2011 honda odyssey Get the latest reviews of the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Find buying advice, pictures, expert ratings, safety features, specs and price quotes
Honda is targeting younger Gen X and Gen Y families for the first time with the 2011 Odyssey, and it shows. While preserving the Odyssey's status as the perkiest-driving minivan, Honda has improved seating and interior space, made more provisions for child and booster seats, and added new connectivity and entertainment options that make this minivan a better place for busy parents and kids.
Of course, most of these people who reject simply reject minivans, and probably mutter something about how they wouldn't be caught dead in one, probably don't know that most minivans actually drive better than SUVs—even, in many cases, midsize crossover utes. The responsive-driving and cleverly packaged Honda Odyssey has always been one of the best examples; climb behind the wheel, and you're quite likely to become a minivan convert.
The Odyssey's look is evolutionary, for sure, but its new lightning-bolt beltline is a bit controversial. While pictures don't always do it justice, we think the new cue, which drops the beltline a bit just behind the sliding door, adds style as well as function, with third-row passengers getting a bit more window space—and accommodating the slightly curvier roofline and thicker back pillar that's common to other Hondas like the CR-V.
There's not a lot of news regarding the powertrain or the way the Odyssey drives, and that's a good thing. The 2011 Honda Odyssey carries over the same 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine, here making 247 hp; top Touring and Touring Elite models of the new Odyssey get a new six-speed automatic transmission, while the rest of the line does just fine with a five-speed. Vans with the six-speed, however, are the best on fuel; they get ratings up to 19 mpg city, 28 highway, and all Odyssey models now have Variable Cylinder Management to save gas and active noise cancellation to bolster the Odyssey's already quiet and refined interior. Handling is top-notch, and you can drive an Odyssey on tight, twisty roads with the same verve as you would a sporty sedan.
The Odyssey is absolutely loaded with thoughtful touches. Three rows of seating are now even better for six adults, thanks to a new second-row configuration that allows the outboard seats to actually tilt and slide outward—changing the width of the second row depending on whether there are two adults, three, or a combination of child seats there (there are now five sets of LATCH connectors, for child seats). The third row gains an inch of legroom and in some trims an armrest, while its folding mechanism gets even better.
Connectivity is much-improved, with new iPod and USB interfaces now included with the top sound system, but a Bluetooth hands-free interface is still the exclusive domain of top trims. In typical Honda fashion, some of the top features, such as a blind-spot system, auto-leveling HIS headlamps, and a new hard-drive-based music system, are the exclusive domain of top 2010 Honda Odyssey Touring and Touring Elite models. The new navigation system receives free FM-based traffic updates, voice commands have been dramatically upgraded, and the stunning wide-screen entertainment system has a first-in-class HDMI input, to hook up media players or laptops
The 2011 Honda Odyssey has been completely redesigned. Highlights include sleeker styling, a roomier interior, improved fuel economy and new features like a chilled storage box and a rear-seat entertainment system with surround-sound audio and a high-definition display
Minivans, it seems, just aren't cool anymore. In the past decade or so, more and more shoppers have been avoiding the juice-box-and-diapers stigma by purchasing crossovers SUVs. But don't count the minivan out just yet. This is still the best kind of vehicle for larger families, and new models like the 2011 Honda Odyssey promise to make the minivan, if not hip, at least a bit less uncool.
The latest Odyssey is still very much a modern not-so-mini minivan, with seating for up to eight passengers, sliding rear doors, V6 power and a familiar boxy silhouette. But Honda has tried to spruce things up with a sleeker grille, more pronounced front fenders and a stylized rear beltline. On the inside, you'll find higher-quality materials and a new dash design that's slightly less busy-looking than before.
The new Odyssey also offers more comfort and practicality. Thanks to a size increase (it's about an inch longer and more than 2 inches wider than last year), the 2011 model has more legroom for second- and third-row passengers. The second-row seat is also more useful this year, with a center section that slides forward and a special configuration mode that's wide enough for three child safety seats. There's also a revised mechanism that makes the 60/40-split third-row seat easier to stow.
Under the hood, the Odyssey continues to draw power from a 3.5-liter V6, though Honda's fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management technology is now standard on all models. More importantly, the V6 comes mated to a new six-speed automatic on top-of-the-line models to deliver snappier acceleration and better fuel economy. A reworked suspension is also new this year, giving the Odyssey a smoother ride quality while also maintaining the van's reputation for above-average handling.
