Honda Odyssey 2005-2010 review

 

Overview

2007 Honda Odyssey. Click for larger photo 2007 Honda Odyssey interior. Click for larger photo 2007 Honda Odyssey. Click for larger photo 2007 Honda Odyssey with seats up The third-row seats folds down into the floor and the second-row seats can be removed The 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey is one of the best minivans on the market. The Odyssey offers stylish look, well-designed rich interior, almost car-like handling and firm comfortable ride. The Odyssey comes with a high level of standard safety features and received good marks in the crash tests. The 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey is available in a seven- or eight-passenger configuration. The Odyssey has front-wheel drive and comes with only one powertrain choice: the 244-hp 3.5L V6 with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The disk brakes are standard on all four wheels. The anti-lock brakes (ABS), Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control are standard on all models. What's the most prominent inside Honda Odyssey is the high-tech design of the dashboard and a sharp-looking instrument panel. It doesn't really feel like an ordinary minivan inside. All the interior materials have a rich look and feel; the fit and finish is excellent. The driver's seat is comfortable and supportive. The tray between the front seats folds down for easy access to the second row. The second-row captains chair seats can be positioned together (bench style) or separately. In the eight-seat configurations, an additional small seat is installed between the two second-row seats. This additional seat can be converted into a center tray table or removed and stored in the vehicle's in-floor storage area. If you need more cargo room, the second-row seats can be removed and the the split third-row bench seat folds down into the floor. When the third-row seat is in up-right position you get a large storage well behind it. Both sliding doors are equipped with power windows. There are plenty of cup holders and storage compartments, including a "Lazy Susan" circular storage between the front and second rows. The list of available features includes Power Adjustable Pedals, Power Tailgate, Navigation system with Voice Recognition and integrated Rearview Camera, parking sensors, rear DVD and more. On the road, the Odyssey handles very well thanks to the wide tracks and a long wheelbase. The ride is firm, but very comfortable. The steering is precise and responsive. It's a pleasure to take the Odyssey on a long road trip. The 3.5L V6 engine is smooth and delivers enough power for any situation. All Odyssey models come equipped with the driver's and front passenger's airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor. In the NHTSA crash tests, the 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey received five stars in both, frontal and side-impact crash tests.

• Overview • Engine • Pros and Cons • Overall • What to look for buying a used Honda Odyssey • Few maintenance tips • Specifications

Engine

2007 Honda Odyssey 3.5L V6 engine

The 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey comes with only one engine choice: the 244-hp DOHC V6 with VTEC. The Odyssey's EX with Leather and Touring models offer a Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system that disables three of the six cylinders during cruising and deceleration to improve fuel economy. Overall, this is a strong, reliable engine. The only minus is that this engine has a timing belt that needs to be replaced at recommended intervals.

Pros

- Stylish look
- Plenty of space
- Rich, well-designed interior
- Powerful, responsive engine
- Great handling for a minivan
- High level of safety equipment
- Good safety ratings
- Second-row windows can be rolled down

Cons

- Expensive compared to other minivans
- Low ground clearance (good for stability but easy to damage the low front end)
- Real world fuel economy figures could be disappointing
- No MP3

Overall

Honda Odyssey is one of the top-choices among minivans despite the higher price. With a comfortable and well-equipped spacious interior, great handling and stylish look, there is a lot to like. The Odyssey offers very strong engine, good crash-test scores and plenty of available features. A friend of mine drove this Odyssey for four years and he particularly liked it as a family road trip vehicle.
Overall, it's a very good vehicle, however, with this amount of complex technology, don't expect it to be completely trouble-free; consider an Extended Warranty. You may want to consider a model without run-flat tires unless you really need this feature, they could be very expensive to repair.

What to look for buying a used Honda Odyssey

Check used car history records. A history report may help you to uncover some of the problems the car might have in the past such as accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, etc. Read more: How to check used car history
- Check the service records if available to see if the vehicle was maintained regularly.
- If the "Check engine" light is on, have the problem assessed with your mechanic or a dealer before buying a car; in worst cases repair might be quite expensive.
- Watch out for the whining noise from the power steering pump.
- Test all the power options: the power sliding doors, power windows, power rear gate, etc.
- Make sure to test the air conditioner, as the A/C condenser could be damaged by road debris. Check the condition of the A/C condenser, it's visible behind the lower grill of the front bumper.
- If during a test drive you notice anything irregular with the way the transmission works (e.g. shudder, jolts, harsh shifting or a clunk when shifting into Reverse) - avoid the vehicle.
Learn more what to look for when buying a used car
- Before buying a vehicle, have it properly inspected by a mechanic.
Before buying, test drive few vehicles to compare the condition. Check our step-by-step used car buying guide for more information.
Some models may be costly to insure. Get the insurance quotes first.
Consider an extended warranty to protect from unexpected repair costs. After you bough your Odyssey, visit a Honda dealer to check if all necessary recalls and service campaigns have been performed.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash and wax your vehicle regularly to protect the paint.
- If you live in the area with high humidity, rustproofing will help to protect the vehicle body and chassis from corrosion.
- Regular oil changes are very important to keep your engine in a good shape.
- If you hear whining, buzzing, or hum coming from the power steering pump, visit your local Honda dealer; as far as I know there is a TSB to repair this problem.
- Keep the sliding door rails clean and lubricated.
- Be careful opening power sliding doors when they are frozen in winter time. Your Honda dealer may have a special lubricant to prevent freezing. Check our How to winterize a car page for more info.
- Synthetic oil can offer extra protection for the engine.
- Change transmission fluid regularly using only original Honda transmission fluid.
- Stick with original Honda parts.
- Follow recommended maintenance schedule and keep all the fluids clean and topped up.
- At least once a year have your vehicle inspected in a garage on the lift (e.g. when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components, such as brakes, steering, suspension, etc. cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at fast oil change places. Check more Car maintenance tips. There is also the Honda Owner Link US website for Honda owners where you can check for recalls, download owner's manual, check vehicle tips, videos and more.
If your Check Engine light comes on and you already know the trouble code, read here: OBDII trouble codes.

2007 Honda Odyssey short specifications

Dimensions:
Overall length: Wheelbase: Overall width: Overall height:     -without roof rails: -with roof rails	201.0 in (5105 mm) 118.1 in (3000 mm) 77.1 in (1960 mm) 68.8 in (1749 mm) 70.0 in (1779 mm)
Seating capacity:	7/8
Cargo capacity:
Behind 3rd row Behind 2nd row Behind 1st row	38.4 cu. ft (1087 L) 91.1 cu. ft (2579 L) 147.4 cu. ft (4173 L)
Towing Capacity:	3500 lbs. (1587 kg) /additional equipment required/
Engines:
LX, EX EX-L, Touring	3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve VTEC Aluminum-Alloy V6 244 hp @ 5,750 rpm, 240 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve i-VTEC Aluminum-Alloy V6 with Variable Cylinder Management ™ 244 hp @ 5,750 rpm, 240 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm
EPA Fuel Economy (US MPG, L/100km):
Odyssey LX, EX Odyssey EX-L, Touring with Variable Cylinder Management ™ (VCM)	city: 16 MPG (14.7 L/100km) hwy: 23 MPG (10.2 L/100km) city: 17 MPG (13.8 L/100km) hwy: 24 MPG (9.8 L/100km)
Recommended Fuel:	Regular Unleaded
Fuel Tank Capacity:	21.0 US gallons (79.5 liters)
Engine oil change capacity:	including filter: 4.5 US qt (4.3 L)