We Bought a 2024 Odyssey

[john_pifer]

My favorite is the cold start exhaust note.

Stand back there when it first fires up.

I’ll have to try that.

 

[jeepman3071]

My favorite is the cold start exhaust note.

Stand back there when it first fires up.

My neighbor has one, I was over there helping him with some stuff and he had to move it in his driveway. Started it up and I was like dang that sounds pretty good for a van haha.

 

[RooflessVW]

Here's the 10 speed drain plug at 30,5k

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I don’t care what anybody says, the thing is fun to hustle around the curves of the backroads around my house! Of course, on an extended backroad drive, the inadequacies (brakes, suspension, heft) would start to become noticeable. But it’s still fun.

Heck I’ve even thought about taking it for a day trip by myself out to Deal’s Gap/Cherohala, etc.

Can’t take the wife because she gets carsick.

Only problem is that she needs the van to haul the kiddos on the days I’m off.

Our youngest son just got one of those vans in November. He did that so he could force me to go on a long , over the road vacation with them since I can not travel too good by cars the last several years. That SKUNK!!! He knew I could not talk my way out of it once he had the nice van. It was well worth it and I appreciated it. They love the new van by the way... Good luck and enjoy yours.

 

[I<3oil]

Here's the 10 speed drain plug at 30,5k

View attachment 219908

Ouch. Ours was maybe half that at 40-45k when i did the first d/f.

 

[RooflessVW]

Ouch. Ours was maybe half that at 40-45k when i did the first d/f.

C'est la vie

 

[I<3oil]

C'est la vie

Aye, muy c'est

 

[nicholas]

Ouch. Ours was maybe half that at 40-45k when i did the first d/f.

Perhaps vw does a lot of city driving.....

 

[I<3oil]

Perhaps vw does a lot of city driving.....

Perhaps

 

[UncleDave]

Here's the 10 speed drain plug at 30,5k

View attachment 219908

" Magnets are useless" ...lol.

Thanks for this.

 

[4WD]

" Magnets are useless" ...lol.

Thanks for this.

Well, they are once overwhelmed - so I like to do early driveline dumps to clean them !

 

[UncleDave]

Well, they are once overwhelmed - so I like to do early driveline dumps to clean them !

I do as well. The 6 speed in my Ridgeline is one of the lesser loved transmissions, so I give it a bit of extra love.

The IVTM4 AWD rear diff also requires a fluid change every 30K regular basis and honda mountain driving as severe so I do this every 20K.

That diff bolt was really put on, the no socket wrench only female plugs arent my favs.

 

[greg_J35]

Make sure to break it in right, dump a bag of chips into the seat! Courtesy of my 2 year old, right after we had the interior detailed and it looked like new. View attachment 214015

Growing up if my siblings or I did that, we would be forced to clean up the mess. To this day I do not tolerate making a mess in my vehicles.

 

[wemay]

Beautiful van and great buy. My wife's first choice was a Carnival but with only one child, she decided on the Palisade. So I understand the mental gymnastics. Lol

May your young family grow up with many years of safe, reliable transport. Who knows the kids might even give the Honda a nickname.

 

[The Critic]

One year review?

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

We picked up the wife's new 2024 Odyssey (Touring trim) on March 26, and just getting the chance to post up about it.

We've really, actually needed a van for years, having a 3-yr-old, 2-yr-old, and 1-yr-old.

Back in December 2020, the wife had her 2018 Civic hatchback 1.5T 6MT, which we loved, and had driven around Appalachia for our honeymoon, but someone rear-ended her and totaled it, and, with her expecting our first child at that time, she decided on a new 4Runner, and it served us well for 3 years. I'd been hinting at a van for a couple of years, but she loved her 4Runner and never liked minivans.

But, a couple of months ago, we learned that we'll be having a new baby around October 2024 timeframe, so she was like, "We're gonna have to get a van, aren't we." I said, "Yep."

We actually decided on this vehicle sight-unseen, never having driven or ridden in one, just from reading about it and doing research online, YouTube, etc.

She asked me what we'd get (she likes cars, but doesn't nerd out on them like I do), and I already knew that the Odyssey was the only choice for us, due to the sweet J35 and Honda-built 10-speed automatic combo.

Really, it was the only choice, given the other options on the market (Sienna's hybrid-CVT powertrain and inability to remove 2nd row seats ruled it out, and I've never been a Chrysler guy or a Korean car guy).

From the reviews I'd watched and read, everyone said that the Odyssey rode and drove extremely well, and in the short time we've owned it, I have found that to be the case. I find the acceleration to be more than adequate. At sub-7 seconds 0-60, it's much quicker than the 4Runner, and matches some sports sedans from just a few years ago! And the engine has a great growl to it when you rev it up (redline is almost 7000 RPM)!