Overall we like what Honda has done and think the Odyssey is still a fine choice for a minivan. Its main competition comes from the Toyota Sienna, which is also redesigned this year. The 2011 Honda Odyssey is a bit roomier, but the Sienna can be had with some features not found on the Honda, such as keyless ignition/entry, adaptive cruise control and all-wheel drive. The Odyssey is also a bit pricey compared to vans like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Kia Sedona. But all things considered it's a great choice for a family vehicle. And if people say it's uncool, well, they don't know what they're missing.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey is offered in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite. The entry-level LX comes reasonably well-equipped with 17-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a power driver seat, a 60/40-split-folding third-row seat, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control and a five-speaker sound system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack.
Step up to the midrange EX and you'll get 17-inch alloy wheels, power-sliding side doors, heated outside mirrors, tri-zone automatic climate control, a removable front center console, a multifunction second-row seat, retractable second-row sunshades, a conversation mirror and an upgraded audio system with 2GB of digital music storage, seven speakers and steering-wheel-mounted controls.
EX-L versions add still more upscale standard features including a power liftgate, a sunroof, leather upholstery, a power front passenger seat, heated front seats, a chilled storage box, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth, satellite radio and a USB audio input. The EX-L's options list includes a choice of either a voice-operated navigation system with 15GB of digital storage and a rearview camera or a rear-seat entertainment system with a 9-inch screen and a 115-volt AC household-style power outlet; the two systems can't be ordered together on the EX-L.
Move up to the Touring and Touring Elite models and you gain 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, front and rear parking sensors, memory settings for the driver, retractable third-row sunshades and a fold-down armrest for third-row passengers and both the navigation and rear-seat entertainment systems as standard. The new Touring Elite model adds xenon headlights, a blind spot warning system, an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with a 16-inch HD widescreen video monitor (with HDMI input) and a premium 650-watt, 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.
The Honda Odyssey comes with a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 248 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. The LX, EX and EX-L models send that power to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission; Touring and Touring Elite versions get a new six-speed automatic. EPA estimates for the five-speed automatic-equipped versions are 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined, while those fitted with the six-speed transmission post 19/28/22.
In testing, a six-speed Odyssey Touring Elite accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, which is essentially a dead heat with the Toyota Sienna's 7.7 seconds.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey comes standard with antilock disc brakes with brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, active front head restraints, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers and side curtain airbags that cover all three rows. In Edmunds brake testing from 60 mph, the Odyssey required 129 feet to come to a stop, which is an acceptable distance among minivans. Even after repeated braking runs, this distance remained consistent with no sign of fade.
This new Odyssey's updated exterior may be the first thing that catches your eye, but the most significant changes are inside. The Odyssey's growth spurt has made room for a new second-row seat that's nearly 4 inches wider than the one in the outgoing model, a change that makes it roomy enough to fit three car seats side by side. The reconfigured seat's center section also slides forward 5.5 inches (except on the LX trim) to put little ones within easy reach of mom and dad.
The third-row seat also benefits from the new Odyssey's larger dimensions with an extra 1.1 inches of legroom. This 60/40-split bench still drops neatly into the deep well just inside the rear liftgate, but now the process is easier thanks to changes in the folding mechanism. Yanking out the second-row seats -- which are light enough for a reasonably fit adult to wrangle into the garage -- opens up a total interior cargo capacity of 148 cubic feet.
Honda designers have also added a handful of clever details, including a new removable center console with a handy flip-up trash bag holder and a "cool box" beverage cooler built into the bottom of the dash's center section. On the electronics front, the new "multiview" back-up camera offers three different driver-selectable perspectives on the area behind the rear bumper. Top-of-the-line Touring Elite models also get a new rear-seat video entertainment system that includes a super-wide high-definition 16-inch screen that can display two different program sources -- say, a DVD movie and a video game, for example -- at the same time.
Though it's been redesigned, the Odyssey's dash can still be a bit daunting. We counted more than 80 buttons and dials at the driver's command in the range-topping Touring Elite. Fortunately, most of these controls are logically grouped for easier operation, but we found their small labels hard to decipher at a glance.
