Let’s be honest, the minivan has a certain reputation. It’s the unofficial chariot of soccer moms, the go-to for family road trips, and the master of hauling way more stuff than you thought possible For decades one name has consistently sat at the top of this practical kingdom the Honda Odyssey.
But in a world of stylish three-row SUVs and new-age competitors, does the Odyssey still have what it takes? The 2025 model is here, and we’re diving deep to find out. This isn’t just a look at specs and numbers; it’s a comprehensive review for the American family trying to answer one crucial question: Is the 2025 Honda Odyssey the right vehicle for us?
From its legendary V6 engine to the game-changing Magic Slide seats, we’ll cover every inch of this family-hauler. We’ll break down the trims, explore the tech that keeps everyone happy, and see how it stacks up against its fiercest rivals. So, buckle up, grab your snacks, and let’s see if the king still holds the crown.
What’s New for 2025? A Winning Formula Perfected
For the 2025 model year, Honda has embraced the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. The Odyssey rolls into 2025 largely as a carryover from the highly successful previous model year. While some may clamor for a ground-up redesign, this is actually great news for prospective buyers.
It means the 2025 Odyssey retains the powerful and reliable 3.5-liter V6 engine, the smooth 10-speed automatic transmission, and the incredibly versatile interior that families have come to love. The focus remains on refinement rather than revolution. The available trims—EX, EX-L, Sport, Touring, and the luxurious Elite—continue to offer a clear ladder of features, ensuring there’s an Odyssey for nearly every family’s budget and needs.
The biggest news is what hasn’t changed: the core combination of performance, comfort, and unparalleled practicality that makes the Odyssey a benchmark in its class.
2025 Honda Odyssey Trims: Which One is Right for Your Family?
Choosing the right trim level is the most important decision you’ll make. The 2025 Odyssey offers five distinct flavors, each building upon the last. Let’s break them down to find your perfect match.
| Trim Level | Starting MSRP (Est.) | Key Features | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|---|
| EX | $39,690 | Honda Sensing, Magic Slide Seats, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 8-inch Touchscreen | The Value-Conscious Family |
| EX-L | $42,760 | Leather-Trimmed Seats, Power Tailgate, Moonroof, Extra USB Ports | The Comfort-Seeker |
| Sport | $43,510 | Black 19-inch Wheels, Black Exterior Accents, Red Interior Stitching | The Style-Focused Driver |
| Touring | $46,960 | Rear Entertainment, CabinWatch, CabinTalk, Navigation, Parking Sensors | The Tech-Savvy Road-Tripper |
| Elite | $51,820 | Ventilated Front Seats, Premium Audio, Wireless Charging, Hands-Free Tailgate | The “Everything Included” Buyer |
The Breakdown:
EX: The Smart Starting Point: The base EX is anything but basic. You get the two most important Odyssey features right out of the gate: the full Honda Sensing safety suite and the brilliant Magic Slide 2nd-row seats. For families on a budget who prioritize safety and practicality, the EX is a fantastic value.
EX-L: A Touch of Luxury: The “L” stands for leather, and this trim adds a significant dose of comfort. With leather-trimmed seats, a power tailgate (a lifesaver when your hands are full), and a one-touch power moonroof, the EX-L feels more premium without a massive price jump. It’s the sweet spot for many families.
Sport: For a Dash of Attitude: The Sport trim is for the parent who isn’t ready to give up on style. It takes the EX-L’s features and adds a sporty aesthetic with 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and unique red ambient lighting inside. It’s a statement piece that says, “I drive a minivan, but I’m still cool.”
Touring: The Ultimate Road Trip Machine: If long family trips are your jam, the Touring is your trim. It introduces the game-changing CabinWatch and CabinTalk system, allowing you to see and speak to rear passengers without shouting. Add the advanced rear entertainment system and built-in navigation, and you have a vehicle designed to make “Are we there yet?” a thing of the past.
