2013 Honda Odyssey Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Contending with limited visibility since the 2011 redesign, Honda adds a backup camera standard for every 2013 Odyssey. However, that isn't...

Contending with limited visibility since the 2011 redesign, Honda adds a backup camera standard for every 2013 Odyssey. However, that isn't the only issue plaguing the world-famous maker. Drivers note a certain falling off a cliff in workmanship and materials quality of the most recent Honda models, some replacing things like the engine in as few as 700 miles but all left with a sense of betrayal from the most trusted brand in America. That said, this reviewer sees the shift as more indicative of the times than the maker.

From Toyota to Volkswagen to Honda and even Hyundai, makers everywhere are cutting back on costs and thus quality in an effort to stay profitable given the global recession. While it's a surprise to see Honda following suit, one can only imagine the losses it incurred during the 2011 disasters. All things considered just a few months' production loss is an admirable recovery, but the rebuild surely left a dent in their liquid capital—or else we probably wouldn't be seeing such a drastic downturn in the quality produced by Honda, which never seemed to follow lowest-common-denominator lines of affordability before.

Things like evidence of poor bodywork on their new car—such as ripples in the body panels, unpainted segments and misaligned doors—leave drivers wondering if Honda is using "weathered" materials, but there's a good many drivers who notice no such things on their Odyssey and are absolutely in love with the best minivan option in the nation.

The few complaints amount to a shortage of features and legroom for front passengers as compared to the Toyota Sienna, user unfriendliness of dash gadgetry and the fact the second row doesn't lock readily and unlocks too easily. Basically, if you have a meddling kid in the third row, they'll meddle with the second row and leave it sliding around until you can stop to get out and push it back into place. That's all aside from the "cheap feel" reported by just about every driver and difficulties associated with the widened second row and its inability to just fold down rather than needing to be removed to open up all 148 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Offered in LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite forms, the 2013 Odyssey offers features like keyless entry, automatic headlights, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, power driver's seat, split-folding third row, full power accessories, air conditioning, cruise control, a 5-speaker stereo system with CD player and auxiliary audio jack and the backup camera added for 2013 from its baseline. Serving up 248 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque through a 5- or 6-speed automatic from its 3.5-liter V6, the 2013 Honda Odyssey achieves 60 mph in 8.8 seconds for 18 mpg city/27 highway with the 5-speed in the LX, EX and EX-L trims, or 7.9 seconds and 19/28 with the 6-speed in the Touring and Touring Elite. Seating up to 8 with almost all the same features as the Sienna minus all-wheel drive, keyless ignition and adaptive cruise control, the front-wheel drive Odyssey carves a spot for itself amidst the mainstream of the middle road with driving dynamics, overall quality and versatility still second to none.