Sometimes a manufacturer churns out a base trim that — all things considered — might just be the best choice for that particular model. Here’s a candidate.
Wait, wait, wait! Yes, this is a minivan … but before you scroll past this post to revel in Steph’s news reports or one of Jack’s adventures, consider this: when was the last time you bought something which truly made your life easier? Because that’s what minivans are all about.
Armed on average with 2.5 kids, most families would do well with a big, comfortable, feature-laden box on wheels. Heck, many did, until Ford invented the Explorer in 1990, setting off a rogue wave of SUVs, which has yet to abate.
Honda’s Odyssey showed up for 1995 with four normal doors and a four-cylinder engine. (Bonus points if you remember that it was also sold as the badge-engineered Isuzu Oasis.) Sales were tepid compared to the established competition, but good enough for Honda to toss a redesigned, dual-sliding-door Odyssey into the market for the 1999 model year.
The current Odyssey is available in a myriad of trims but, as always, we’re here to examine the cheapest of the lot. For a sub-$30,000 MSRP, Honda sees fit to equip the Odyssey LX with a backup camera, a raft of airbags, and air conditioning for both the front and rear passengers. Cruise control and a tilt/telescoping wheel are present and accounted for.
Parents will appreciate Bluetooth and the ability to separate sibling rivals thanks to Honda’s clever seating system. Paint choices aren’t limited to the grayscale menu, either, with an Obsidian Blue and Deep Scarlet Pearl available as $0 options. Parents take note: the red hue can only be paired with beige seats, so watch where the young ones toss those juice boxes.
No matter the outlay of cash, every Odyssey deploys Honda’s 248-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. Please take this opportunity to remind yourself that a hairy-chested Fox-body Mustang only made 225 hp.
Sure, the fancy-pants Odyssey Touring Elite has 12 speakers and an IMAX-sized television for in-flight entertainment, but its $15,475 premium is but $600 away from the entire sticker price of a base Fit. If forced to make the choice, which would you buy? A top-shelf Odyssey? Or a brace of Hondas so you can have a small hatchback at your disposal while you clean the van of juice boxes?
Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selections.
The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim. As always, your dealer may sell for less.
Those wheel covers.
They ain’t pretty, but Honda knows a deal when they see it and there were a pile of those things in the Pep Boys clearance bin for 75% off. How could they resist?
This is my only problem with base cars. It will always drive me to the cheapest trim that has actual alloys instead.
Minivans..
…pickups
…and CUVs
oh my!
*TTAC coverage of minivans is sponsored by Huggies & Depends, coverage of pickups is sponsored by Skoal & Kingsford, and coverage of CUVs is sponsored by The Appliance Manufacturers Association.
Yes I draw the line here. I dont mind 7 seat CUV/SUVs but there’s something ‘a bridge too far’ with minivans.
Also I’m of the opinion that you shouldnt need to own a 7 seater… just drive two cars… me in my full size saloon and maybe some other family member if their CUV!
There’s no family function that forces us all into one vehicle.
One word for you: Carpooling. My wife had an Ody, there were numerous times she had it nearly filled with another mom and children, and a few times she had every seat filled.
One more word…dog shows! My goodness, do I carry a lot of, um, stuff for allowing my adopted daughter to attend these events. Yes, a (larger) SUV would work (I mostly borrow my sister’s 2011 Explorer) but then I side-glance at folks at the show who arrive in minivans with the seats folded flat and acres of room for EVERYTHING! I don’t love the look (or drive) of a minivan, but by God I can see the appeal for the use intended. I’m still seriously considering jettisoning the 2014 Escape for a minivan. I know, I know…might as well hand in my man-card now, but I am already tired of having to attempt to fit everything (to include three people, their luggage for weekends away AND the dogs and their requisite “stuff”).
Your “practicality” and “who-gives-a-shit-what-people-think” cards trump your man-card any and every day.
We had ours filled to capacity several times. Being able to fit the cousins when going into the big city for sightseeing it makes parking and staying together much easier.
When in doubt E class wagon with rear seats. Now you only need one car and it carries 7.
E-Class wagon costs as much as two Honda Odysseys plus the third row is vestigial at best and having anyone back there gives you ZERO cargo space.
Roof rails… if you know how to pack.
Just get a Aston Martin V12 Vantage and a receiver and 5th Wheel.
