2020 Honda Odyssey

The 2020 Honda Odyssey comes in a varied five trim lineup – LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. Prices for the same start from an MSRP of $30,790 for the base LX trim, whereas the top-most Elite trim will set you back by $47,420. All trims are powered by the same engine, which is the 3.5L NA V6 engine. Earlier iteration had two gearbox options on offer. Although for 2020, the previous 9-speed automatic transmission has been sidelined for good. The Odyssey comes with all the best-in-class features as standard, whereas the premium factor just keeps on increasing a notch as you move up the trim table.

We Recommend:

If anything, we would recommend the bucked-up 2020 Odyssey Touring trim as for an MSRP of $44,760, this trim is loaded with all sorts of necessary features. It also offers the best value for your money. Some features like the in-built navigation and the rear entertainment screen can be opted for in this car so you do not miss out on any of the practical and premium stuff one expects from a best-seller.

The 2020 Honda Odyssey is EPA rated at 19 MPG in the city and 28 miles to the gallon out on the highway. Combined it can pull up to 22 miles to the gallon. These are some of the best MPG figures in the segment. Combine that with the decently sized 19.5-gallon fuel tank, and the 2020 Odyssey can go up to 546 miles between fuel stops.

The 2020 Odyseey is also offered with a variable cylinder management system, which virtually switches between 3 and 6 cylinders, so as to extract more efficiency. The fuel economy figures are quite respectable indeed, as the Odyssey also aces the performance test.

We like how the Odyssey is comfortable in all three rows of seating. Whether you've got a van full of kids on a road trip or you're just taking your friends out to dinner, the Odyssey should keep everyone happy - Edmunds

The 2020 Honda Odyssey really impresses us with its interiors. The layout is very stylish and contemporary and the build quality is impressive as well. The seats themselves are very comfortable. The front seats have powered adjustments and are heated or cooled. The middle seat in the second row can be folded to make for an armrest. For instance, you can completely remove the middle seat in the second row and slide the outer seats inward for easier access to the third row. There’s plenty of space to carry 7 people or even 8 people with all seats in place. It’s the perfect van if carrying a lot of people is your priority.

The rest of the interiors is quite pleasing as well with light-colored materials used everywhere and the fit and finish are also really nice. There’s a metal finished trim piece on the dashboard which gives a pleasant feel and the all-digital instrument cluster looks very classy as well. The four-spoke wheel has several steering-mounted controls for added convenience and there are lots of storage spaces all around the cabin which is very handy. You can also equip your car with a rear-seat entertainment package and it is really a worthy investment. 

The infotainment system in the Honda Odyssey is pretty good as well. The 8-inch unit has good graphics and is fairly intuitive. It comes loaded with a lot of features and responds well to commands. The coolest feature of the Odyssey has to be the cabin monitoring system. There’s something called cabin talk which lets you talk to the passengers in the rear seats via a mic and there’s a fish eye camera in the ceiling for you to look at what’s happening in the rear seats. It is indeed quite cool especially if you have kids in the rear seats.

Some of the infotainment features on offer are-

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• Wireless smartphone charging
• Mobile hotspot
• Rear entertainment system (which plays Blu-Ray discs and has built-in apps)
• A 115-volt power outlet
• Sattelite radio
• USB Ports

The Honda Odyssey has one of the largest cargo capacities of 38.6 cu. ft and that’s really a lot of space. Also, the seats fold away easily and are pretty adaptable to make way for cargo. If carrying a lot of cargo is your priority then the Odyssey makes a lot of sense. You can fit everything you could ever imagine fitting inside a car. There is also a hands-free tailgate for opening and closing the rear hatch when your hands are full.