Considering it essentially uses the same powertrain as the previous generation, it should come as no surprise that the 2011 Honda Odyssey LX and EX models feel very familiar. Performance is more than adequate for most people's daily needs. Touring models are a bit more responsive thanks to their six-speed automatic transmission that executes shifts quickly and smoothly. Even though the Odyssey is outpowered by the Toyota Sienna's 266-hp V6, this new powertrain feels just as lively, with either minivan able to confidently merge onto the highway or pass slower moving traffic.
Complementing this extra oomph is a retuned suspension that delivers a comfortable ride and excellent handling. Part of the credit for this above-average drivability goes to the reworked body structure that's both more rigid and between 50 and 100 pounds lighter depending on the model. Larger brake discs result in improved braking ability, though the pedal does feel unsettlingly spongy.
On the inside, the 2011 Honda Odyssey is as quiet as a premium luxury sedan. Road and wind noise are nearly silent, as is the drivetrain. Honda's continuing use of active noise-cancelling technology contributes to the impressively peaceful cabin by emitting counter-phase sound through the speakers to eliminate much of the drone that passengers would otherwise hear.
Odyssey minivan for 2011. But, frankly, the Odyssey was already such a solid product that the new one isn't that much better. The big question is if a little bit better is enough to attract buyers out of other types of vehicles and into a van.
From a practical standpoint, minivans have all other sorts of family transportation covered. The vans are roomier than any crossover, more economical to operate than a full-size SUV, and far more readily adaptable to cargos of people or things than station wagons. If every vehicle purchase was a purely rational decision, just about all of us would be driving minivans.
The problem is the minivan stigma. Buying one tells the world you've given up on the adventure of life and settled for the low-grade frustrations of permanent parenthood. It takes someone who stands tall in her mom jeans to overcome that.
Read more: 2011 Honda Odyssey Test Drive - 2011 Honda Odyssey Review - Popular Mechanics
This vehicle is astonishingly comfortable, and will hold eight passengers in complete comfort. Even the third row seats provide enough room for a full grown adult. No more squeezing into a tight little spot and calling it a seat.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey offers outstanding storage in the cargo area. It is also full of many tiny cubbyholes that are perfect for storing things within easy reach. The 2011 Honda Odyssey even comes with its own wastebasket, making the van easy to keep clean.
The controls for this vehicle are logically grouped so they can easily be reached when busy driving down the road. After all, the 2011 Honda Odyssey just begs to be taken on a road trip. The third row seats easily fold down for extra storage, or carrying that luggage for the family vacation time.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey features a rear anti-roll bar for the first time. It also features upgraded springs and dampers. Along with the new tires, the 2011 Honda Odyssey is the best minivan available on the market.
Honda has revealed its all-new 2011 Odyssey minivan, a vehicle the automaker claims has more style than the outgoing model.
The 2010 Odyssey is a high-quality people-mover, but stylish is certainly not the first adjective that comes to mind when describing it. We’re not sure the redesigned 2011 Odyssey is a looker, but we appreciate that Honda actually made design a priority. What do you think of the 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite’s looks?
We’ll start with the “lightning bolt” beltline, as that’s the Odyssey’s most distinctive feature. Compared to the 2010 Odyssey’s flat beltline with chrome trim, the new minivan is much more interesting from the profile view. Then there’s the front and rear door handles, which are joined together suicide-door style unlike the outgoing Honda’s separated door handles. Which do you prefer?
Moving further back, we see Honda still refuses to place the sliding door tracks just below the beltline like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Toyota Sienna. Perhaps the Odyssey gives up some “design points” to its competitors there, but other minivans have nothing on the Odyssey’s rear styling. Attractive taillights are joined by a red-and-white trim piece where a thick bar of chrome was placed on the 2010 model.
Look closely at the 2011 Odyssey and you’ll see that the rear windshield isn’t perfectly rectangular like the 2010 model, which doesn’t have the new minivan’s dynamic wraparound spoiler.
Move to the front end and, well, we’re not really convinced with the styling of either Odyssey. Perhaps the 2011 Odyssey’s Acura-like headlights joined by a punched-out grille will grow on us with time. That’s more than we can say for the outgoing model, which is stuck with a small grille and oversized chrome surrounds.
We have no complaints (yet) with the 2011 Odyssey’s interior. Overall, it appears to be an improvement over the outgoing model, with a much larger area devoted to the navigation display screen, and central air vents that are more smartly placed than before.