I once saw someone towing a 5000 pound boat with a 4.2 A6 Allroad. I immediately looked at my dad and asked if we could try it with my Audi right before I let it go. He just shook his head; and stated “just because the potential to do it is their, does not mean you should actually do it.” Of course he may have been talking about me…
I adore these but I adore garage space more.
Yea, this is the biggie. I use the hell out of my garage for projects… just bought a table saw last weekend. So it’s already a tight fit with our two compact cars.
“something which truly made your life easier”
I thought about this for a few minutes and realized that this has never been part of my criteria for car purchase, which is why minivans (thankfully) have never been on my radar. I plan to go my entire life never having owned one.
I’ve already start to get a feel for the lay of the land as far as 1-3 year old minivans go for some not-so distant family expansion plans. Try as I might to justify a fullsize SUV as the ultimate vehicle that fits our needs overall, I realized a much more practical and affordable solution would be to swap out my fiance’s Camry for a new-ish minivan and keep my 4Runner for offroad/camping trips. Hard to beat the bang for the buck of a $17-18kish van with less than 30k miles with a decent amount of options. Final-year 2nd gen Sedonas look pretty good, and I’m a fan of the Japanese-ness of the current bodystyle Quests, if not their interior packaging that gives up a lot of cargo hauling capability to its peers. A bit leery of Caravans. Siennas and Odysseys of course make a lot of sense, but it’s curious to see that their reliability ratings are actually somewhat less than one might expect (and the Quest is remarkably good, J-VIN magic maybe?). Siennas are made right here in Indiana, which is appealing as well. The big ding against it is per my understanding, removing the second row leaves protruding metal attachment points sticking up from the floor a few inches.
+1 on the second generation Sedona here. Have had ours for four years now, and at 114k repairs have been pretty much down to the regular maintenance category. The second row of seats went into the storage barn the day it was purchased and probably won’t be reinstalled until he day it gets traded. I bought this for reenactment trips and race track camping. Definitely a comfortable long haul ride as my two trips a year Ashland, VA to St. Augustine, FL drive home.
Unfortunately it’s successor won’t be a Kia, unless I come up with a reasonably low mileage second gen model when the day comes. The inability to remove the second row seats and front seat console in the current generation kills the kind of utilization I buy a van for.
“The inability to remove the second row seats and front seat console in the current generation kills the kind of utilization I buy a van for.”
Agreed. The attempt to CUV-ize the third gen did it no favors from a utility point of view. I definitely want walk-through ability from the 1st row.
Be warned that the Quest has pretty poor safety ratings, if they matter to you.
A second gen Odyssey was van#2 for the family growing up, and (despite eating transmissions) was a great van for the semi-annual trips back to see the rest of the family. Smooth ride, lots of space, even got decent gas mileage. Considering the passionate disgust I feel for SUVs (Satan drives a silver CUV) I hope to need one of these sooner or later.
There was a time that I was sure that I would NEVER buy a minivan. Now after owning one for two years I am sure there will ALWAYS be one in my garage. They are that good.
+1
After 5 years with a Sienna XLE its utility is indispensable. Pop out the 2nd row I was able fit 15 sheets of sheet rock and 6 4x8s I can get around 23mpg on the highway, it has a tight turning radius and the sliding doors at the icing on the cake.
And it has great power for a minivan
Only complaint is it has more road noise that I feel it should have. If only I could get a 3 inch lift kit it would be the ultimate hunting vehicle………
3 things.
1. the toyota sienna is more reliable per consumer reports
2. the sienna can be had with AWD
3. the sienna has more horsepower – 296 to be exact. this is more ponies than my NSX.
IMHO there is currently no rational reason to buy the 2017 odyssey. sorry.
What makes you think minivan drivers are interested in horsepower?
(quietly raises hand…)
It’s a bread box with wheels, it ought to have some good HP numbers so it can get out of its own way. (Yeah I’m looking at you 7-passenger Transit Connect Wagon with less than 200 hp.)
“What makes you think minivan drivers are interested in horsepower?”
Minivan drivers may not be interested in horsepower ratings, but they’re interested in making sure their huge, heavy vehicle can get out of its’ own way in traffic.
I spent plenty of miles behind the wheel of my wife’s ’06 Ody, and never once felt like I could have used more power.
I’m not sure where y’all are driving that you feel that your cars are underpowered. I live in metro Atlanta, people drive fast here and I still never get my accelerator more than a quarter of the way open.