Elite: The First-Class Experience: The Elite is the Odyssey in its ultimate form. It takes everything from the Touring and adds pure luxury: heated and ventilated front seats, a booming 11-speaker premium audio system, a wireless phone charger, and a hands-free access power tailgate. It’s the minivan that feels like a luxury SUV.
Performance and Fuel Economy: The Heart of the Odyssey
One of the Odyssey’s most underrated qualities is how it drives. It’s a minivan that doesn’t feel like a minivan. Under the hood of every 2025 Odyssey is a tried-and-true 3.5-liter V6 engine pumping out a healthy 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque.
Paired with a slick, responsive 10-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain is a masterpiece of smoothness. It provides confident acceleration for merging onto busy U.S. highways and has plenty of power in reserve for passing. The transmission rarely hunts for gears, delivering a serene and predictable driving experience.
Despite its size and powerful engine, the Odyssey remains efficient. It delivers an EPA-estimated 19 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined. While competitors like the hybrid Toyota Sienna boast better numbers, the Odyssey offers a more engaging and powerful driving feel that many drivers prefer. It strikes a fantastic balance between power on demand and respectable fuel economy for daily errands and long hauls.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo: The Magic is Inside
Step inside the Odyssey, and you’ll understand why it wins so many awards. The cabin is an incredibly well-thought-out space designed for the chaos of family life.
The Unbeatable Magic Slide Seats
Let’s start with the star of the show: the Magic Slide 2nd-row seats, standard on all trims. This system allows you to slide the second-row captain’s chairs sideways into multiple configurations.
- Easy Third-Row Access: Slide a seat to the center to create a wide-open path to the third row. No more awkward climbing over seats.
- Sibling Separation: Slide the two seats to opposite sides of the cabin to create a DMZ between bickering kids. Peace and quiet restored.
- Center Access: Push one seat next to the other in the center to make it easier for a parent in the front to reach a child in a car seat.
It’s a simple, non-electric solution that is so profoundly useful, it makes you wonder why every minivan doesn’t have it.
CabinWatch and CabinTalk: Your Eye in the Sky
Available on the Touring and Elite trims, these features are a parent’s best friend. CabinWatch uses a ceiling-mounted camera to project a live feed of the second and third rows onto the main infotainment screen—complete with night vision. You can zoom in to see if a child is sleeping or just pretending to.
CabinTalk allows you to speak to rear-seat passengers through their connected headphones or the rear speakers, turning your voice into a calm, clear announcement instead of a frustrated shout from the driver’s seat.
Cavernous Cargo
The Odyssey is a master of space. The numbers are impressive, but the real-world utility is even better.
- Behind the 3rd row: 38.6 cubic feet (enough for a massive grocery run or a stroller and luggage).
- With 3rd row folded: 91.0 cubic feet (perfect for hauling sports gear or camping equipment).
- With 2nd and 3rd rows folded/removed: A staggering 155.7 cubic feet. You can fit full sheets of plywood from the home improvement store. It’s a cavern.
The deep cargo well behind the third row is perfect for containing loose items, and the low, flat floor makes loading and unloading a breeze.
Tech and Infotainment: Keeping Everyone Connected and Entertained
A modern family vehicle needs modern tech, and the Odyssey delivers. Every trim comes standard with an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system is straightforward and responsive, putting your essential apps, music, and navigation right at your fingertips.
Higher trims elevate the experience. The Touring and Elite models come with the Advanced Rear Entertainment System, which includes a 10.2-inch high-resolution screen that flips down from the ceiling. It supports Blu-ray™ and streaming apps, ensuring back-seat passengers are occupied on long journeys. The “How Much Farther?” app is a fun feature that displays the trip’s progress, visually answering that age-old question.
With multiple USB ports scattered throughout all three rows and an available wireless phone charger in the Elite trim, the Odyssey ensures that every device stays charged and every passenger stays happy.
Safety First: The Honda Sensing Suite
For families, safety is non-negotiable. This is an area where Honda excels. Every single 2025 Honda Odyssey, from the base EX to the top-tier Elite, comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies.