To start, Honda made the 2011 Odyssey wider. It's 2 inches broader across the shoulders than the 2010 model at 79.2 inches, and that's spread across a wider track — now just over 68 inches front and rear. The Odyssey's wheelbase is still 118.1 inches, but the van is almost an inch longer overall at 202.9 inches.
That extra width makes room for a real center seat in the 2011 Honda Odyssey's second row. It's wide enough for a deluxe car seat and comfortable enough for a 170-pound adult, and the seat scoots forward so you can coo over that person. The second-row outboard chairs also adjust fore/aft, plus you can laterally scoot them 1.5 inches closer to each sliding door. This allows you to get three car seats across (with LATCH provisions in each position) or three teenagers across with no thrown elbows, except in the LX, which forgoes the center seat and tops out at seven-passenger capacity. Legroom, always an Odyssey strong suit, is up almost an inch in the middle row to 40.9 inches. There's even a fold-out ring for a trash bag back here, eliminating the front passenger's main job.
Life is just as good in the 2011 Honda Odyssey's third row, which is now sized and cushioned to accommodate 6-footers. Legroom is a generous 42.4 inches, and thanks to various noise-dampening measures undertaken during the redesign, grandparents seated back here have a good shot at hearing you muttering under your breath from the driver seat about how they burped the baby wrong and that's why he just puked on your shoulder.
Larger, comfier seats are usually a pain to reconfigure, but the Odyssey's 60/40 third-row seats are actually easier to fold flat this year; a new strap design eliminates the need to lean into the van to execute the maneuver. The second-row chairs still do not fold into the floor, but they are lightweight enough for a fit adult to remove and carry into the garage without herniating a disc. The liftgate is power-operated on EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite models, but the thing is so light and ergonomically designed, it's kind of fun to shut it the old-fashioned way
The big story for drivers is the arrival of a six-speed automatic transmission — the first appearance of this transmission in a Honda-badged product. For now, though, you can only have the six-speed on 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring and Touring Elite models; other Odysseys stick with last year's five-speed automatic. Everybody gets the familiar 3.5-liter V6, which now makes 248 horsepower (an increase of 4) and 250 pound-feet of torque (+5) thanks mainly to a revised intake.
If you're set on buying an EX, definitely don't test-drive the Touring. Once you've experienced the six-speed transmission's shorter 1st gear, closer ratios (identical to the Acura MDX) and quicker shifts, there's no going back to the five-speed, which provides merely adequate performance. Six-speed Odysseys also deliver slightly higher EPA fuel mileage ratings — 19 city/28 highway/22 combined versus 18 city/27 highway/21 combined for the five-speed. Either way, though, you'll still be driving the most fuel-efficient minivan of them all, save for the small-fry Mazda 5. All 2011 Honda Odysseys are front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive won't be offered.
"The penetration rate for AWD in the minivan class is only 5-7 percent," Art St. Cyr, chief engineer on the Odyssey, tells us. "To make room for the prop shaft, we'd have to raise the floor, reducing interior volume just to accommodate a small percentage of people."
Honda conservatively estimates that six-speed-equipped 2011 Honda Odysseys will hit 60 mph in 8.8 seconds — exactly the number we recorded in a 2010 Odyssey. We suspect the new van is a few tenths quicker, but it won't touch the 265-hp 2011 Toyota Sienna (7.9 seconds).
Honda tries to keep things simple by packaging vehicles in trim levels rather than allowing myriad permutations of options, but with the addition of yet more modern conveniences, the 2011 Honda Odyssey line has gotten more complicated.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey LX has the basics — an engine, a bunch of airbags, an auxiliary jack and manual, three-zone air-conditioning. The EX ($31,730), meanwhile, isn't quite the step up it used to be. It'll work for you if you just want alloy wheels, power-sliding doors, second-row sunshades, a power driver seat, a better audio system (with 2GB of hard drive space for ripping CDs) and automatic climate control.
If you want a USB input, you have to get the EX-L ($35,230), which also includes heated leather front seats, Bluetooth, a back-up camera and XM Radio. In addition, you can have either the $2,000 hard-drive-based navigation system (with 15GB of music storage space, FM-based traffic updates and enhanced wide- and overhead-view displays for the back-up camera) or the $1,600 rear entertainment system on the EX-L, but not both.