Right, but a 2006 Odyssey wasn’t underpowered. There are plenty of vans that were, though. Ever driven a first-gen Mazda MPV, or a first-gen Odyssey? I did. Both were noticeably slower than their competition.
“Ever driven a first-gen Mazda MPV”
Truly teaches the concept of momentum driving. 155hp/169tq 3.0L V6 to haul 4015lb of curb weight, with a fairly dim witted 4spd auto that likes to lock the torque converter at 40mph. Rear end gearing was pretty short to make the most of a bad situation, and it felt peppy enough around town, but with with really poor hill climbing performance on the highway. My brother’s 2.6L 4cyl RWD variant was even worse, but it was also substantially lighter.
The ’98 Odyssey V6 and Sienna V6 were a quantum leap forward in power. Heck even my friend’s family Caravan with the 3.3L felt downright quick compared to the MPV.
I had a ’91 Aerostar with a 150 hp Vulcan V6, the only time it felt underpowered was when towing a trailer.
I was responding to @wintermutt’s reasons to buy a Sienna rather than an Odyssey. Like you said, the Ody has plenty of power, that the Toyota has more isn’t really important.
Maybe not horsepower, but the drivers normally in my neck of the woods tend to drive faster if they are in a minivan. Places to go and things to do I assume. They may not buy a van for its hp rating, but I promise, if it had a under powered 4 cylinder, they would sell far less of them. Not to mention, besides trucks, vans are apparently the next vehicle most statistically likely to tow with. A car salesmen at a Honda dealership once told me the service department usually does more work on Honda trannys than ridgeline ones because people tow with the minivan more. Of course the argument if the ridgeline is a truck or not, I’m not qualified to say.
They are actually pretty similar vehicles, overall. I’d say it gets down to which one do you like driving more.
My girlfriend was adamant about NOT getting a minivan for her next vehicle, while I would have NO problem driving one everyday. But I already have a sports car (classic Porsche!) and a new truck. She ended up buying a Traverse, which is an impractical, heavy, and ugly version of a minivan. It’s a minivan for people who are in denial, just like a Pilot or Highlander.
If you’re a parent, you aren’t cool anymore. Accept it. Move on. Embrace parenthood. Drive a minivan and enjoy it on date night, since it’s the only solitude you might find.
“Drive a minivan and enjoy it on date night, since it’s the only solitude you might find.”
Lord knows there’s plenty of make-out room…
hehe…my wife and I both commented on that very thing when we were out looking a few months ago at a Town and Country. With the middle and rear seats folded down, there is PLENTY of room to get busy. Hmmm…memo to self…sell any minivan we may get before the daughter gets her license to drive…
“sorry.”
Being Arbiter of the Universe means you never have to say that.
I agree. 4. Sienna 3.5 also uses a timing chain vs the Honda 3.5’s timing belt.
http://toyota.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7690/~/does-my-vehicle-have-a-timing-belt-or-timing-chain%3F
1. It’s not like the difference in reliability is like a Toyota Camry vs. a Chevy Citation so you’re probably alright with an Odyssey.
2. Most Siennas sold are FWD so it’s not like this is a huge selling point for most minivan buyers. If you really need AWD then the Sienna is the van for you.
3. Too bad the extra horsepower is wrapped around a marshmallow suspension that makes driving it miserable. Some cars drive smaller than they really are; this one drives like a strip shopping center. A 5 day rental this summer gave me my fill of driving a Toyota Sienna.
4. Not all car buying decisions are rational. Not everyone puts the same weight on every aspect of a car and that’s OK. Maybe you like a limp suspension and want AWD–lucky for you Toyota makes your car. Sometimes you just like something better than something else.
“marshmallow suspension that makes driving it miserable.”
Looking around at the state of the local roads after a recent freeze/thaw cycle, give me as marshmallowy of a suspension as physically possible. Likewise, the larger alloy wheels and corresponding thinner rubber is for the birds on vehicles such as this. Give me the fat sidewalls and steel wheels are perfectly fine (Toyota’s smaller base 5 spoke alloys are fine too). Premature tire replacement due to potholes is a regular thing around here for folks with “sporty” wheels.
@gtemnykh, yes yes yes.
I’m so happy to have 65 aspect ratio rubber on my daily driver. So much nicer to ride in than my in-laws vehicle that has same size rims but spec-ed at 45 ratio.