This isn’t an expensive optional package; it’s a core feature. The suite includes:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS): Can help brake the vehicle when it detects an unavoidable collision with a vehicle detected in front of you.
- Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM): A small camera sees road markers, alerts you if you’re about to leave the road, and can take action to keep you from doing so.
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow: Helps you maintain a set following interval on the highway, so you don’t have to manually change your speed.
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS): Subtly adjusts steering to help keep the vehicle centered in a detected lane.
The Odyssey consistently earns top safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), making it one of the most secure vehicles you can put your family in.
How Does the Odyssey Stack Up? vs. the Competition
The minivan segment is small but fiercely competitive. Here’s a quick look at how the Odyssey compares to its main rivals:
vs. Toyota Sienna: The Sienna comes standard with a hybrid powertrain, offering superior fuel economy and available all-wheel drive (AWD). However, its engine can feel strained under heavy acceleration, and its second-row seats are not removable, limiting ultimate cargo capacity. The Odyssey offers a more powerful and engaging driving experience.
vs. Chrysler Pacifica: The Pacifica is the Odyssey’s biggest rival in terms of features. It offers the brilliant Stow ‘n Go seating, where the second-row seats fold completely into the floor, and it’s the only minivan to offer a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant. However, the Odyssey generally has a stronger reputation for long-term reliability and build quality.
vs. Kia Carnival: Marketed as an “MPV” (Multi-Purpose Vehicle), the Carnival boasts SUV-like styling that appeals to buyers who shy away from the traditional minivan look. It has a luxurious and feature-packed interior for the price. The Odyssey, however, offers more clever and flexible seating solutions with its Magic Slide system and a more refined ride quality.
Why Choose the Odyssey? You choose the Odyssey for its unbeatable blend of powerful V6 performance, a smooth ride, legendary Honda reliability, and the most innovative and family-friendly seating in the business.
FAQs
Q1: Does the 2025 Honda Odyssey have all-wheel drive (AWD)?
A: No, the 2025 Honda Odyssey is only available with front-wheel drive (FWD). Its primary competitor, the Toyota Sienna, offers an AWD option.
Q2: What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Honda Odyssey?
A: The 2025 Odyssey is rated for an EPA-estimated 19 MPG city, 28 MPG highway, and 22 MPG combined, thanks to its standard V6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission.
Q3: What are the Magic Slide seats?
A: Standard on all trims, Magic Slide 2nd-row seats allow the outboard captain’s chairs to slide sideways. This provides easy access to the third row, allows you to separate the seats to keep children apart, or push them together.
Q4: Is the Honda Odyssey reliable?
A: Yes, the Honda Odyssey has a long-standing reputation for excellent long-term reliability and strong resale value, which is a key reason many families choose it over competitors.
Q5: Does the Odyssey have Apple CarPlay?
A: Yes, all 2025 Honda Odyssey trims come standard with an 8-inch touchscreen that includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Q6: Which Odyssey trim has the rear entertainment system?
A: The rear entertainment system, which includes a 10.2-inch screen, is standard on the Touring and Elite trim levels.
Conclusion
After a thorough review, it’s clear that the 2025 Honda Odyssey hasn’t lost a step. It may not have the hybrid efficiency of a Sienna or the fold-into-the-floor seats of a Pacifica, but it doubles down on what it does best: providing a powerful, reliable, and incredibly thoughtful experience for the modern American family.
The combination of a potent V6 engine, a serene ride, top-tier safety ratings, and the unmatched flexibility of the Magic Slide interior keeps the Odyssey firmly in the top tier of its class. It’s a vehicle designed by people who clearly understand the challenges and joys of family life. While the competition is stronger than ever, the 2025 Honda Odyssey proves that it still has the magic to wear the crown.
If you’re in the market for a vehicle that puts family first without compromising on performance and quality, the Odyssey demands a spot at the top of your test-drive list.
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