I see all these post about issues with the vehicle. I would love to hear about the good or even great things about the vehicle. I just purchased a 2013 odyssey and i love it. Does anyone have any good comments or stories about There’s?
Good things about the odyssey
sooner4040
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Hi! I bought my 2015 EX-L almost a year ago, and I really do love it.
I love how it looks, I love how it drives, I love all the space, and I love all the conveniences. I upgraded from a beloved 2007 CRV, so there is lots more space for my three kids and my dogs. Long trips are so much better and more comfortable, almost luxurious, lol (as my husband says).
I love dropping my kids off at school or play dates because it’s easy for them to get in and out on their own, and I have a much easier time helping my eldest (who is disabled) in and out of the van. I can throw their bikes in there, my older son’s wagon (he has trouble walking), extra gear, backpacks, beach gear, a few of their friends (ha ha)…whatever we need.
I love that I can use it to haul furniture and big items. I’ve used it to pick up couches, a dining table and chairs, a composter, sheet metal and lumber for my husband’s projects, large appliances, you name it. I don’t have to worry much whether something fits, and I love that the 3rd row seats fold down and the 2nd row seats come out. I really love that the center console comes out! That was always a black hole for garbage and random stuff in my CRV, and I could never fish little things out from between the seats and the console. Now I can. Plus the console has much more storage and is way more usable than the one in my CRV was. And having so many cup holders is awesome.
I’ve helped people move, I’ve carpooled with extra room (my CRV was always too full), I can get as many groceries and supplies I want without having to cram everything in my vehicle, I can do big Goodwill donation hauls, and I can fit our large coolers and suitcases too.
I’m just very happy with it. Yes, the transmission is a little precious, but I muzzled mine almost immediately and it drives well 99% of the time. The hand sensor on the hatchback doesn’t work when it’s 50 degrees or colder (annoying). I wish there were a camera on the driver’s side, and sometimes the phone system is a little clunky for me (nothing horrible). For some reason the outermost corner of the side mirrors really bother me, and I almost feel dizzy looking in those warped areas, but I bought little wide-angle mirrors and stuck them in each corner, and they serve the same purpose and work great. The 2nd row seats are heavy and can be difficult to get in and out, but I’ve done it often enough that it goes fairly smoothly now.
I’ve wanted an Odyssey since we started our family over a decade ago, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to buy one.
![Image]()
I love how it looks, I love how it drives, I love all the space, and I love all the conveniences. I upgraded from a beloved 2007 CRV, so there is lots more space for my three kids and my dogs. Long trips are so much better and more comfortable, almost luxurious, lol (as my husband says).
I love dropping my kids off at school or play dates because it’s easy for them to get in and out on their own, and I have a much easier time helping my eldest (who is disabled) in and out of the van. I can throw their bikes in there, my older son’s wagon (he has trouble walking), extra gear, backpacks, beach gear, a few of their friends (ha ha)…whatever we need.
I love that I can use it to haul furniture and big items. I’ve used it to pick up couches, a dining table and chairs, a composter, sheet metal and lumber for my husband’s projects, large appliances, you name it. I don’t have to worry much whether something fits, and I love that the 3rd row seats fold down and the 2nd row seats come out. I really love that the center console comes out! That was always a black hole for garbage and random stuff in my CRV, and I could never fish little things out from between the seats and the console. Now I can. Plus the console has much more storage and is way more usable than the one in my CRV was. And having so many cup holders is awesome.
I’ve helped people move, I’ve carpooled with extra room (my CRV was always too full), I can get as many groceries and supplies I want without having to cram everything in my vehicle, I can do big Goodwill donation hauls, and I can fit our large coolers and suitcases too.
I’m just very happy with it. Yes, the transmission is a little precious, but I muzzled mine almost immediately and it drives well 99% of the time. The hand sensor on the hatchback doesn’t work when it’s 50 degrees or colder (annoying). I wish there were a camera on the driver’s side, and sometimes the phone system is a little clunky for me (nothing horrible). For some reason the outermost corner of the side mirrors really bother me, and I almost feel dizzy looking in those warped areas, but I bought little wide-angle mirrors and stuck them in each corner, and they serve the same purpose and work great. The 2nd row seats are heavy and can be difficult to get in and out, but I’ve done it often enough that it goes fairly smoothly now.
I’ve wanted an Odyssey since we started our family over a decade ago, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to buy one.
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2,281 Posts
10 years almost to the day I purchased my 2012. 271,000 miles later it's still running strong and looks like new.
