Honda Odyssey (2027)
Spacious, comfortable, and family-friendly, though aging tech and gas-only power limit its appeal.
The Honda Odyssey (2027) is the family logistics specialist for households that need easier car-seat access, comfortable road trips, and room for both passengers and cargo. Its Magic Slide® second-row seats, sliding doors, and adult-friendly third row deliver on Honda’s practical-family promise, with reviewers praising the quiet ride, smooth V-6, and genuinely useful loading flexibility. The catch is an aging formula: gas-only, front-wheel drive means less efficiency and traction flexibility than hybrid or AWD rivals, while the dated infotainment and absent 360-degree camera weaken its premium pricing. At roughly $52,095, EX-L or Touring trims make the strongest value case. Overall appeal rests on comfort, versatility, and durability, balanced against fuel costs, technology, and powertrain limitations.
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Benefits
Sliding doors and walk-in seating make loading children and reaching the third row easier.
Quiet cruising, supportive seating, and a smooth V6 make road trips feel pleasantly uneventful.
Magic Slide seats and removable sections quickly switch between passengers, car seats, and cargo.
CabinWatch and CabinTalk help parents check on and communicate with children without turning around.
Foldable seating and a low loading floor handle strollers, sports gear, groceries, and bulky errands.
Trade-Offs
The gas-only V6 uses more fuel than hybrid rivals, making long trips require more refueling.
Removing the heavy second-row seats for maximum cargo space can turn reconfiguring the van into a chore.
Tight spaces require more careful maneuvering without a 360-degree camera view.
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Publications
2 LEADING PUBLICATION REVIEWS
Car and Driver views the 2027 Honda Odyssey as a capable, practical minivan with limited ambition. Its energetic 280-hp V-6, precise steering, comfortable ride, and roomy eight-passenger cabin make it pleasant and surprisingly quick, while the well-equipped base EX-L offers strong everyday value. The Magic Slide second row, spacious third row, and flexible cargo area are especially useful for families—the Odyssey swallowed 57 carry-on suitcases in testing. Still, this is an aging formula: there’s no hybrid or all-wheel-drive option, the cabin feels more durable than upscale, and the brake pedal lacks immediate bite. Fuel economy also trails the Toyota Sienna, and the heavy removable middle seat can be awkward to handle. Overall, it gets the fundamentals right and earns an 8.5/10, but buyers shouldn’t overpay for the expensive upper trims.
By Joe Lorio
U.S. News & World Report views the Honda Odyssey as an excellent, well-rounded minivan with a few increasingly important omissions. It praises the Odyssey’s unexpectedly engaging handling, smooth ride, quiet cabin, strong V6, comfortable seating, easy third-row access, and competitive fuel economy among gas-powered rivals. The reviewer especially appreciates its logical interior and physical controls, while acknowledging that the infotainment now feels dated. Its biggest drawbacks are the lack of hybrid and all-wheel-drive options, plus second-row seats that weigh 68 pounds each and must be removed for maximum cargo capacity. Safety scores, standard equipment, and predicted reliability are solid, and the Touring trim is considered the sweet spot. Overall, the Odyssey remains a compelling family hauler—particularly for buyers who value driving manners and comfort—but hybrids from Toyota, Chrysler, and Kia make its aging powertrain harder to overlook.
By Mike Hagerty
YouTube
9 LEADING EXPERT & INFLUENCER REVIEWS
savagegeeseSavagegeese is highly impressed by the Odyssey’s family practicality, despite its dated image and technology. After 6,000 miles of harsh weather, road trips, hauling, and daily use, they found it exceptionally easy to load, configure, and live with, praising its removable Magic Slide® second-row seats, fold-flat third row, quiet V6, smooth ride, and useful space. The trade-offs are meaningful: mediocre fuel economy, front-wheel-drive traction issues, no 360-degree camera, an aging Honda Sensing suite, and styling they consider unattractive. They ultimately prefer the newer, more efficient, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna for a one-car family, but enthusiastically endorse the Odyssey as a versatile second vehicle or workhorse.