I went from 65 series to 70 series (same width) for my snow tires+steelies combo. Rides sublimely (granted the struts are starting to feel a bit tired at 208k miles).
Sorry, but the current Odyssey doesn’t drive all that un-marshmallow-y. The 2009 model my friend’s mom has is considerably more agile.
BTW it’s funny that this base model probably has the lowest take rate of any of these feature articles. Didn’t Honda just say 95% of their Odyssey sales are EX or higher?
You can get a Sienna in SE trim if you don’t want marshmallows in the suspension. This myth that all Hondas are driver’s cars while all Toyotas ride on mush needs to end.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2017-toyota-sienna-first-drive-review
The Sienna SE actually has a very Odyssey-like handling ability. Considerably less wallow-y than the XLE…
That AWD Sienna is $3500 more than the Honda. If you don’t need AWD why pay the extra cash? And I’m willing to wager that most minivan drivers could care less about the extra HP.
Toyota has terrible interest rates on their Siennas and has since I started shopping, plus the base 2016 Sienna I drove only offers 2 flimsy pull out from the dash cupholders for the front row. Its not even an option to add the the cupholders between the seat like other models. My base 2003 Odyssey offers more, including cruise control. That is not progress! I do agree that the Sienna drove well but the Honda was a more engaging drive, for a minivan.
Once upon a time we could have used a minivan, especially when we moved to Ohio and even before, but money was tight and we made do with our K- and K-derived rides and assorted other used Chrysler vehicles.
Now? Ever since the kids moved out and me almost retired, nope.
Now when our current rides need replacement, we’ll still have a CUV and some sort of a small car, as we don’t intend to take a lot of road trips due to my eyesight – or lack of it.
Most likely I will never see a minivan in our garage.
My biggest issue with minivans is that they’re anything but “mini”. A change in naming this vehicle type is needed. Chrysler, Honda, Toyota – they’re all HUGE!
I had a ’91 Aerostar short body, I think it was about 180 inches overall. That was a very practical size, I could get a fullsized desk inside and still close the tailgate.
I especially liked the Aerostar’s sliding glass for 2nd row passengers. One of the major reasons we didn’t buy a minivan – pop-open glass just doesn’t cut it for the second row of seats. One thing Ford did do right, and I liked them.
The same people that say “I WOULD NEVER DRIVE A MINIVAN” “WHO WOULD PUT FUNCTION OVER FORM?”
Then argue for the need for more brown manual wagons and 7 seater SUVs.
I don’t get the hatred for Vans. I don’t own one, but hating on vans to me is like hating on water. “Sure its a healthy beverage, but I wouldn’t want to be SEEN drinking WATER, even if it is the most effective thing at quenching my thirst. No instead I’m going to drink Mountain Dew or Beer!”
Vans are comfortable, big, decent fuel economy… its like everything we really ask for or “want”, but its not packaged in a way that makes them seem socially acceptable.
Vans are the true “Utility Vehicles”.
Think of some of the CUVs now- They are as small as a compact car, as bad fuel economy as a small truck, as capable as a small sedan, and as comfortable as a camel… but I guess they get to pass judgement on the large, fuel efficient, capable and comfortable vans!
So ride on Van Drivers! Ride on!
Minivans are where it’s at for practicality. You can fit a lot more stuff into one than into a minivan-based SUV. And they’re the best for comfort, too.
Ever try squeezing into the back-backseat of a 7 passenger midsize SUV? Only if you’re a kid, and even they aren’t happy about it.
“large, fuel efficient…vans”
“some of the CUVs now- They are as small as a compact car, as bad fuel economy as a small truck, as capable as a small sedan, and as comfortable as a camel”
I get what you’re saying, but short of longer highway drives, most modern minivans that weigh in at 4000+lb will struggle to break 20mpg in city driving, about on par with most midsize CUVs, most compact CUVs would get mid 20s-ish. In highway driving, many compact CUVs will nip 30mpg, a modern van might get close under optimal conditions, but to claim it is MORE efficient is silly. Comfort wise, yeah there are some harsh riding smaller CUVs, but I wouldn’t characterize the whole group as inherently uncomfortable. Nor would I say even the smaller CUVs are no more “capable” than a small sedan. They certainly have more utility, and even in their current neutered state offer a practical improvement in ground clearance and traction in snow/rough road situations.
Capability in terms of people/stuff hauling, yes it is no contest. I’d say overall it’s just a bit too much hyperbole masking some truth.