When I decide to add another vehicle to the fold, Odyssey is the favorite. My wife and I were tire kicking large SUV's over the weekend and when you factor in the usable cubic feet of space and MPG, Odysseys are hard to beat.
I lived thru the initial Kia Carnival hype and came away not convinced.
Here I was 3-26-2012
![Image]()
Here it is in the fall of 2021 ready for another trip west
![Image]()
When I decide to add another vehicle to the fold, Odyssey is the favorite. My wife and I were tire kicking large SUV's over the weekend and when you factor in the usable cubic feet of space and MPG, Odysseys are hard to beat.
I lived thru the initial Kia Carnival hype and came away not convinced.
Here I was 3-26-2012
Here it is in the fall of 2021 ready for another trip west
Not a 4th gen but I'll contribute.
Before my Odyssey, I had a 1994 Nissan Sentra. A nice car that I really liked (manual too!), but it was getting older and cost to maintain was getting bigger. It also wasn't all that safe for my family. So when the A/C (which is a necessity around here) quit, it was finally time to get rid of it and move on.
With my growing family, I figured a minivan was the way to go since I already had a smaller sedan (a 1996 Nissan Maxima). I looked at some other minivans, including the Sienna, but I didn't like the way I was treated at the Toyota dealers I went to. So I settled on an 06 Odyssey EX for roughly $26-27k. Good deal too because it was the end of the model year, though if I knew what I know now, I probably would have made it work for another year and waited till the end of the 07 model year to get the Ridgeline transmission.
Approaching 16 years and 104k miles later, I don't have many regrets. It has been a great van for long trips, it has kept my family safe, and it's been extremely reliable. Pretty much everything I was looking for.
In terms of appearance, it doesn't get washed too often so it's a bit dusty on the outside, but it cleans up nicely and looks almost new save for a few rock chips here and there and a couple minor scratches. And it's more or less mechanically perfect. Can't think of any major issues in the powertrain or chassis. Interior is also fairly clean and in good condition.
![Image]()
Before my Odyssey, I had a 1994 Nissan Sentra. A nice car that I really liked (manual too!), but it was getting older and cost to maintain was getting bigger. It also wasn't all that safe for my family. So when the A/C (which is a necessity around here) quit, it was finally time to get rid of it and move on.
With my growing family, I figured a minivan was the way to go since I already had a smaller sedan (a 1996 Nissan Maxima). I looked at some other minivans, including the Sienna, but I didn't like the way I was treated at the Toyota dealers I went to. So I settled on an 06 Odyssey EX for roughly $26-27k. Good deal too because it was the end of the model year, though if I knew what I know now, I probably would have made it work for another year and waited till the end of the 07 model year to get the Ridgeline transmission.
Approaching 16 years and 104k miles later, I don't have many regrets. It has been a great van for long trips, it has kept my family safe, and it's been extremely reliable. Pretty much everything I was looking for.
In terms of appearance, it doesn't get washed too often so it's a bit dusty on the outside, but it cleans up nicely and looks almost new save for a few rock chips here and there and a couple minor scratches. And it's more or less mechanically perfect. Can't think of any major issues in the powertrain or chassis. Interior is also fairly clean and in good condition.
As much as I hate the maintenance such as the timing belt, tire wear, and continual transmission fluid changes, the overall experience has been positive. These things cruise effortlessly at 75 all day long on road trips. The seats are made for my wife AND me. The back seats are great for our two teenage kids, even though the middle ones are hard to remove when needed. It will haul 4’x8’ sheets of plywood and 10’ long boards when needed. We have a Camry for when we need to downsize, but quite frankly, a minivan is the ideal vehicle for most people. They just don’t know it.
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As someone else previously said, I wanted an Odyssey since my wife became pregnant with our first kid. I waited until we actually had 2 kids then shopped for about 4 months to find my perfect one. In 2019 I bought a 2017 SE with 30k miles on it (I don't like leather but wanted the rear dvd) and I wanted the 6 speed. The Odyssey is the nicest driving car I've ever had, it's smooth, quiet, relaxing, and gets terrific gas mileage. I'm mildly competent with a wrench and I keep good quality synthetic oil in the engine, and drain and fill the transmission on a regular basis. I muzzled mine around 45k miles and it still gets 29mpg on the interstate if you keep it at 65 mph. The insurance and taxes are both significantly cheaper than a 3 row suv. Unlike most 3 row suvs adults can actually ride comfortably in the 3rd row. We have taken vacations with my 2 kids and their aunt and uncle. 4 adults, 2 kids, and everyones junk fit comfortably in the van. I have a 1999 F150 but with the Odyssey I have removed the middle seats and hauled full 4x8 sheets of plywood flat on the floor and 2x6x10's with the hatch closed.