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2011 honda odyssey
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Honda showed off a concept version of the 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show this week. Wednesday 2011 honda odyssey
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
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| 2011 honda odyssey |
Honda is targeting younger Gen X and Gen Y families for the first time with the 2011 Odyssey, and it shows. While preserving the Odyssey's status as the perkiest-driving minivan, Honda has improved seating and interior space, made more provisions for child and booster seats, and added new connectivity and entertainment options that make this minivan a better place for busy parents and kids.
Of course, most of these people who reject simply reject minivans, and probably mutter something about how they wouldn't be caught dead in one, probably don't know that most minivans actually drive better than SUVs—even, in many cases, midsize crossover utes. The responsive-driving and cleverly packaged Honda Odyssey has always been one of the best examples; climb behind the wheel, and you're quite likely to become a minivan convert.
The Odyssey's look is evolutionary, for sure, but its new lightning-bolt beltline is a bit controversial. While pictures don't always do it justice, we think the new cue, which drops the beltline a bit just behind the sliding door, adds style as well as function, with third-row passengers getting a bit more window space—and accommodating the slightly curvier roofline and thicker back pillar that's common to other Hondas like the CR-V.
There's not a lot of news regarding the powertrain or the way the Odyssey drives, and that's a good thing. The 2011 Honda Odyssey carries over the same 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine, here making 247 hp; top Touring and Touring Elite models of the new Odyssey get a new six-speed automatic transmission, while the rest of the line does just fine with a five-speed. Vans with the six-speed, however, are the best on fuel; they get ratings up to 19 mpg city, 28 highway, and all Odyssey models now have Variable Cylinder Management to save gas and active noise cancellation to bolster the Odyssey's already quiet and refined interior. Handling is top-notch, and you can drive an Odyssey on tight, twisty roads with the same verve as you would a sporty sedan.
The Odyssey is absolutely loaded with thoughtful touches. Three rows of seating are now even better for six adults, thanks to a new second-row configuration that allows the outboard seats to actually tilt and slide outward—changing the width of the second row depending on whether there are two adults, three, or a combination of child seats there (there are now five sets of LATCH connectors, for child seats). The third row gains an inch of legroom and in some trims an armrest, while its folding mechanism gets even better.
Connectivity is much-improved, with new iPod and USB interfaces now included with the top sound system, but a Bluetooth hands-free interface is still the exclusive domain of top trims. In typical Honda fashion, some of the top features, such as a blind-spot system, auto-leveling HIS headlamps, and a new hard-drive-based music system, are the exclusive domain of top 2010 Honda Odyssey Touring and Touring Elite models. The new navigation system receives free FM-based traffic updates, voice commands have been dramatically upgraded, and the stunning wide-screen entertainment system has a first-in-class HDMI input, to hook up media players or laptops
The 2011 Honda Odyssey has been completely redesigned. Highlights include sleeker styling, a roomier interior, improved fuel economy and new features like a chilled storage box and a rear-seat entertainment system with surround-sound audio and a high-definition display
Minivans, it seems, just aren't cool anymore. In the past decade or so, more and more shoppers have been avoiding the juice-box-and-diapers stigma by purchasing crossovers SUVs. But don't count the minivan out just yet. This is still the best kind of vehicle for larger families, and new models like the 2011 Honda Odyssey promise to make the minivan, if not hip, at least a bit less uncool.
The latest Odyssey is still very much a modern not-so-mini minivan, with seating for up to eight passengers, sliding rear doors, V6 power and a familiar boxy silhouette. But Honda has tried to spruce things up with a sleeker grille, more pronounced front fenders and a stylized rear beltline. On the inside, you'll find higher-quality materials and a new dash design that's slightly less busy-looking than before.
The new Odyssey also offers more comfort and practicality. Thanks to a size increase (it's about an inch longer and more than 2 inches wider than last year), the 2011 model has more legroom for second- and third-row passengers. The second-row seat is also more useful this year, with a center section that slides forward and a special configuration mode that's wide enough for three child safety seats. There's also a revised mechanism that makes the 60/40-split third-row seat easier to stow.
Under the hood, the Odyssey continues to draw power from a 3.5-liter V6, though Honda's fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management technology is now standard on all models. More importantly, the V6 comes mated to a new six-speed automatic on top-of-the-line models to deliver snappier acceleration and better fuel economy. A reworked suspension is also new this year, giving the Odyssey a smoother ride quality while also maintaining the van's reputation for above-average handling.
