Quiet, powerful engine, Magic Seat, interior space, good fuel economy

Power sliding doors, automatic climate control, brakes, psychotic electronics, poor speakers, slam-bam transmission, pricey dealer options

Recalls, doors, and other niggles:
1. The middle row starboard seat belt tensioner refused to release – old dealer reluctantly replaced spool under warranty
2. Left-side power sliding door failure - readjusted
3. Recall for dash dimmer replacement
4. Recall for under hood wiring harness
5. Recall for power sliding door parts
6. Right-side power sliding door refused to shut completely - jumped middle track when closed manually and created a 2 foot long gouge in the paint down to the primer! - repaired under warranty

Electronics:
The problem manifests itself in many different ways, but I have listed some common combinations.

Case 1: Remote unlocks driver’s door, but subsequent button pushes don't unlock other doors. Power lock switch on driver’s door does not work, but passenger’s does.

Case 2: Remote unlocks doors properly, open sliding door to put my daughter in or open tailgate to load groceries, remaining doors lock themselves after 30 seconds. This can happen even with the key in the ignition!

Case 3: Power window switches on the driver’s door do not work and interior lights do not come on when doors opened. Power windows don't operate when the engine is turned off and doors are still shut.

Case 4: Exterior lights don't flash for locking/unlocking.

Case 5: Wipers don't operate when washing windshield or on intermittent setting.

On my first visit to the dealer, a faulty multiplexer was diagnosed and replaced under warranty. A multiplexer is a little beige box that replaces the multitude of relays and switches that traditionally controlled electronic components: the Odyssey has 2 or 3 of them.

The dealer's computer said all was okey-dokey with the remaining systems. The dealer contacted Honda Tech Support to see if they had encountered this before... they hadn't. The dealer's solution was to cannibalize a similar van for parts until they got lucky and replaced whatever is causing the problem!

Another Odyssey came into the dealer with the same problem, and a gentleman I polled in the Home Depot lot said that his doors UNLOCK by themselves! Mine is not an isolated incident. Unfortunately, my EX is still being used as the Guinea Pig to find the problem.

Transmission:
1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd upshifts are jerky and harsh. Sometimes the engine sounds like it's not connected to anything and overrevs before slamming into the next gear. The dealer said shifts are supposed to be firm, but the courtesy Odyssey doesn't shift like mine.

Brakes:
Front discs overheat easily under heavy braking and howl like a transport truck's when stopping.

Speakers:
Good bass and treble respsonse are mutually exclusive. Rear speakers are very weak.

Dealer Installed Options:
Honda's slogan is: "Don't open your hood to strangers", but even the dealer doesn't peddle their parts (e.g. trailer hitch, tranny cooler) because they're ridiculously expensive.

Climate Control:
Setting it at room temperature will either freeze or fry you, depending upon the season. Manual controls work so much better.

This is my first and last Honda. I was hoping to hold onto it for 10 years, but I'll likely unload it and get something else soon.

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Ford Windstar: A wallowing boat mandating the use of Gravol by driver and passengers. Dodge Grand Caravan: Cheap looking inside, transmission horror stories. Toyota Sienna: Comfortable, but felt tight. Nissan Quest: Very tight.

engine,ride,ventilation,seats,cassette is fine,centre tray,cupholders

rear sprayer,front power plug is too low

Have owned the van for just a week but love it so far.Spent 6 months of test drives,dealer visits,hours of research and Honda won out.Best value by far!Great van,practical,nice ride,love the magic seat.The rear ac,heat vents are great.Also like the 2nd row seating with the choice of captain or bench seating.Can't think of many negatives,but i've only had it for a week.Got it for $1500 under MSRP,certainly more movement in price than Toyota.LX came with Michelins,roof rack and reverse sensing.Haven't had a problem with gas tank slushing.So far,so good.

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much nicer ride than the dodge caravan

Automatic side doors,automatic climate control,alot of cup holders, invisable rear seat. Standard alarm with vehicle imobilizer system. Baby seat anchors. Adjustable middle row seats. Odyssey came with a transmission cooler,no charge. deaer wanted $300 to install. It's a great minivan if you don't mind the wait for one.