I believe in having the proper tool for the job and for transporting a family, a minivan is objectively the proper tool for the job. Watch someone struggle in an overcrowded parking lot with a lift out carseats and compare that to if someone parks too close to you with sliding doors...
I believe in having the proper tool for the job and for transporting a family, a minivan is objectively the proper tool for the job. Watch someone struggle in an overcrowded parking lot with a lift out carseats and compare that to if someone parks too close to you with sliding doors...
We bought our 2010 EX-L six years ago with 112K miles (now has 240K). Being involved with Golden Retriever rescue, we have had 4 wire crates in it for transporting dogs many times. Always have 2 crates in it. Loved it so much after four years I looked for another 2010, touring this time. Found one 500 miles away, and now have had two 2010's for the last two years. Just returned from a 4,000 mile trip to California with the touring and averaged 26 mpg. We love our Odysseys so much we bought a 2015 EX-L last November for our son's family of three, who is expecting twins next month.
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210 Posts
I sold my 2012 TDI Jetta because I had a kid on the way and when test fitting the baby seat the front passenger seat would be useless. Was looking at SUVs but wife really wanted a minivan because of sliding doors. I chose Odyssey over sienna purely on looks. Overkill for one kid but she's got two parrots that we gotta lug around on some road trips so space is a big factor. Can't imagine changing a baby's diaper in the Jetta also. Great for camping too. Depending on trim the RES has been awesome. My son is now 6 and getting into the van is a breeze because of how low it is. No worries of him opening a door and dinging someone. My wife loves sitting in the captains chair with door open when waiting around. Satisfied with overall performance too.
We’ve had our ‘15 ex-l for just over a year and will have it as our kid hauler for a long time. It didn’t start out that way though.
Before the Ody we had a ‘13 Explorer(hers) and ‘05 Volvo S40(mine). The S40 had a coolant fitting break and head gaskets blow(at least) one day. We spent that weekend frantically researching vehicles to add to the driveway(S40 will be fixed so we have a spare car). Because we were already expecting our 3rd son we reluctantly settled on a minivan of some sort. It got narrowed down an Odyssey or Sienna. After some more asking around on the neighborhood social media site the better rear seat access and the ability to move the center seats outward a bit of the Ody won out and we started looking for something to test drive. We found one in stock near us with ~70k on it and rear entertainment system(most important). Even a week or so later we were less than enthused about having a minivan but the room and practicality were undeniable. Fast forward a year and some change later, with numerous trips with extended family and gear filling up all available space, we won’t be getting rid of our van any time soon. I don’t really care about the problems that are always brought up. Every car has its particular common problems. What matters more is that repairs are relatively inexpensive and easy to diy. So far this has been the case
Before the Ody we had a ‘13 Explorer(hers) and ‘05 Volvo S40(mine). The S40 had a coolant fitting break and head gaskets blow(at least) one day. We spent that weekend frantically researching vehicles to add to the driveway(S40 will be fixed so we have a spare car). Because we were already expecting our 3rd son we reluctantly settled on a minivan of some sort. It got narrowed down an Odyssey or Sienna. After some more asking around on the neighborhood social media site the better rear seat access and the ability to move the center seats outward a bit of the Ody won out and we started looking for something to test drive. We found one in stock near us with ~70k on it and rear entertainment system(most important). Even a week or so later we were less than enthused about having a minivan but the room and practicality were undeniable. Fast forward a year and some change later, with numerous trips with extended family and gear filling up all available space, we won’t be getting rid of our van any time soon. I don’t really care about the problems that are always brought up. Every car has its particular common problems. What matters more is that repairs are relatively inexpensive and easy to diy. So far this has been the case
If you have more than 1 kid, that is very true...
I like/prefer small cars, but as soon as kids are involved, a van is clearly the right choice. I think most people know it, but refuse to get a van because of the coolness factor (lack thereof). Basically, a van is better at everything family related other than the cool factor (safety, access, space, utility, mileage, comfort, etc.).
I still keep a fast fun car (weekends/fun), a 4WD (weekends/fun) and a high MPG car (commuting) for other purposes...
-Charlie
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210 Posts
Agreed. A lot of my friends won't drive minivans because of the stigma but always mention they should have gone that route when they are over.
About time someone understood this. There are some on this forum that will insist the Odyssey is unreliable because of a couple common issues that are easy and cheap to take care of. Probably while driving a Pacifica that is lucky to have a running engine every day.