Some of the interior features on offer are-

• Programmable Power Tailgate Locks
• Powered Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
• Driver's and Front Passenger's Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
• Ambient Console Lighting
• Cargo Area Light
• Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control System with Humidity Control and Air Filtration
• Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Driver's Seat with 12-Way Power Adjustment
• One-Motion 60/40 Split 3rd-Row Magic Seat
• Magic Slide 2nd-Row Seats
• Multi-Function 2nd-Row Center Seat
• Leather-Trimmed Seats (front and outboard 2nd-row)
• Heated and Ventilated Front Seats

Honda has nearly hidden the sliding door track, tucking it right into the black trim area under the rear-side windows. This change, new in 2018, worked wonders on the Odyssey’s profile and smoothed out the lines of the vehicle overall – The Car Connection

The 2020 Honda Odyssey is as stylish as a minivan could get. The face is distinctly Honda in that it has a large chrome band bearing the Honda badge across the grille which blends in with the very stylish LED headlamps which are quite sharp and angular in design. The nose swoops down to the front bumper which houses the fog lamps with a black garnish around them. The face is otherwise quite simple and bears a typical Honda face. On the sides, the window line is quite uniquely shaped. There’s a nice kink to the window line after the B-pillar and it looks quite cool indeed. The sides also feature some character lines along the window lines and some more along with the door which adds some visual flair to the sides.

The 18-inch alloy wheels have also been well designed. It does not look quite good at the rear quarter though. The tail lamps look too bulky and are not very well designed. There’s a chrome band joining the two tail lamps on either side and there’s a spoiler as well. It looks quite plain and not very pleasing. But looks are a subjective thing and you might be able to look past it as well.

The Honda Odyssey is quite a large vehicle. It is the second-longest after the Pacifica and second widest after the Pacifica as well. It has the least ground clearance and is shorter than most others in the competition. It also has one of the smallest wheelbases in the competition, which necessarily does not reciprocate that well into smaller cabin space.

Exterior Features on offer are-

• Multi-Reflector Halogen Headlights with Auto-Off
• Active Shutter Grille
• Rear Privacy Glass
• Intermittent Rear Window Wiper/Washer
• Taillights with Integrated LED Light Bars
• Roofline Spoiler with Integrated Brake Light
• Power Sliding Doors
• LED Fog Lights
• One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature
• Memory-Linked Side Mirrors with Reverse Gear Tilt-Down
• 18-inch alloy wheels

Adaptive cruise control is laggy and doesn't feature stop-and-go capability. It will probably frustrate anyone following you - Edmunds.com

The Honda Odyssey is a very safe vehicle and has been rated 5 stars by NHTSA in almost every category except for the rollover crash test where it has received a respectable 4 stars. Even IIHS has rated the Honda Odyssey ‘Good’ in every category and ‘Superior’ in the front crash prevention category. The Honda Odyssey comes loaded with many active and passive safety features that work really well indeed. The Honda Sensing safety pack has an entire host of active safety features that constantly monitors the surroundings to prevent any possible collision. It also comes with an elaborate safety feature list.

Some of the Safety Features on offer are-

• Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control
• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Tire Fill Assist
• Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines
• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist System
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Auto High-Beam Headlights
• Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor

2020 Honda Odyssey vs 2020 Chrysler Pacifica

The Chrysler Pacifica is a very good minivan too. It looks very stylish and comes loaded with a lot of convenience and safety features. In fact, it is probably the best-equipped car in the segment. However, that said, the Honda Odyssey does everything better. It’s the best driver’s car among minivans and it also has the most space inside for whether you want to carry passengers or cargo.

It’s also pretty adaptable which is very handy. It does not look the best but once you look past it, it really is the better van among the two. It justifies its price tag and is our definite pick of the two.

2020 Honda Odyssey vs 2020 Kia Sedona

Being a Kia, the Sedona really feels premium over its competitors. It’s a very stylish looking van, the interiors feel special and it comes with a lot of features for the money. The cabin is really refined and silent but performance is not so much its forte. Also, the Sedona feels unsettled over undulations. It is smaller than the competitors and hence has a little lesser space than the competitors for both cargo and passengers.

That said, the Honda is still the better driver’s van and it’s also bigger with greater practicality. The Kia is a little cheaper than the Honda and if outright size and driving dynamics are not so much your concern then the Kia makes a great buy. Otherwise, the Honda Odyssey is worth the little extra money for a bigger and better driver’s van.

The 2020 Honda Odyssey is one of the best minivans you can buy in the market today. It does not look all that great but once you have looked past it, it excels in a lot of areas. Most importantly and probably not so important for a van, it drives far better than its competitors and is also the fastest among the lot. The interiors are very spacious and very adaptable to suit carrying people or cargo. There are lots of storage places all around. The interiors are really nice and it comes well loaded with features. It is great value for its money and if you are intending to buy a van any time soon, you should strongly consider the 2020 Honda Odyssey.