Overall we like what Honda has done and think the Odyssey is still a fine choice for a minivan. Its main competition comes from the Toyota Sienna, which is also redesigned this year. The 2011 Honda Odyssey is a bit roomier, but the Sienna can be had with some features not found on the Honda, such as keyless ignition/entry, adaptive cruise control and all-wheel drive. The Odyssey is also a bit pricey compared to vans like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Kia Sedona. But all things considered it's a great choice for a family vehicle. And if people say it's uncool, well, they don't know what they're missing.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey is offered in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite. The entry-level LX comes reasonably well-equipped with 17-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a power driver seat, a 60/40-split-folding third-row seat, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control and a five-speaker sound system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack.
Step up to the midrange EX and you'll get 17-inch alloy wheels, power-sliding side doors, heated outside mirrors, tri-zone automatic climate control, a removable front center console, a multifunction second-row seat, retractable second-row sunshades, a conversation mirror and an upgraded audio system with 2GB of digital music storage, seven speakers and steering-wheel-mounted controls.
EX-L versions add still more upscale standard features including a power liftgate, a sunroof, leather upholstery, a power front passenger seat, heated front seats, a chilled storage box, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth, satellite radio and a USB audio input. The EX-L's options list includes a choice of either a voice-operated navigation system with 15GB of digital storage and a rearview camera or a rear-seat entertainment system with a 9-inch screen and a 115-volt AC household-style power outlet; the two systems can't be ordered together on the EX-L.
Move up to the Touring and Touring Elite models and you gain 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, front and rear parking sensors, memory settings for the driver, retractable third-row sunshades and a fold-down armrest for third-row passengers and both the navigation and rear-seat entertainment systems as standard. The new Touring Elite model adds xenon headlights, a blind spot warning system, an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with a 16-inch HD widescreen video monitor (with HDMI input) and a premium 650-watt, 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.
The Honda Odyssey comes with a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 248 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. The LX, EX and EX-L models send that power to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission; Touring and Touring Elite versions get a new six-speed automatic. EPA estimates for the five-speed automatic-equipped versions are 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined, while those fitted with the six-speed transmission post 19/28/22.
In testing, a six-speed Odyssey Touring Elite accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, which is essentially a dead heat with the Toyota Sienna's 7.7 seconds.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey comes standard with antilock disc brakes with brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, active front head restraints, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers and side curtain airbags that cover all three rows. In Edmunds brake testing from 60 mph, the Odyssey required 129 feet to come to a stop, which is an acceptable distance among minivans. Even after repeated braking runs, this distance remained consistent with no sign of fade.
This new Odyssey's updated exterior may be the first thing that catches your eye, but the most significant changes are inside. The Odyssey's growth spurt has made room for a new second-row seat that's nearly 4 inches wider than the one in the outgoing model, a change that makes it roomy enough to fit three car seats side by side. The reconfigured seat's center section also slides forward 5.5 inches (except on the LX trim) to put little ones within easy reach of mom and dad.
The third-row seat also benefits from the new Odyssey's larger dimensions with an extra 1.1 inches of legroom. This 60/40-split bench still drops neatly into the deep well just inside the rear liftgate, but now the process is easier thanks to changes in the folding mechanism. Yanking out the second-row seats -- which are light enough for a reasonably fit adult to wrangle into the garage -- opens up a total interior cargo capacity of 148 cubic feet.
Honda designers have also added a handful of clever details, including a new removable center console with a handy flip-up trash bag holder and a "cool box" beverage cooler built into the bottom of the dash's center section. On the electronics front, the new "multiview" back-up camera offers three different driver-selectable perspectives on the area behind the rear bumper. Top-of-the-line Touring Elite models also get a new rear-seat video entertainment system that includes a super-wide high-definition 16-inch screen that can display two different program sources -- say, a DVD movie and a video game, for example -- at the same time.
Though it's been redesigned, the Odyssey's dash can still be a bit daunting. We counted more than 80 buttons and dials at the driver's command in the range-topping Touring Elite. Fortunately, most of these controls are logically grouped for easier operation, but we found their small labels hard to decipher at a glance.