Agreed. At least in my experience, you buy the minivan for the family, you keep it for the utility. Even as my family-type minivan needs decrease, I still keep it for the utility. Excellent hauling machine.
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Have a 12 EX bought new in Oct 2011. 175K and going strong. Muzzled it and added a trans cooler early on. Drain and fill once a year. Very few issues - an axle, sliding door motor - that's about it. Hope to keep it for a long time. Had a 3 year old and twins under a year old then, and it's just as useful now carting them around as 13 and 10 year olds.
Only regret is we wish we bought an EX-L but money was tighter then. Wouldn't have added up to much over 12-15 years.
Only regret is we wish we bought an EX-L but money was tighter then. Wouldn't have added up to much over 12-15 years.
Yeah I bought my 2013 last year and it's awesome. I've always wanted a 4th gen Odyssey after having a really great experience with a 2010 Pilot. The Ody is better at everything but off-roading. It's got at least double the cargo space behind the third row compared to the Pilot.
And it looks good. Like the 1994-ish Dodge Ram redesign, this is I think the first minivan that anyone tried to make look good.
Love the midrange torque, and nothing this long should handle this well. It's basically a Lear jet for the road. 75 all day? Nah. 90 is only 2500 RPM.
My youngest and "bonus daughter" treat the third row like their own velvet rope club no one else is allowed into.
I'm going to have to get a used limo to top this vehicle in terms of how much kids love it, and you better believe that I am very seriously considering doing exactly that when this van wears out.
And it looks good. Like the 1994-ish Dodge Ram redesign, this is I think the first minivan that anyone tried to make look good.
Love the midrange torque, and nothing this long should handle this well. It's basically a Lear jet for the road. 75 all day? Nah. 90 is only 2500 RPM.
My youngest and "bonus daughter" treat the third row like their own velvet rope club no one else is allowed into.
I'm going to have to get a used limo to top this vehicle in terms of how much kids love it, and you better believe that I am very seriously considering doing exactly that when this van wears out.
“And it looks good. Like the 1994-ish Dodge Ram redesign, this is I think the first minivan that anyone tried to make look good.”
Yeah, I totally agree. When I first saw the 2011s coming out, I still wasn’t mentally ready for a minivan (and we only had one kid at the time), but it definitely caught my eye. It’s sharp looking for a minivan. And I always thought, if I have to go that route, I want THAT model.
Yeah, I totally agree. When I first saw the 2011s coming out, I still wasn’t mentally ready for a minivan (and we only had one kid at the time), but it definitely caught my eye. It’s sharp looking for a minivan. And I always thought, if I have to go that route, I want THAT model.
Our 08 was our second Ody. Unfortunately 2nd gen had a weak tranny and did 1 replacement. Then bought 3rd gen. When purchasing 01, Ody was first choice after looking at several and Sienna was second. And that coming from my wife! Yeah, we went to carmax and tested several vans including dodge, chrysler, nissan, kia, etc. So far since I DIY almost everything, brand would not have really mattered. But Honda was easy to work on. We used both Ody's on lots of trips and hauling things with the seats removed. Has been great so far.
As for the design, Honda folks were going south while Toyota was constant or better. I guess that is part of the employee turnover and new folks do have to "show" something different. Usage, drive, comfort, etc still good. We have the Touring though with the new gadgets, we didnt really use internal features. Kids do use the window screens on the sliding doors it came with. Rest of the usage is about the same as the 01. No complaints.
Edit: btw, all our cars are new-to-us; have not had a new car since 00. Maybe if we had something since new, might have had even better experience as a DIYer.
As for the design, Honda folks were going south while Toyota was constant or better. I guess that is part of the employee turnover and new folks do have to "show" something different. Usage, drive, comfort, etc still good. We have the Touring though with the new gadgets, we didnt really use internal features. Kids do use the window screens on the sliding doors it came with. Rest of the usage is about the same as the 01. No complaints.
Edit: btw, all our cars are new-to-us; have not had a new car since 00. Maybe if we had something since new, might have had even better experience as a DIYer.
Guess I'm going the other way then. I don't know what it is, but ever since the 4th gen came out there's been something about its design that I haven't liked. I can't really figure out exactly what it is, maybe it's just that it seems like it has too much going on. I've always been a huge fan of the 08-10 Odyssey design.
Even owning a 4th gen, I think the 08-10 design was probably peak minivan. I still like the 4th gen a lot, and the newer age and better car seat options sealed the deal.
-Charlie
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2,281 Posts
25 years ago I purchased my first minivan. My neighbors wanted to take me for an intervention...... no kids, Corvettes in the garage etc. I'll never be without.
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