The door locks don't activate when vehicle is placed in drive. No light for the glove compartment or storage bin under pass seat. The aux outlet is placed too low. No daytime running lights,heated side mirrors or auto headlights. Gasoline can be heard sloshing around when parking. Fog lights should be standard not a $600 dealer installed option. Cross bars should be standard on EX,Dealer wanted $169 to install them. "If anyone has a website with the crossbars for under $100 I would appreciate it" The antenae could be better, will install a different one later.

Since my family has grown,a minivan was needed. I've researched the web and read magazines. Also a few friends had purchashed Odyssey's. They had nothing but good things to say about the Odyssey. So I put my $100 down to reserve a spot for a new minivan at my local Honda dealer, it took about 3 months. I've driven it for about 3 wks now, this is with the cd player and a/c unit on in traffic and just sitting around cause the baby fell asleep. So far everything is working like it should. Interior/exterior fit and finish is top notch. The quality is as good as if not better than the Europeans.

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Chrysler Town and Country, no magic rear seat.
Ford Winstar, low tech engine and no magic rear seat.

Excellent engine excelleration! Gives u amazing kick. Very roomy all three roads and ver comfortable. Traction control system very efficient and gets u out of snow. Nice alloy rims and mediocer sound system. Gauges easy to read and Center console easy to access and use. Magic disappearing third row..... good gas millege around 22 average per gallon. Great highway ride excellent for long journeys! Great handling, and wicked looks. For the price gives u alot Ranks supreme in Minivan class

On ex model optional casset player and also power middle doors sometimes are annoying. Other wise there are no faults

If interested ask the honda dealer about getting leater and wood installed into ur odyssey. I think if you are looking for a minivan definetly take the Honda Odyssey. You have everything u want in a minivan and that amazing honda quality and value!

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Dodge Caravan Chrysler Town and Country Toyota Sienna GM minivans Mazda MPV..... I tried out the new Chrysler vans. Engine were not as good as the Honda and the roominess in the Chrysler vans was not good at all at least what i though. The Toyota sienna has a really nice engine but is really small not a full size minivan and is a bit expansive. Than there are the general motors minivans. THe engines on those r not too good the back seats are squished have no leg room. The mazda has a not to bad engine but is really small they tried to copy the seat think like the odyssey has but did not do a very good job. Honda Odyssey ranks supreme over all these vans.

The biggest strength to me of this vehicle is the saftey factor. I had a 1995 Odyssey last year and was in a wreck where a lady slammed into the side of me. It totaled the front of her car setting of her air bag. My door was totaled but it never even came close to touching me. These vans are triple reinforced on the sides, something you never realize until your hit in the side. The new ones are even safer than the old. That to me is its greatest strength and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I also love the power, the turning radius, the comfort and the navigation system.

I have not found any real weaknesses. I few things are a little annoying at times, but I have never had a vehicle that didn't annoy in one way or another.

I think this is the best minivan out there. It is the safest, most comfortable, most reliable in my opinion. This is my second Odyssey and when it comes time I will by another. My dad is an auto body repairman and he says it is the safest minivan and safer than most cars on the road.
That to me it worth ever penny.

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I have test drove them all and none compare to me.

Very reliable - no maintenance expense other than oil changes
Drives and handles like a car
The magic seat is nice if you don't have your kids in the van (see below)
4 doors - a plus in 1997
Good air conditioning

Road noise is very bad. You can't hear the radio or carry on a conversation with other passengers.
Honda dealerships - they are rude and totally unhelpful
Small - not a lot of room or storage capacity with all seats in use
Underpowered - the 4 cyl is too weak for a minivan
4 doors - a weakness in 2000. Doors are awkward when you have so many vans with sliding doors.
No true cupholders in the front doors, only juice-box holders
Very few bells and whistles - your basic B flat minivan
Road noise - did I say that already?

We paid $21,000 in July 1997. This was the best van for the money back then. The 1997 Windstar did not have a driver's side sliding door. The Toyota was odd-looking and expensive. And, the Dodge couldn't stay off the recall list. All in all, it was a good van for our family when we had two kids. However, once our third child was born, it became too small. If you have more than two kids, the "magic seat" stays up all the time--so it becomes a moot point. Our recommendation: a very good, very reliable minivan for families with one or two kids. If you have three or more kids, or a tight space in your garage (because of 4 doors), there are better choices

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2000 Windstar SEL - so far it is head and shoulders above the Odyssey

More interior space than an Expedition, Ability to get from front seats to back of vehicle. MAGIC SEAT as well as open feeling, there are very few blind spots. Cup holders everywhere, good storage compartments, power sliders are key. Amazingly low to ground, privacy glass in rear cabin is great for the kids. Stereo seems to do the job (this is a family car) Traction control, engine, transmission and large tires work together real well. Having four wheel independent suspension separates it from the pack.
Two words- RESALE VALUE!!!!!!