Handling and steering is also very nice. At 4500 lbs unloaded, you can definitely feel some weight behind you, but it's not obnoxious or anything. We have some curvy, hilly country roads around us, and I've set the transmission to "SPORT" mode, and it's quite fun! Definitely not going to match the pace I could set in my old WRX or anything, but respectable! SPORT mode programming does a great job holding a gear out in the curves, and it even has paddle shifters if you want to completely control the shifting yourself.

We went with the Touring primarily for the rear-seat entertainment system. We don't let our kids have phones, and we don't own iPads, and we're delaying that as long as possible, however, we don't mind them watching some TV, and they enjoy it. Having some of the luxury features, like leather interior, moonroof, heated/power seats, auto climate control, etc. sort of softens the blow of the wife having to get rid of her beloved 4Runner, also.

Ride is actually really good, even with the 19" wheels that the Touring comes with. I'd say it's an ideal compromise between good handling (for a large vehicle) and compliance.

So far, everything seems to be of very good quality and fit & finish. Of course, I realize that this is a far more complex vehicle than my 2007 Tacoma, or the wife's old 2021 4Runner, and won't be as reliable over time (complexity = increased maintenance requirements). But we considered it and decided that the compromise was worth it to us for the increased convenience, utility, and economy. Even with the 280-HP V6, this is capable of matching the highway fuel economy of my old 2016 4-cyl WRX, which is impressive ( I usually got about 27 MPG highway in that car).

One thing that my wife has commented on is the convenience of the "magic slide" middle row seats that the Odyssey has. It's a lifesaver with one kid who's still not able to climb into her seat by herself, and another coming later this year. Right now we have the 1-yr-old in one of the middle seats, so we can put her in her seat and then slide it over in order to make room for one of the other kids to climb into the back row and get into their seat. Then there's room to assist them in buckling up. And then we just slide that middle row seat back to the outboard position (we have the middle seat of the 2nd row removed). It is really nice.

So far, we're really enjoying it, and I think the wife is warming up to it after seeing how much more convenient it is.

So far we've taken 1 road trip in it (to Memphis and back for Easter), and I really enjoyed driving it. Very comfortable seat, though it doesn't have the leg room that my Tacoma or the 4Runner had (I'm 6'2"), but definitely not unbearable. And that's my only (minor) gripe with the car. The passing power of that engine is really nice, and, again, it sounds great. Very quiet interior, also, despite the fact that only the windshield is acoustic glass (the Elite trim level, which is about 5 grand more, adds acoustic glass all the way around).

I went back and forth a bit in my mind about muzzling the VCM (variable cylinder management) system. A lot of folks decide not to muzzle them on this 3rd gen VCM system, as they say that they don't have near the problems with oil burning caused by 3 of the cylinders shutting down during partial load that the older iterations of VCM had. There's also the theory that most of the oil burning problems/ring coking is due to infrequent oil changes by unscrupulous owners, and that those who tend to be more conscientious about oil changes and maintenance in general don't tend to have issues. And that theory sounds very reasonable to me.

But, in the end, after considering it and doing the research, I could see little benefit to leaving it enabled, and decided not to take the chance, so I ordered and received an S-VCM muzzler, and will be installing it in the next couple of days.

Still on factory fill oil right now, and not in any big hurry to change it. I'll probably go with whatever name-brand 5W-30 or 10W-30 I can get a deal on. I'm not concerned with using just one type of oil in it, though I've always used some flavor of M1 in my truck since I bought it new in 2007, and it's seemed to work very well (currently the truck has 0W-40) over its current 290,000+ miles. I'm thinking about using Honda OEM filters at least while it's on factory warranty.

Washed it once so far (2-bucket method, Meguiar's Gold Class, Griot's Garage 3-In-1 Ceramic Spray Wax).View attachment 213923View attachment 213924View attachment 213925View attachment 213926

My youngest son with two children bought one last year too. His is a pearl white edition. Very comfortable ride.

 

[john_pifer]

One year review?

It’s been great!

It’s been my wife’s DD for her 72-mile round trip daily commute, and we’ve taken several longer trips down to the coast, up to see her family in Indiana, and to see my family in Memphis.

No mechanical issues or any problems of any kind.

We especially like the sliding doors (though I could do without the complexity of the power assist), having a 4, 3, 2, and 7 month old.

The “magic slide” seats are also something we’ve gotten spoiled on and now wouldn’t want to do without. It’s the most convenient solution on the market for our type of use. The 4 and 3 yr olds are normally in the 3rd row, with the 2 yr old and the baby in the middle row. With the middle seat of the middle row removed, we can slide the LH or RH middle seat to the middle to allow the bigger kids to climb into the 3rd row, then we can belt them.