Edmunds CarsBrian Wong is strongly impressed by the Honda Odyssey’s family practicality, calling it the clear winner against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and Ford Expedition. Hands-on tests showed easier third-row access with child seats installed, highly flexible Magic Slide® second-row seating, removable seats, substantially more cargo space, and the lowest loading height. Sliding doors also let children exit in tight parking spaces, even when adults could not. Wong concedes SUVs remain better for towing and off-road driving, but for everyday family transport, he considers the Odyssey’s utility essentially unbeatable.
savagegeeseSavagegeese is highly impressed by the Odyssey’s family practicality, despite its dated image and technology. After 6,000 miles of harsh weather, road trips, hauling, and daily use, they found it exceptionally easy to load, configure, and live with, praising its removable Magic Slide® second-row seats, fold-flat third row, quiet V6, smooth ride, and useful space. The trade-offs are meaningful: mediocre fuel economy, front-wheel-drive traction issues, no 360-degree camera, an aging Honda Sensing suite, and styling they consider unattractive. They ultimately prefer the newer, more efficient, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna for a one-car family, but enthusiastically endorse the Odyssey as a versatile second vehicle or workhorse.
Edmunds CarsBrian Wong is strongly impressed by the Honda Odyssey’s family practicality, calling it the clear winner against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and Ford Expedition. Hands-on tests showed easier third-row access with child seats installed, highly flexible Magic Slide® second-row seating, removable seats, substantially more cargo space, and the lowest loading height. Sliding doors also let children exit in tight parking spaces, even when adults could not. Wong concedes SUVs remain better for towing and off-road driving, but for everyday family transport, he considers the Odyssey’s utility essentially unbeatable.
savagegeeseSavagegeese is highly impressed by the Odyssey’s family practicality, despite its dated image and technology. After 6,000 miles of harsh weather, road trips, hauling, and daily use, they found it exceptionally easy to load, configure, and live with, praising its removable Magic Slide® second-row seats, fold-flat third row, quiet V6, smooth ride, and useful space. The trade-offs are meaningful: mediocre fuel economy, front-wheel-drive traction issues, no 360-degree camera, an aging Honda Sensing suite, and styling they consider unattractive. They ultimately prefer the newer, more efficient, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna for a one-car family, but enthusiastically endorse the Odyssey as a versatile second vehicle or workhorse.
Edmunds CarsBrian Wong is strongly impressed by the Honda Odyssey’s family practicality, calling it the clear winner against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and Ford Expedition. Hands-on tests showed easier third-row access with child seats installed, highly flexible Magic Slide® second-row seating, removable seats, substantially more cargo space, and the lowest loading height. Sliding doors also let children exit in tight parking spaces, even when adults could not. Wong concedes SUVs remain better for towing and off-road driving, but for everyday family transport, he considers the Odyssey’s utility essentially unbeatable.
savagegeeseSavagegeese is highly impressed by the Odyssey’s family practicality, despite its dated image and technology. After 6,000 miles of harsh weather, road trips, hauling, and daily use, they found it exceptionally easy to load, configure, and live with, praising its removable Magic Slide® second-row seats, fold-flat third row, quiet V6, smooth ride, and useful space. The trade-offs are meaningful: mediocre fuel economy, front-wheel-drive traction issues, no 360-degree camera, an aging Honda Sensing suite, and styling they consider unattractive. They ultimately prefer the newer, more efficient, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna for a one-car family, but enthusiastically endorse the Odyssey as a versatile second vehicle or workhorse.
Edmunds CarsBrian Wong is strongly impressed by the Honda Odyssey’s family practicality, calling it the clear winner against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and Ford Expedition. Hands-on tests showed easier third-row access with child seats installed, highly flexible Magic Slide® second-row seating, removable seats, substantially more cargo space, and the lowest loading height. Sliding doors also let children exit in tight parking spaces, even when adults could not. Wong concedes SUVs remain better for towing and off-road driving, but for everyday family transport, he considers the Odyssey’s utility essentially unbeatable.
savagegeeseSavagegeese is highly impressed by the Odyssey’s family practicality, despite its dated image and technology. After 6,000 miles of harsh weather, road trips, hauling, and daily use, they found it exceptionally easy to load, configure, and live with, praising its removable Magic Slide® second-row seats, fold-flat third row, quiet V6, smooth ride, and useful space. The trade-offs are meaningful: mediocre fuel economy, front-wheel-drive traction issues, no 360-degree camera, an aging Honda Sensing suite, and styling they consider unattractive. They ultimately prefer the newer, more efficient, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna for a one-car family, but enthusiastically endorse the Odyssey as a versatile second vehicle or workhorse.
