- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
2.4i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
129kW, 225Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
7 Spd Auto (CVT)
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2014)
2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
If your kids want to be Jedi knights then the Honda Odyssey is the car for you. Use the Force and make a swiping gesture with you hand along the sliding doors, and… hey presto, they will open magically. How cool is that?
- Cabin refinement, comfort and space
- Easy to manoeuvre
- Not an SUV
- Underpowered, thirsty engine
- No digital speedo
- Not an SUV
Sadly, this Jedi mind control trick is only possible if you’re under 15. Or at least that’s how it played out during my week with the MY21 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7. My Jedi mind powers were not strong enough to make the door open, and nor could fellow journalist James Ward. But Wardy’s 12-year-old daughter made the gesture control door slide no problems at all.
Lucky for Wardy and me, and the thousands of mums and dads who will own the new Honda Odyssey people mover, the keyfob has buttons for opening and closing the sliding doors as well. I highly recommend surreptitiously pressing one with your other hand if the gesture control doesn’t work for you, so your kids still think you’re cool.
Now, these magic doors are not the Honda Odyssey’s only redeeming feature, but it does go a long way towards making people movers cool again, because that is the Odyssey’s biggest challenge. Not the rampaging Kia Carnival which outsells it six to one in the Australian market but the perception that people movers are simply not cool.
2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
Beyond the Star Wars doors, there’s actually a lot to like on the MY21 Honda Odyssey. Let’s take a closer look. This latest generation Odyssey first hit Australian roads in 2014, but don’t think for a minute that it’s old hat. Honda has kept the Odyssey fresh with decent updates in 2017 and again earlier this year.
There are now just two models in the range: the Odyssey Vi L7 priced at $44,250 and the Odyssey Vi LX7 at $51,150. Both are seven-seat vans with two conventional front doors, two sliding doors and an upward-opening rear door. Changes for the 2021 model upgrade focused on safety, features and versatility, which pretty much nails the Odyssey’s raison d'etre. The Odyssey’s previously sharp value equation took a hit – prices rose more than $5000 – but as you’ll see below, the extra equipment goes a long way towards offsetting the increase.
The MY21 model is distinguished by sleeker new LED headlights, sequential indicators, a larger front grille and slimmer front bumper. At the rear, there are new taillights that incorporate sequential indicators, and a sharper rear bumper. Side-on, the only major change is the new-look 17-inch alloy wheels.
Key details | 2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 |
Engine | 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol |
Power | 129kW @ 6200rpm |
Torque | 225Nm @ 4000rpm |
Weight (tare) | 1854kg |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | continuously variable transmission |
Power to weight ratio | 69.6kW/t |
Price (MSRP) | $51,150 |
Inside, the Odyssey now has leather standard on all models, along with second-row captain’s chairs that slide and recline, heated front seats, those power-sliding back doors and smart keyless entry with push-button start.
Honda has also bolstered the Odyssey’s safety credentials. Bear in mind this was already a five-star car according to ANCAP’s 2014 test, but please also bear in mind that the 2014 ANCAP testing regimen was nowhere near as demanding as today’s. Both models have rear-cross traffic alert when reversing out of a car park or driveway, blind-spot monitoring, and the Honda Sensing suite (AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control).
New features unique to the LX7 model I’m testing include hands-free (kick-sensing) power tailgate, those cool-for-kids gesture control sliding doors, memory function for the driver’s seat and ambient footwell lighting for the second row.
As for the oily bits, both Odyssey models are powered by a 2.4-litre non-turbocharged petrol engine that produces the same 129kW and 225Nm it did back in 2014 – so no real advancement there. Those outputs are enough to endow the big 1854kg minivan with decent on-road performance thanks in part to the continuously variable transmission that maximises what the engine puts out.
2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
Still, the Odyssey is nobody’s idea of fast, nor is it particularly economical. Fuel economy is officially rated at 8.0L/100km, and during the week I achieved a 9.9 average for predominantly around-town driving.
The Odyssey is relatively easy to drive, despite its sizeable footprint. The driving position itself does feel van-like, which takes some getting used to, but it does mean you’re sitting higher than a passenger car and have good all-round vision. On the move, the steering is light and easy but engine response to the accelerator is a touch relaxed, which suggests Honda has tuned it for fuel efficiency. A sharper throttle response would go some way to disguising the Odyssey’s lethargy off the line.
