2011 Honda Odyssey Reviews

The 2011 Honda Odyssey is fully redesigned with a fresh look inside and out. Should you buy a 2011 Honda Odyssey or wait for the 2012 Honda Odyssey? Buy a 2011 Odyssey. Fresh off its model-year 2011 redesign, the 2012 Odyssey won’t get any changes worth waiting for. That rule hardly applied to Honda, anyway.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey has been completely redesigned. The 2011 Honda Odyssey is offered in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite. The entry-level LX comes reasonably well-equipped with 17-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a power driver seat, a 60/40-split-folding third-row seat, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control and a five-speaker sound system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack.

The new Touring Elite model adds xenon headlights, a blind spot warning system, an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with a 16-inch HD widescreen video monitor (with HDMI input) and a premium 650-watt, 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.The LX, EX and EX-L models send that power to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission; Touring and Touring Elite versions get a new six-speed automatic. The 2011 Honda Odyssey comes standard with antilock disc brakes with brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, active front head restraints, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers and side curtain airbags that cover all three rows. The third-row seat also benefits from the new Odyssey's larger dimensions with an extra 1.1 inches of legroom.

The current Honda Odyssey is one of the oldest entries in the minivan segment. Senior editor Kristin Varela was wowed by the 2011 Odyssey’s well-planned interior that has a cool box for cans or bottles, a rear entertainment system with a widescreen video display and 15 – yes, 15! – cupholders.