Considering it essentially uses the same powertrain as the previous generation, it should come as no surprise that the 2011 Honda Odyssey LX and EX models feel very familiar. Performance is more than adequate for most people's daily needs. Touring models are a bit more responsive thanks to their six-speed automatic transmission that executes shifts quickly and smoothly. Even though the Odyssey is outpowered by the Toyota Sienna's 266-hp V6, this new powertrain feels just as lively, with either minivan able to confidently merge onto the highway or pass slower moving traffic.
Complementing this extra oomph is a retuned suspension that delivers a comfortable ride and excellent handling. Part of the credit for this above-average drivability goes to the reworked body structure that's both more rigid and between 50 and 100 pounds lighter depending on the model. Larger brake discs result in improved braking ability, though the pedal does feel unsettlingly spongy.
On the inside, the 2011 Honda Odyssey is as quiet as a premium luxury sedan. Road and wind noise are nearly silent, as is the drivetrain. Honda's continuing use of active noise-cancelling technology contributes to the impressively peaceful cabin by emitting counter-phase sound through the speakers to eliminate much of the drone that passengers would otherwise hear.
Odyssey minivan for 2011. But, frankly, the Odyssey was already such a solid product that the new one isn't that much better. The big question is if a little bit better is enough to attract buyers out of other types of vehicles and into a van.
From a practical standpoint, minivans have all other sorts of family transportation covered. The vans are roomier than any crossover, more economical to operate than a full-size SUV, and far more readily adaptable to cargos of people or things than station wagons. If every vehicle purchase was a purely rational decision, just about all of us would be driving minivans.
The problem is the minivan stigma. Buying one tells the world you've given up on the adventure of life and settled for the low-grade frustrations of permanent parenthood. It takes someone who stands tall in her mom jeans to overcome that.
Read more: 2011 Honda Odyssey Test Drive - 2011 Honda Odyssey Review - Popular Mechanics
This vehicle is astonishingly comfortable, and will hold eight passengers in complete comfort. Even the third row seats provide enough room for a full grown adult. No more squeezing into a tight little spot and calling it a seat.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey offers outstanding storage in the cargo area. It is also full of many tiny cubbyholes that are perfect for storing things within easy reach. The 2011 Honda Odyssey even comes with its own wastebasket, making the van easy to keep clean.
The controls for this vehicle are logically grouped so they can easily be reached when busy driving down the road. After all, the 2011 Honda Odyssey just begs to be taken on a road trip. The third row seats easily fold down for extra storage, or carrying that luggage for the family vacation time.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey features a rear anti-roll bar for the first time. It also features upgraded springs and dampers. Along with the new tires, the 2011 Honda Odyssey is the best minivan available on the market.
Honda has revealed its all-new 2011 Odyssey minivan, a vehicle the automaker claims has more style than the outgoing model.
The 2010 Odyssey is a high-quality people-mover, but stylish is certainly not the first adjective that comes to mind when describing it. We’re not sure the redesigned 2011 Odyssey is a looker, but we appreciate that Honda actually made design a priority. What do you think of the 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite’s looks?
We’ll start with the “lightning bolt” beltline, as that’s the Odyssey’s most distinctive feature. Compared to the 2010 Odyssey’s flat beltline with chrome trim, the new minivan is much more interesting from the profile view. Then there’s the front and rear door handles, which are joined together suicide-door style unlike the outgoing Honda’s separated door handles. Which do you prefer?
Moving further back, we see Honda still refuses to place the sliding door tracks just below the beltline like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Toyota Sienna. Perhaps the Odyssey gives up some “design points” to its competitors there, but other minivans have nothing on the Odyssey’s rear styling. Attractive taillights are joined by a red-and-white trim piece where a thick bar of chrome was placed on the 2010 model.
Look closely at the 2011 Odyssey and you’ll see that the rear windshield isn’t perfectly rectangular like the 2010 model, which doesn’t have the new minivan’s dynamic wraparound spoiler.
Move to the front end and, well, we’re not really convinced with the styling of either Odyssey. Perhaps the 2011 Odyssey’s Acura-like headlights joined by a punched-out grille will grow on us with time. That’s more than we can say for the outgoing model, which is stuck with a small grille and oversized chrome surrounds.
We have no complaints (yet) with the 2011 Odyssey’s interior. Overall, it appears to be an improvement over the outgoing model, with a much larger area devoted to the navigation display screen, and central air vents that are more smartly placed than before.
