Odyssey = ugly?

[ClutchDisc]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Have you considered the Mazda 5, by the way? It's much cheaper than most minivans, good to drive, available with a 6-speed manual, and just needs a good roof box to have comparable cargo capacity. Some friends of mine just went that route and are loving every minute of it. It's fantastic with the 6-speed manual, too.
+1 on the only minivan with a manual transmission! I'm not too concerned with styling if it comes with a stick!

 

[The Critic]

From a serviceability standpoint, I've been very impressed by the late model Hondas (anything within the last 10 years). They are far easier, simpler and less scan tool dependent than Toyotas IMO.

I think the Honda AT issue is way overblown. They seem to be about the same as anyone else since 2004.

 

[GearheadTool]

The early ones looked GREAT!

Always liked (early) Odysseys and Mazda MPVs.

New minivans... look like barns.

 

[Win]

It's dreadful looking, but practical functionality can cover up a whole lot of ugly, as proven by many happy Aztek owners.

 

[sir1900]

I don't think the Odyssey is ugly at all.

Cost of ownership in a Honda is one of the lowest among the makes. People I have talked to who owns an Odyssey are very happy with it. Great vehicle to take on those family trips.

 

[JavierG]

I'm not a big minivan aficionado but the Odyssey is not a bad looking vehicle. If I were to consider a minivan that would be my choice. Every owner I know is fully satisfied with theirs.

 

[01rangerxl]

IMO, the current generation is ugly. It happened in stages.

99-04: One of the best looking minivans ever made...too bad about the trans.

05-10: Mostly okay looking, but the front clip was ugly.

11-13: Ugly all the way.

I know the Ody was offered here before '99, but that one isn't really a "traditional" minivan since it used swing out doors in the rear.

 

[sasha]

I for one absolutely hate minivans. but the latest honda and toyota vans imo are eye catching. Cant say much about any other van out there especially the new quest.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I kinda like the Odyssey. At least this one looks sleek and less bulgy than the last one.

The Sienna looks chubby.

The Chrysler vans pretty much kept the same design since the 90s. They've only gotten more squared off.

And I'm not even sure what to think about the Quest. I like the front, but the rear doesn't look like it came from the same car.

 

[oilmaven]

I LOVE minivans. My current one is a 13 year old Mercury Villager...just turned 73,000 miles. In warmer weather I was getting up to 28 mpg on the highway (granted my speeds up here are limited to about 60 mph...hence the great mileage). Colder temps and "winter" gas (which I believe has been rolled out by now) have reduced that to about 24 mpg...still pretty good. The van rides and handles well and has OK power (a little more hp wouldn't have hurt). What amazes me is these new vans weigh at least 500 lbs. more than the Villager and get the same or better mpg thanks to better electronics, engines and transmissions. You can't beat them for versatility and comfort. With a Suzuki and a Mercury I'm the proud owner of 2 "orphans" (although the Villager is a Nissan at heart).

 

[Indydriver]

We shopped minivans last spring, having owned Chryslers for 25 years. My wife (the daily driver) took one look at the Honda and pronounced it "a hearse". I simply wasn't interested in another Honda VCM V6. [Note: you owe it to yourself to spend some time googling "Odyssey oil consumption"]. You will quickly forget about the mpg advantage this technology provides.

We preferred the styling of the Sienna and as soon as we sat in the XLE, felt right at home. The leather is nice, second row seating leg room phenomenal, seat folding schemes handy, auto doors all around great, very nice drivetrain with a powerful, smooth (non-VCM) V6 mated to a wonderful 6 speed transmission and a standard sunroof. When you first drive it, the lightness of the steering is almost shocking but once you get used to it, it is really appreciated, especially for a smaller female driver. I wanted a good highway vehicle. We have taken one long trip of 1700 miles and found it to be a great highway ride. The Toy comes with two years of maintenance included, and is spec'd for 10,000 mile OCIs with 0W-20 synthetic. I even like the OE Firestone 710 tires (and I'm very picky about tires). My only warning about the Toyota is to avoid the 4WD configuration that comes with run flat tires.

Out the door for around $33,000, this combination is hard to beat for utility, style, performance, content and functionality. Highly recommended. This is our first Toyota in 25 years and I've been very impressed with the car, the company and the dealer. Also, we took a tour of the Princeton plant where our minivan was made and it was very formative in our decision making. Be sure you do this.

 

[demarpaint]

Did Honda ever get the transmission issues resolved? I sold a lot of them, a real lot, and had lots come back with bad transmissions. Those and the v6 Accords. If they have the transmission issues resolved it should be OK.