The big Odyssey has a compact turning circle (10.8m) and is fitted with cameras front and rear to make parking less stressful.
If the interior is limousine-like for comfort, the ride on-road tries to deliver the same, but in the end falls short. On typical roads the ride is cosseting and comfortable, isolating occupants well, although the suspension does feel a touch too soft and could do with more body control in corners. Keep in mind that this vehicle is not designed for energetic driving and you’ll never hit its dynamic limits.
2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
NVH is a highlight thanks to in-wheel resonators that suppress tyre cavity noise and thicker glass all-round that keeps outside noises and wind-noise penetration to a minimum. Okay, so the Odyssey is funky, fun, functional and incredibly comfortable – just not very fast or frugal. It does have some important advantages over more popular SUVs, so let’s look at them next.
The Odyssey’s low floor – just 30cm off the ground – make stepping in a breeze, and combine with a 1530mm roof height to provide decent space inside for getting between the rows.
The Odyssey’s 2-2-3 seating configuration means you can conceivably walk from the front row right to the back, although the centre console up front (which can be raised and lowered for convenience) gets in the way of swinging your feet around into the aisle unless you slide the front seat right back.
There are ISOFIX anchor points in the second-row captain’s chairs, and their fore-aft slide function makes it possible to get in around a capsule to access the other seats.
At a glance | 2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 |
Fuel consumption (claimed combined) | 8.0L/100km |
Fuel consumption (on test) | 9.9L/100km |
Fuel tank size | 55L |
Tow rating | 1000kg (braked) |
Boot volume | 322L / 1725L |
Length | 4855mm |
Width | 1820mm |
Height | 1710mm |
Wheelbase | 2900mm |
Turning circle | 10.8m |
ANCAP safety rating | Five-star (tested 2014) |
Warranty | Five-year, unlimited km |
Servicing cost | $2057 (3 years) / $3351 (5 years) |
Price (MSRP) | $51,150 |
Colour as tested | Obsidian Blue |
Options as tested | None |
Competitors | Kia Carnival |
Another area where the Odyssey leaves many modern SUVs in its wake is refinement. This is one seriously business class cabin thanks to plush carpets, leather upholstery and four extremely comfortable captain’s chairs. The third-row bench seat has the leg- and head-room to take adults without problem, and it’s actually not that hard to get to providing you can stoop-shuffle or Chuck Berry duck-walk.
Each of the three seatbacks in the third row recline individually so occupants can be upright or relaxed. And, when you’re not using the third row, it swivels and stows easily in the floor, presenting a huge bootspace with a relatively flat floor for larger loads. Even with the third row in place, the boot is large enough to take a couple of full-size suitcases or a half dozen shopping bags and a couple of cases of beer or wine – you know, in preparation for another Covid lockdown.
Our LX7 spec comes with tri-zone climate control, which means rearmost passengers get their own air-conditioning controls to go with dual vents each side. If you buy the cheaper L7, rear seat occupants will put up with the same climate settings as the front-rowers.
From the driver’s seat the 2021 Odyssey has a number of handy improvements, such as a 7.0-inch driver information display in the instrument binnacle, a larger 8.0-inch central display with integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, increased storage space in the glovebox, a retractable cupholder outboard of the new steering wheel which also has more logical button placement.
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2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
One thing I couldn’t find in the new driver information interface is a digital speedo readout, which is a glaring omission in this day and age. Honda Australia has confirmed there isn’t one.
Last but not least, the Honda Odyssey comes with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre new car warranty, and needs to be serviced every six months, which erodes the value equation somewhat. According to Honda’s Tailored Service pricing, the Odyssey’s first six services over three years will cost $2057. That compares to $1318 for the first three years of Kia Carnival ownership, which is a big difference.
Overall, the Honda Odyssey minivan offers lots to like as an alternative to the seven-seat SUVs that flood the market and our roads. It’s more spacious, more luxurious and more manoeuvrable. It also has some cool tech and convenience features that no SUV can match.
But for most Australians, that won’t be enough. No amount of critical acclaim will sway those who look upon minivans and people movers with disdain. Heck, even Kia knows this, because it now advertises the Kia Carnival as the world’s first 'grand utility vehicle, or GUV. Perhaps Honda should use Jedi mind control on seven-seat SUV buyers to help them see the Odyssey in a desirable way…
2021 Honda Odyssey Vi LX7 review
Comparisons Editor