“Sure it’s a healthy beverage, but I wouldn’t want to be SEEN drinking WATER, even if it is the most effective thing at quenching my thirst. No instead I’m going to drink Mountain Dew or Beer!”
What, exactly, do you have against beer? Oh, the humanity…
I drink Brawndo, the Thirst Mutilator! It’s got electrolytes!
Water? Like out of the toilet?
Funny, I have been asking the question of “irrational minivan hatred” for years. I have several friends who admit they would be a better choice than their SUVs but “would never be seen” driving a minivan.
The EX was really the value play on this gen Odyssey, IMO. Our EX has stuff that the typical minivan buyer would view as a must–power doors, 3-zone auto HVAC, and an 8th seat–without the more frivolous stuff that jacks up the EX-L/Touring prices. As an added bonus, you avoid those horrible LX wheel covers.
Minivans are truly vehicles that make your life easier. Every family, one with kids, one empty nester, and one with grand kids, has felt the same way. They all fought buying them till they got one and now can’t imagine life without it.
You know, I’ve never actually seen a base-model Odyssey, especially in the current version.You see base Siennas, Town & Countries, Grand Caravans, even Pacificas…but not Odysseys. They’re not en vogue. Most people seem to go for at least the EX-L, and many cough up for the Touring or Touring Elite with its built-in HondaVac.
Some friends of ours actually just leased a base LX for $249/mo – the special Honda is offering to clear these out. Not a bad deal at the end of the day.
The EX-L is the sweet spot of the lineup. My wife and I just bought a CPO 2014 EX-L. We found it hard to justify the premium to step up to the Touring. Why shell out an extra $5,000 to get a DVD player and navigation (capabilities which are already covered by tablets and Waze) and 18″ alloys? The EX-L gets you leather, power everything, and enough safety nannies to beep at you the whole day through.
Though I admit, it looks pretty good with the 18’s.
If I were popping for one of these, I’d go with the loaded-up one. Toys!
Exactly. If you have to have one of these might as well be the one with power sliding everything, 3 DVD players, and a vacuum. Throw in leather of ease of cleaning.
Would never buy a base minivan…Just get a used 1-2 year old with upgrades for a little less cash and use the rest for an extended warranty.
We actually tried to get the base model but none of the dealers in 50 miles had any. The Internet sales guy at one of the dealerships said he could do the second level up for less than the invoice of a base model so we got that. Couldn’t be happier, probably the best vehicle that I have personally owned.
I myself am a fan of hatchbacks and so minivans hold a space for me. I of course love wagons most of all. Right now I have a 08 CX9 that i bought new and in 3 years I will want another car. I would love to have a Flex for its last year of production.
I want to love the Odyssey, but the fact that I can’t fit into the driver’s seat (zero leg room) is a dealbreaker for me.
So my next minivan will more than likely be a Sienna.
(I previously had a 1989 Dodge Caravan in HS, and a 1996 Ford Aerostar XLT 4.0 last May)
I am so tired of Honda’s colour selection for the Canadian market…. Once again, a base model of this van can only be had in WHITE… yes, one colour…WHITE!
Step up to the SE model and you get two additional colours of Grey and black
In order to get anything other than grey white or black you need to dish out $45000+ just to get ONE ADDITIONAL (Navy blue) colour and 1 additional grey tone and that is it folks.
Who ever does the Market research for Canadian consumers much be real bad at their job… we all want choices and colours just like our American neighbours! Why can’t Honda realize this???
They do this on purpose as they want to force you to buy a higher-trim model. Personally, I’d love to drive a White Odyssey – ours is that drab-gray (which they call blue for some reason) that matches 7 other Odysseys in the store parking lot.
Where I live, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a current-Gen Odyssey in Carbon Bronze, usually the EX-L.
Sister-in-law’s 2009 Ody is up for replacement soon, a cloth-seat EX with flawless power doors. Just wants something different before the “major” things need replacement. (T-belt, tires, etc.)
You can get black as well. Honda really does need to start offering more colors on base vehicles.
http://www.honda.ca/buildyourhonda?model_key=odyssey&model_year=2017&returnUrl=true#!/en/NB/odyssey/2017/lx_10434/customize
I thought that picture was Photoshopped until I checked the Honda web site. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a modern Odyssey without alloys and had no idea Honda offered one with wheel covers until today.
