssey are-

• 18-inch Alloy wheels
• Stylish power-sliding doors
• Automatic side rear lights
• Roof rails
• Automated rear liftgate
• Noise-reducing windshield
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror

Honda prides itself in delivering some of the safest cars ever. The 2018 Honda Odyssey, in that comparison, fades out a bit in terms of crashworthiness, as it receives a 5 on 5-star rating from the NHTSA, but settles for a "Good" rating from the IIHS. The Honda Sensing system is now practically standard across the trim range, with plenty of active and passive safety features available. There is no denying the fact that, the Odyssey is certainly safe for families.

Some of the standard safety features on offer are-

• Lane departure warning
• Road departure mitigation system
• Forward collision warning
• Collision mitigation warning system
• 4-wheel ABS             
• Traction control and Electronic stability control
• Night vision
• Rollover protection system   
• Blindspot monitor   
• Auto-leveling headlights  
• Rear Cross-Traffic alert

2018 Honda Odyssey vs 2018 Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna has a potent engine setup and is the only minivan in the segment with a standard AWD setup. It is not only more powerful than the Odyssey but is also rather fuel-efficient. Coming onto the interior, the Odyssey takes this all the way as with its tech-laden cabin space and also its "Magic Slide seats". The Toyota Sienna is also a bit more expensive than the Odyssey, but nevertheless, it shows a tremendous value for the price tag.

2018 Honda Odyssey vs 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

The only other minivan that can be thought of competing against the Odyssey is the Chrysler Pacifica. Both at the top of their games, the Pacifica is often known for its sumptuous and premium interior setup so much so that, the Odyssey fails to put up a decent fight against it. The infotainment interface, the Pacifica employs is better than that of the Odyssey. It also performs decently well on the fuel efficiency front.

Honda ups the ante for the minivan community with this redesigned 2018 Odyssey. It flawlessly partners practicality and utilitarianism with fun. As a minivan, the Honda Odyssey does everything it was intended to do, such as have a sumptuous and practical interior setup, a potent powertrain on offer, plenty of cargo storage, and a relatively engaging ride. Comfort takes precedence in this case. So to sum it up, the redesigned Honda Odyssey might not woo you with its redesigned exterior silhouette but is definitely worth the price tag it puts up.