To start, Honda made the 2011 Odyssey wider. It's 2 inches broader across the shoulders than the 2010 model at 79.2 inches, and that's spread across a wider track — now just over 68 inches front and rear. The Odyssey's wheelbase is still 118.1 inches, but the van is almost an inch longer overall at 202.9 inches.
That extra width makes room for a real center seat in the 2011 Honda Odyssey's second row. It's wide enough for a deluxe car seat and comfortable enough for a 170-pound adult, and the seat scoots forward so you can coo over that person. The second-row outboard chairs also adjust fore/aft, plus you can laterally scoot them 1.5 inches closer to each sliding door. This allows you to get three car seats across (with LATCH provisions in each position) or three teenagers across with no thrown elbows, except in the LX, which forgoes the center seat and tops out at seven-passenger capacity. Legroom, always an Odyssey strong suit, is up almost an inch in the middle row to 40.9 inches. There's even a fold-out ring for a trash bag back here, eliminating the front passenger's main job.
Life is just as good in the 2011 Honda Odyssey's third row, which is now sized and cushioned to accommodate 6-footers. Legroom is a generous 42.4 inches, and thanks to various noise-dampening measures undertaken during the redesign, grandparents seated back here have a good shot at hearing you muttering under your breath from the driver seat about how they burped the baby wrong and that's why he just puked on your shoulder.
Larger, comfier seats are usually a pain to reconfigure, but the Odyssey's 60/40 third-row seats are actually easier to fold flat this year; a new strap design eliminates the need to lean into the van to execute the maneuver. The second-row chairs still do not fold into the floor, but they are lightweight enough for a fit adult to remove and carry into the garage without herniating a disc. The liftgate is power-operated on EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite models, but the thing is so light and ergonomically designed, it's kind of fun to shut it the old-fashioned way
The big story for drivers is the arrival of a six-speed automatic transmission — the first appearance of this transmission in a Honda-badged product. For now, though, you can only have the six-speed on 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring and Touring Elite models; other Odysseys stick with last year's five-speed automatic. Everybody gets the familiar 3.5-liter V6, which now makes 248 horsepower (an increase of 4) and 250 pound-feet of torque (+5) thanks mainly to a revised intake.
If you're set on buying an EX, definitely don't test-drive the Touring. Once you've experienced the six-speed transmission's shorter 1st gear, closer ratios (identical to the Acura MDX) and quicker shifts, there's no going back to the five-speed, which provides merely adequate performance. Six-speed Odysseys also deliver slightly higher EPA fuel mileage ratings — 19 city/28 highway/22 combined versus 18 city/27 highway/21 combined for the five-speed. Either way, though, you'll still be driving the most fuel-efficient minivan of them all, save for the small-fry Mazda 5. All 2011 Honda Odysseys are front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive won't be offered.
"The penetration rate for AWD in the minivan class is only 5-7 percent," Art St. Cyr, chief engineer on the Odyssey, tells us. "To make room for the prop shaft, we'd have to raise the floor, reducing interior volume just to accommodate a small percentage of people."
Honda conservatively estimates that six-speed-equipped 2011 Honda Odysseys will hit 60 mph in 8.8 seconds — exactly the number we recorded in a 2010 Odyssey. We suspect the new van is a few tenths quicker, but it won't touch the 265-hp 2011 Toyota Sienna (7.9 seconds).
Honda tries to keep things simple by packaging vehicles in trim levels rather than allowing myriad permutations of options, but with the addition of yet more modern conveniences, the 2011 Honda Odyssey line has gotten more complicated.
The 2011 Honda Odyssey LX has the basics — an engine, a bunch of airbags, an auxiliary jack and manual, three-zone air-conditioning. The EX ($31,730), meanwhile, isn't quite the step up it used to be. It'll work for you if you just want alloy wheels, power-sliding doors, second-row sunshades, a power driver seat, a better audio system (with 2GB of hard drive space for ripping CDs) and automatic climate control.
If you want a USB input, you have to get the EX-L ($35,230), which also includes heated leather front seats, Bluetooth, a back-up camera and XM Radio. In addition, you can have either the $2,000 hard-drive-based navigation system (with 15GB of music storage space, FM-based traffic updates and enhanced wide- and overhead-view displays for the back-up camera) or the $1,600 rear entertainment system on the EX-L, but not both.
2011 honda odyssey
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