Edmunds CarsBrian Wong is strongly impressed by the Honda Odyssey’s family practicality, calling it the clear winner against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and Ford Expedition. Hands-on tests showed easier third-row access with child seats installed, highly flexible Magic Slide® second-row seating, removable seats, substantially more cargo space, and the lowest loading height. Sliding doors also let children exit in tight parking spaces, even when adults could not. Wong concedes SUVs remain better for towing and off-road driving, but for everyday family transport, he considers the Odyssey’s utility essentially unbeatable.
Social
2 INFLUENCER REVIEWS
omardrivesOmar Rana is highly enthusiastic about the Honda Odyssey, calling its family-focused versatility “minivan Tetris.” He admires the removable second-row middle seat, flexible third-row seating and tailgating mode, rear entertainment, Cabin Watch, Cabin Talk, physical climate controls, and comfortable heated and ventilated seats. He also appreciates that the $42,000 EX-L retains most useful features without the $52,000 Touring price. His main criticism is that no Odyssey trim offers a 360-degree camera, while the minivan styling earns only a jokingly reluctant defense. Overall, it feels like a confident, upbeat recommendation for practical families.
Pushing PistonsPushing Pistons is highly enthusiastic about the 2027 Honda Odyssey’s clever family-focused design. The video showcases a reversible third-row seat for tailgating, removable and sliding second-row seating, and practical touches like cup holders, USB-C ports, sunshades, and extra legroom. Up front, Cabin Watch and Passenger Talk make supervising and communicating with children easier, while storage and charging features add convenience. The presentation is playful and strongly positive, though it focuses almost entirely on features and offers no meaningful drawbacks or ownership critique.
Forum Reviews
CUSTOMER REVIEWS FROM 1 FORUM
Redditors are broadly positive about the Honda Odyssey, though many feel the 2027 model is overdue for a redesign. Owners praise its V6 performance, smooth road manners, durability, spaciousness, sliding doors, Magic Slide seats, and exceptional family practicality. Long-term users describe it as a dependable workhorse that can haul people, cargo, and even home-improvement materials. Criticism centers on its aging design, lack of hybrid or AWD options, rising prices, dated technology, and occasional concerns about transmissions, VCM, and expensive maintenance. Still, shoppers generally favor it for comfort, flexibility, and proven reliability.
Many comments
In-Depth Review
Highlights
- •Flexible Passenger SeatingDesigned to ease car-seat and third-row access.
- •Quiet Comfortable RideReviewers found cruising notably quiet and composed.
- •Flexible Cargo LoadingAdvertised to simplify passenger-to-cargo transitions.
- •Smooth V6 PerformanceReviewers found acceleration smooth and surprisingly quick.
Considerations
- •Limited Powertrain ChoicesNo hybrid or all-wheel-drive configuration is available.
- •Gas-Fuel TradeoffFuel use trails electrified minivan alternatives.
- •Dated Cabin TechnologyInfotainment and lane assistance feel behind.
- •Heavy Seat Removal68-pound seats complicate maximum cargo use.
Honda’s family-van formula remains refreshingly practical, even as the Odyssey enters 2027 with a largely familiar design. Built for school runs, road trips, and cargo-heavy weekends, it stands apart from three-row SUVs with Magic Slide® second-row seats, generous eight-passenger space, and an adult-friendly third row. The quiet, composed ride and smooth 280-hp V-6 make it easy to live with, while its low floor and fold-flat seating support genuinely useful loading flexibility. That practicality comes with trade-offs: the gas-only, front-wheel-drive setup trails hybrid or AWD rivals, and the 19/28-mpg city/highway rating deserves attention for high-mileage families. Reviews also flag less immediate brake feel, so examine stopping performance alongside comfort, seating, and cargo needs. In short, this is a minivan that wins by making family logistics boringly easy—let’s see where that brilliance, and its aging edges, show up.
Passenger Space Flexibility
The Odyssey’s cabin is its clearest advantage for busy families. Magic Slide® second-row seats move sideways for easier car-seat access and third-row entry, while removable sections let the eight-seat layout adapt to passengers or bulky items. The third row is genuinely adult-friendly, and sliding doors help children enter tight parking spaces safely. Reviews consistently support Honda’s family-usability claims, though removing the roughly 68-pound second-row seats is awkward and requires storage planning.