Yeah, uh, no. The extra three grand for the EX ads a couple of necessary comfort and convenience features like driver’s adjustable lumbar, keyless access/start, Lanewatch and an extra seat. Plus you get alloys, color-keyed door handles and a host of other little features that make you hate yourself less for spending this kind of money. And for another 3,500 on top of that, the EX-L is pretty cushy.
Once you hit the $30k threshold, I think a vehicle really needs to start delivering on premium features. The Honda Odyssey most certainly does not do that. I also suspect that there’s very few people out there that truly need a three row van and want to spend as little as possible while simultaneously not settling for a Chrysler/Kia/Nissan with huge incentives or something lightly used. Anyone who doesn’t ever need to seat more than 5 would be much better served by something like a Honda’s own CR-V EXL for about the same price tag.
I’m a big minivan fan. My wife drives an ’03 Sienna that we bought with four miles on the odometer. It’s been fantastic, but it’s starting to rust and generally get a little worn. Engine & transmission are still excellent, though. She uses hers to attend a handful of antique shows in the summer, so she occasionally spends the night in it. I’m a fan of buying used, but with minivans, it’s like buying a used living room. I’ll go new unless I can find a very clean one.
In reality, I can’t find any used minivans worth buying. Unlike the previous posters, we prefer manual sliding doors over the powered ones, and the pickings on those are slim. Unfortunately, the simple Chryslers do not get much lease support, so I’m actually considering a Traverse. Harsh words about these from dchturbo above: “..which is an impractical, heavy, and ugly version of a minivan. It’s a minivan for people who are in denial, just like a Pilot or Highlander.”
Well, yeah, maybe. But I’m a card-carrying GM buyer — I get $4k off the top of any GM vehicle for having a lease in my household AND carrying the old “GM card”. It really makes leasing very attractive, but the General no longer makes a minivan, and never made a good one.
Maybe I’ll just lease a Cruze hatch with a stick — that’d be our 3rd MT Cruze — and make do with the ancient Sienna another 24 months…
My leased Ram pickup went back a couple months ago and bought a used Chrysler T&C with Stow ‘n Go. I haul more stuff than people with it. Much easier to load. Trucks are too high these days. My only regret so far is thinking I should have done it sooner. It’s easier to get into, drive and park.
I did consider several SUV’s, but it’s so disappointing to see how poorly the interior space is utilized in SUV’s. A new Ford Explorer is about the same exterior size as the T&C but the space utilization couldn’t be further apart.
Another way to put this is that the Touring is overpriced. We waited years for this minivan. Hoping that it would at lest meet the trim level of a Touring Accord. It doesn’t. Despite loving our 2007 Odyssey we recently bought a 2017 Volvo XC90. I am not going to compare the cars – you can’t – but if Honda actually equipped the Odyssey interior with a Volvo level trim, and charge $5k more, they would open themselves up to a whole new market. Lots of people can afford the upper level minivan. But I for one am not paying cdn$50k for something that looks cheaper on the inside than a cdn$25k Accord.
Any Mazda 5. I got the last 2015 Grand touring (not base model, but what the hey, I said) for 21k. Best car for the enthusiast dad. I installed a fatter rear stabilizer on and now we’re talkin’ 40+ mph cloverleafs with the ability to seat 6! Try that with any larger minivan!
For sure, the Mazda 5 is (was) a great car and a great value. I got a 2012 base model for $19k in late 2012. It’s high in utility and driving satisfaction. It’s definitely compromised on room when compared to the mini-behemoths currently sold (Odyssey, Sienna, Pacifica, Sedona), but you should be able to figure out if it meets your family’s needs or not after a quick test drive.
I had to specifically seek out an LX when I bought my previous Odyssey and I’d do it again.
I don’t want built-in tech that will become obsolete. Of course these days hey’re just flip-down displays with generic inputs, but think of all the vans of yesteryear that came with VHS or DVD.
Power doors are more of a nuisance in my experience than manual ones, and they’re the big dealbreaker on the higher end Odysseys. Maybe different if I had infants. A 6 year old can close the standard spring-assisted doors in much less time than the slowpoke motors close the doors on the higher end models. Same reason I’d never buy a roadster with a power top. I could flip up the roof on my Miata by hand at a stoplight.
I hope the ’18+ Odyssey’s new platform brings back some of the agility of the 2nd gen I owned. Otherwise I think I’d go straight to the Kia Sedona which also offers a power-nothing LX trim.