I hope I don't have to hide or need a flame suit for my comments. JMO

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
I know looks are very subjective, but ^^^ that thing is ugly (to me), even by mini-van standards.

And I agree, previous version at least looked well proportioned and better overall.

What he said.

 

[eugenem]

Critic,

Just curious -- can you please be more specific about what makes the Honda less scan tool dependent than the Toyota?

We have (or had) both the last generation (2010) Odyssey and current generation Sienna (2012) in our family. My spouse hated the Odyssey, while I liked its handling. She adores the Sienna.

I do have to say that the Honda dealers in our area are significantly better than Toyota. But when your spouse likes the car, what can you say?

Originally Posted By: The Critic
From a serviceability standpoint, I've been very impressed by the late model Hondas (anything within the last 10 years). They are far easier, simpler and less scan tool dependent than Toyotas IMO.

I think the Honda AT issue is way overblown. They seem to be about the same as anyone else since 2004.

 

[rjundi]

The current Honda van really grew on me after borrowing one for a long drive to take my kids and some friends. It was the interior and drive that did it for me. The exterior did not look as bad as I appreciated the vehicle.

Then again I was using a $45k Elite which is essentially a luxury car(almost my MDX) not the entry model.

Minivan's are great if you need a vehicle and having a child. However if only at one child I would wait and see what comes down the pike.

The MPG is still ho hum. The new Ody was only managing 19-20MPG in pure city driving. My MDX with AWD manages 18 in similiar driving. I think the MPG magic happens on the highway.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Did Honda ever get the transmission issues resolved? I sold a lot of them, a real lot, and had lots come back with bad transmissions. Those and the v6 Accords. If they have the transmission issues resolved it should be OK.

I hope I don't have to hide or need a flame suit for my comments. JMO


The transmission issues were resolved many years ago. 2004 or 2005 is about when Honda came out with revised 5-speed transmissions in their vehicles. The Odyssey got it in 2004 as I recall. You don't or shouldn't need a flame suit for your comments...facts are facts. Do you still hear about Odysseys blowing transmissions? Of course. Just as you hear about blown transmissions from every other brand sold. Stuff like that happens. But the reported failure rate for the Honda transmissions since about 2004/5 is at least as low as industry average...internet amplification not withstanding (to steal a term from SteveSRT8).

Toyotas do seem highly dependent on their scan tool. You can't check the transmission fluid without one. You can't bleed the brakes without one. What I really appreciate about Hondas is that even today, they come with a real transmission dipstick, a real engine dipstick, and easy to use fluid service points. There are no "sealed" fluid reservoirs (that I know of). You don't need a scan tool to do a simple DIY brake fluid exchange. They're designed to be very owner-centric.

 

[rjundi]

Forgot transmissions. Honda is still tweaking them a bit at least with V6/5speed or 6 speed combination. I believe the 4cylinder is trouble free except 2003.

I had an intermittent shudder in my used 07 Acura MDX v6/5speed auto that was maintained. I was not the only one.

Fortunately they finally came up with (free) software patch that completely removed the issue. If it did not Honda/Acura replaces the torque convertor for 8yrs/120k. MPG did slightly suffer(~1MPG) as it seems not let the cruising around town not go as low as 1000RPM.

The 6 speed unit used in 2009+ MDX & Acura and upper end Honda's has had a few software tweaks. They tweak out MPG instead of longevity/driveability and find owners complaining and warranty complaints. They also came out with software patch there too.

At least its software not the exorbitant hardware behind it! I honestly believe they replace & send the core's back study them and failures and then knock out the software tweak.

 

[supton]

A year or two the wife looked at Mazda 5's. Very hard to get in stick. Not sure if they resolved that. But between Mazda's rust issues, less than 30mpg EPA highway (don't remember what it is now, offhand) and the noted road noise in Mazda 5's we decided against it. Wound in a stripper Camry which fits the bill for my wife and family; it's only on long trips that space becomes an issue.

We still think about a minivan from time to time, though. A third row is something we'd use on a weekly basis.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: WishIhadatruck
I generally prefer domestics but am not a Chrysler fan and GM and Ford obviously are not in the market.

Ford actually is back in the minivan market with the new Transit Connect wagon, although they refuse to call it a minivan. I guess they're trying to avoid the dorky stigma that minivans have.

 

[LeakySeals]

I had a Plymouth Voyager years back. After getting over the stigma, I actually grew to like it. Up high, smooth ride. Seats came out so I could transport stuff like a pickup. We had a car too so it wasn't like that's all we had to drive. Getting the kids tied down through the sliding doors. Was a good thing. Sure, I'd get an odyssey if I had young ones. Its a van so its function, looks are secondary.