V-6 Powertrain Performance
The proven V-6 gives the Odyssey smooth, reassuring performance without much drama. 280-hp 3.5-liter V-6 output and 262 lb-ft of torque move a full passenger load confidently, and the 10-speed automatic keeps acceleration polished. Reviewers describe it as energetic, quiet, and occasionally surprisingly quick, with a 3,500-pound towing rating adding useful capability. Its conventional setup feels predictable, but it lacks the efficiency and all-weather flexibility of hybrid or AWD competitors.
Ride Comfort Handling
The Odyssey prioritizes calm, confident travel over sporty excitement. Quiet cruising and a smooth ride make long trips easier, while precise steering and surprisingly composed handling help this large van feel manageable in town. Expert testing measured a notably hushed 56.5-dB cabin, supporting Honda’s comfort-oriented positioning. The front-drive layout can struggle for traction in slippery conditions, although suitable tires helped some testers find winter stability acceptable.
Cargo Loading Usability
This van earns its keep when passenger duty turns into hauling duty. Fold-flat third-row seating and removable second-row seats create a broad, low loading area, with testing reports of 57 carry-on suitcases and roughly 148 cubic feet of usable cargo space. The power liftgate and low floor simplify everyday loading, while the Magic Slide system helps distribute passengers and gear. The trade-off is that maximum capacity depends on physically removing heavy seats.
Fuel Economy Tradeoffs
Fuel economy is the Odyssey’s most persistent practical compromise. EPA ratings of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway are respectable for a gas-powered minivan, and a 28-mpg highway test result supports the highway figure. Still, Toyota Sienna and other electrified alternatives can reduce fuel stops and operating costs, especially for high-mileage families. The regular-gasoline V-6 remains straightforward and familiar, but buyers should weigh that simplicity against the absence of a hybrid option.
Braking Performance
Braking is adequate for routine family driving, but it is not a standout strength. Anti-lock braking and Honda Sensing’s CMBS provide useful baseline protection, while forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking add reassurance in traffic. Car and Driver specifically noted that the brake pedal lacks immediate bite, a small but noticeable weakness in a large vehicle carrying children and cargo. The system is competent overall, though shoppers expecting especially crisp pedal response may prefer a more modern-feeling rival.
Conclusion
The Odyssey’s real party trick is making family logistics feel routine: Magic Slide seating, an adult-friendly third row, and sliding doors earn consistent praise from parents and reviewers, while fold-flat seating and a low load floor make passenger-to-cargo duty genuinely useful. Its quiet ride, composed handling, and smooth 280-hp V-6 suit road trips, though front-wheel drive can be less reassuring in slippery conditions. The trade-offs are clear: 19/28-mpg fuel economy trails hybrid rivals, heavy second-row seats complicate maximum cargo space, and the brake pedal feels less immediate than ideal. Families prioritizing comfort, access, and dependable versatility should find it a smart fit; buyers seeking AWD, electrification, or cutting-edge technology should look elsewhere. The package earns its recommendation by delivering exceptional everyday usefulness, but its aging technology and running costs keep it from feeling like a segment leader.
Feature Scores
This reflects reviews and ratings from established critics, journalists, and users who have evaluated the item. Their opinions provide a comprehensive assessment.
Performance
Acceleration Responsiveness
4/5
Highway Passing Capability
4/5
Ride Comfort
5/5
Cabin Quietness
5/5
Fuel Economy
3/5
Powertrain Reliability
4/5
Cargo Flexibility
5/5
Towing Capability
4/5
Value
Purchase Affordability
3/5
Operating Cost
3/5
Resale Value
4/5
Warranty Coverage
TBD
Design
Exterior Proportions
3/5
Interior Ergonomics
5/5
Passenger Space
5/5
Access Convenience
5/5
Interior Material Quality
4/5
Health
Cabin Air Quality
3/5
Seating Support
4/5
Occupant Vibration Comfort
4/5
Safety
Crash Protection
4/5
Driver Assistance
4/5
Child Passenger Protection
5/5
Visibility
4/5
Parking Maneuverability
4/5
Sustainability
Tailpipe Emissions
3/5
Fuel Consumption Impact
2/5
Material Efficiency
TBD
End-of-Life Recyclability
TBD
Experience Style
Control Simplicity
4/5
Seating Configurability
5/5
Family Convenience Features
5/5
Technology Integration
4/5
Specifications
This section outlines the product's key facts, covering essential features, details, dimensions, materials, and any unique characteristics that define its functionality and usability.
Performance
Design
Safety
Sustainability
Experience Style
Frequently Asked Questions
9 Questions
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