And, without child safety seats in the 2nd & 3rd rows, the seats are very comfortable.

Additionally, the 2nd row seats are removable, and the 3rd row seats fold into the floor if needed, though we haven’t used that feature.

I’ve read a lot of complaints about the lack of effectivity of the A/C, but we’ve found it to be more than adequate. Like any larger vehicle left in the sun in 90°+ temps, it will take a few minutes to cool down. But luckily we have a carport we normally park it under, and there’s shade in the lot at the wife’s work.

It’s very quiet, even at faster highway speeds, and the suspension damping is very good, aided by the stiff body structure.

But, aside from the utility advantages of the Odyssey, as someone who is a driving enthusiast, and used to do a lot of sportbike riding, my favorite part of the van, and one of the big reasons we went with this over the Sienna (the Chrysler and the Kia were never really considered) was the powertrain and the sportier nature of this, compared with the alternatives.

A lot of people really, really liked the era of Japanese, V6-powered, FWD 4-door sedans.

While still available (ES350?) they’re going away, with neither the Camry or the Accord offering V6 engine options anymore. Even the Maxima is gone now, though they ruined the character of that car, IMHO, in pairing it with a CVT. The Altima may still offer a V6, I’m not sure.

The hybrid and turbo 4 cylinder options might be more powerful and/or more efficient, but they can’t match the smoothness and refinement of a good Japanese V6.

So, if you’re one of those who laments the passing of the semi-sporty FWD V6 Japanese sedan era, the Odyssey is probably the closest thing you can still get to the V6 Accord.

This thing really moves for a van. With 280 HP and 262 LB-FT and a 10-spd auto, C&D tested this at 6.4 seconds to 60 mph. It has power everywhere, and I still find myself being surprised at how quickly it gets up to speed. Passing at highway speeds is fun! I love redlining it and hearing the VTEC changeover. And the 10-spd auto is very, very smooth and responsive.

I occasionally even put it in Sport mode and play around with the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. We live in a semi-rural area with lots of curvy backroads, and it’s entertaining to play around with the paddles and hold your gears going up hills, around corners, etc. But even without using the paddles, Sport-Auto mode does a good job of holding a gear when you need it to.

I’ve been running Platinum 5W-30 in winter and ESP 0W-30 in summer. But you could of course run either year round pretty much anywhere in NA. I might take advantage of that 2 for 1 rebate going on currently on a couple of jugs of PUP. $3/quart is a good deal on that oil.

Oil changes are very easy. It has a standard 7317 filter, mounted vertically, behind the passenger side wheel. Easy to get to, and no mess when you put a quart size ziploc over it as you remove it. I’ve been using Fram Ultras, but currently it has a TG because they were out of Ultras. It’ll be fine for 5000 mi OCI. Next time I’ll likely use a PremiumGuard/Carquest Premium since First Brands has degraded the Ultra and the Fram Endurance is not available at WM anymore.

I’ll probably do a spill & fill on the tranny at the 2-yr mark. We’ve already put like almost 25,000 miles on it, so we’ll likely have 50K miles by next year at this time.

What else..

The front seats are very comfortable, and I appreciate the armrests. I’ve gotten used to the driving position. The memory seat and mirrors are convenient when I drive it so I don’t have to move everything from the wife’s settings.

The infotainment is a bit outdated, but it has apple car play/Android auto, and works well enough. I’ve heard they updated infotainment on the 2025 with larger screens, and also snazzed up the exterior a bit.

Gas mileage is nothing to write home about but it’s a lot better than our 2021 4Runner that we traded for this. Usually 22-23, or 19-20 with the rooftop cargo carrier we frequently use.

Overall, we’re very happy with it!

 

[meep]

22-23 mpg I think IS something write home about. That is outstanding for a vehicle this large and with this much weight and frontal area. Our CRV maxed out at 27. My Volvo s60 with the turbo was lucky to get 22, driven like an old man, and the Lexus GS350 I had also got 22, if you drove slowly and didn’t let the AC go into killer death mode.

We had a 2001, so it was a gen2 ody. It wasn’t nearly as refined as yours is, but shares DNA. It was a Hoot!!

 

[RooflessVW]

Our '22 is ok. We average 19 mpg, mixed driving. The A/C isn't great. I think the ride quality is pretty poor.

We're at about 45k miles and the doors act up from time to time and the brakes wobble. It needed a battery at just shy of 40k miles.

It will carry up to 4" of sheet goods with the seats out which is nice.

 

[john_pifer]

Here’s a good comparison of the Toyota Sienna, Kia Carnival, and the Odyssey by one of my favorite YouTube reviewers, Savagegeese.