The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Huge interior
- Sliding second row
- Good interior storage
- Lots of safety tech
Dislikes
- Lousy fuel economy
- No hybrid
- No AWD
- No vacuum
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 Honda Odyssey can be a strong buy for shoppers not fixated on all-wheel drive or the best fuel economy.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Honda Odyssey? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Honda Odyssey minivan compares well with the Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, and Kia Carnival.
Is the 2025 Honda Odyssey a good minivan?
Yes, so long as you’re OK with its lousy fuel economy. The 2025 Odyssey has strong scores for its flexible interior and refined drivetrain, earning a 6.3 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Honda Odyssey?
The Odyssey gets fresh exterior styling, a digital instrument cluster, and an updated infotainment system for 2025. Honda also trimmed the base EX out of the range, leaving the $3,000-or-so costlier EX-L as the entry point to this lineup.
Outside, the Odyssey features a revised grille and new wheel designs. It’s unmistakably a minivan with its sloping front end, sliding doors, and extra curvy bits along its sides. Unlike the Carnival, which tries to be a bit more like an SUV, the Odyssey has no problem embracing its vanness.
Inside, it’s convenient and organized, if a little light on pizazz. Depending on the trim, it can seat between seven and eight passengers in comfort, though.
The Odyssey makes use of a 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 280 hp, which spins the front wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. Almost athletic, the Odyssey corners with poise and rides firmly but not too stiffly. Its lack of a hybrid option means it gets just 22 mpg combined, which is considerably lower than any of its rivals. There’s also no all-wheel-drive option, which may make it a tough sell for some.
It is mighty comfy inside, though. Most versions have a trio of second-row seats that can be removed individually or nudged together to create a bench, captain’s chairs, or a big, open cargo area. It’s not quite as convenient as the Pacifica’s Stow ‘N Go setup, but the seats themselves are nicely padded. The Odyssey is right in the middle of its segment when it comes to overall interior volume, though anyone truly needing much more should probably be looking at a more commercial-oriented vehicle, anyway.
Odysseys have traditionally had great crash-test scores and an impressive array of crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech. You’ll find automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and adaptive cruise control across the entire range.
How much does the 2025 Honda Odyssey cost?
The base Odyssey EX-L runs $43,315 to start, which includes leather seats, a 9.0-inch touchscreen, a power tailgate, a moonroof, and power-sliding doors. You’ll also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a device charging pad.
Sadly, Honda dropped the built-in vacuum a few years ago.
Where is the 2025 Honda Odyssey made?
In Lincoln, Alabama.
2025 Honda Odyssey Styling
The 2025 Honda Odyssey has fresh looks this year, but we struggle to see much of a difference.
Is the Honda Odyssey a good-looking car?
Eh, it’s a minivan. The Odyssey is functional with a bit of flair, but it’s a perfectly average design worthy of a perfectly average 5 on the TCC scale.
This year’s styling tweaks give it a new grille, some light revisions at the rear, and fresh wheel designs. It sticks with its undoubtedly minivan profile, which has some interesting elements in the way its window line arches downward after the rear seats. That same look is echoed in curviness in the sides, which neither adds to nor detracts from the overall look. The Sport-L trim level adds blacked-out trim for a slightly snazzier look.
Inside, the Odyssey is all business, with a 9.0-inch touchscreen sprouting from the top of the dash. A smattering of buttons and knobs below handle the transmission and climate controls. Honda is a bit too heavy-handed about shiny gloss black trim, but we could levy that same complaint on most of its competitors.
2025 Honda Odyssey Performance
The 2025 Honda Odyssey has a great ride.
The 2025 Honda Odyssey sticks with a big V-6 engine that powers the front wheels, a marked contrast to a lineup of competitors with available or standard hybrid power. While that V-6 is no powerhouse, the 2025 Odyssey nets its point above average here for its good ride quality.
Is the Honda Odyssey 4WD?
Nope. This is a front-wheel-drive van.
How fast is the Honda Odyssey?
The Odyssey’s V-6 is good for a decent 280 hp, but it’s saddled with a 10-speed automatic transmission that can fumble its way through all those gears. Off-the-line acceleration is good — for the most part. On occasion, the Odyssey’s gearbox seems to forget about its intent as it jostles the cabin with uncomfortable, poorly timed shifts.
On the bright side, the V-6 is refined and quiet. And the Odyssey has a comfortable, well-controlled ride with front struts and a multi-link setup at the rear. The steering has good heft, but little in the way of feedback, and the van leans considerably into corners — but that’s par for the minivan course. It’s confident, though.
Properly outfitted, the Odyssey is rated to lug a 3,500-pound trailer, too.
2025 Honda Odyssey Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Honda Odyssey has a big and versatile interior.
Even by minivan standards, the 2025 Honda Odyssey is spacious and comfortable. It can seat up to eight passengers, and its second row features a unique amount of configurability. It’s a 9 here thanks to good room for humans in all three rows plus a big cargo area.
The Odyssey has power-adjustable and heated seats up front that are plenty comfy. Row two features the automaker’s so-called Magic Slide system that includes a removable middle seat and outboard seats that can slide forward, rearward, or from side to side. You can create several different configurations. All three middle seats are removable, though they are somewhat heavy.
The third row has a hefty 38.1 inches of legroom and a 60/40 split-folding arrangement.
Behind row three, you’ll find 33 cubic feet of cargo, which expands to 88.6 cubes with the third row down and tops out a massive 145 cubic feet with row two removed.
Standard leather trim imparts an upscale ambience, but the Odyssey lacks some of the warm hues and intricate touches find in its rivals. Even the top Elite trim isn’t particularly dressy.
2025 Honda Odyssey Safety
The 2025 Honda Odyssey has a good crash-test record.
How safe is the Honda Odyssey?
Based on last year’s scores, we give the 2025 Honda Odyssey an 8 out of 10 here. It earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA, plus it comes with crash-avoidance tech. But that’s subject to change, especially since the IIHS noted a disconcerting “Poor” score in the updated version of its moderate overlap test.
We’ll update this space once the 2025 model has been tested.
The 2025 Odyssey comes with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, and adaptive cruise control.
2025 Honda Odyssey Features
The 2025 Honda Odyssey is well-equipped but is offered in limited configurations.
Honda offers just four versions of its Odyssey, meaning many buyers will need only select their paint color. We dislike that limited configurability, but we do like the standard equipment, 9.0-inch touchscreen, and overall value at the bottom end of the lineup.
The Odyssey lineup kicks off at $43,315 for the EX-L, which has leather seats, heated and power-adjustable front seats, power-sliding doors, a power tailgate, a big sunroof, a 9.0-inch touchscreen, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto with a wireless charging pad. That’s a strong value, even if the three-year/36,000-mile warranty is nothing special.
All models include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
Which Honda Odyssey should I buy?
The average buyer will be just fine with the EX-L.
The Sport-L adds blacked-out exterior trim and (too) big 19-inch alloy wheels for $44,465. It’s not a great buy. Next up from there is the Touring trim with its navigation system, parking sensors, and rear-seat entertainment system for $48,005. That $4,500 upcharge over the EX-L is more than enough to cover an unlimited data plan and a couple of iPads.
How much is a fully loaded Honda Odyssey?
The top Elite trim runs $52,275 with its cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, upgraded audio system, and hands-free tailgate.
2025 Honda Odyssey Fuel Economy
The 2025 Honda Odyssey does not come in a hybrid configuration.
Is the Honda Odyssey good on gas?
Not really. It’s better than a typical SUV, but at just 19 mpg city, 28 highway, 22 combined, it significantly trails any of its hybrid rivals.