How about a leather option? Also needs built in provisions for some type of video entertainment system.

Paid MSRP for the first time ever. I purchased 16 vehicles in my life, never paying MSRP- However when you compare it to other vehicles, it is a good price. Honda plans to raise the sticker almost $5,000 next year anyway. I thought a minivan is overkill for a one child family so we waited for the second, now I wish I had this van for years, you can fit a foresome with all the clubs and luggage and have a party to and from the course. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to have a bigger vehicle.

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Ford Expedition- The odyssey has more space, it is easier to get in and out of, better gas milage and easier to drive- it is also faster and safer

3.5 liter V6 is sweet. Engine is responsive and powerful, considering the odyssey’s heft acceleration is excellent. (But would you expect anything less than mechanical perfection from any Honda power plant?)
MAGIC THIRD SEAT. What a super idea! Honda engineers come thru again, the seat truly separates the odyssey from the rest of the pack. Hmm wonder how long it will be before Chrysler copies this one.
Handling is superb for such a large vehicle. The Van belongs to my wife, I drive a 1997 Accord and the van handles almost as well as my car. The turning radius is great.
L.A.T.C.H system for child seats is great as is quadruple 5 star crash ratings, I feel better knowing my wife and baby are in a very safe vehicle.
I know most people feel that Honda’s styling is bland, but I see Honda’s look as an understated elegance. Our van is silver and I think it looks gorgeous.

The radio is terrible; turning up the volume only produces distortion. Honda needs to wake up in this department. Honda should team up with Bose or JBL. A cheap radio may save Honda a few bucks and push up profit margins but most people today are accustomed to quality sound systems. A good stereo really adds to the perception of quality in a vehicle.
Wind noise is louder than I expected, anything over 75mph produces the Twister soundtrack. I don't understand it, my Accord is sound tight even at speeds over 100mph (I hope my wife doesn’t read this) Maybe the vans size makes it inherently noisier?
Fabric on seats seems cheap for an almost $30,000 vehicle.

I would recomend this van to anyone in the market for a safe, reliable, roomy and very good looking Minivan. It is important to remember that Honda's other vehicles were not perfect from the start. The accord and civic have been refined over the last 20 years. The Odessey with it's few shortcommings may not be up to Honda's highest standards, but it is by far better than any other Minivan available.

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None

Excellent acceleration and handling. REAR SEAT! Comfort on long trips. Love the electric sliding doors. Ease of entry to rear. Fit and finish.
Gas mileage. Turning circle. Practically anything that Consumer reports rates. Safety rating!

Weak speakers. No! Lousey speakers! Vulnerable bumpers. It feels great to list such minor weaknesses. I'd need a full page to list the weaknesses of the Windstar.

I am totally impressed. It blows away my now deceased Windstar in all areas. The gas mileage appears to inch up with each fill. I now have 2,000 miles and the last check with about 50/50 city/highway was just under 23. I never exceeded 18 with the Windstar. Except for the speakers, I have only minor complaints. I would like more "armchair" like seating and more flexibility in the front passenger seat adjustment. I also wish it had rubber coated bumper.They scratch so easily. Does anyone know of after market bumper guards? I could be picky and talk about the absence of rack rods etc. but the total package is excellent!

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Windstar. There is no comparison.Comparing the Ford to the Honda would be like comparing coal to a diamond. They are both vehicles but that's all they have in common.

SAFETY. Convenience. Good performance and fuel economy for a vehicle of this size. Value is good, even when you compare its MSRP to the invoice+markup-rebates on the competition's similarly equipped vans.

Gear shift lever is awkward. Rear wiper fluid spray is feeble. Would like DRLs and larger wiper fluid tank available on Canadian models. Usually sold near MSRP, and often a waiting list. You may have to travel to find a dealer who won't gouge you.

Great if you have kids or frequently carry cargo or numerous passengers. Top safety marks all around; one of the safest on the road (see http://www.caviller.com). LATCH child seat system means easy installation and no messing with seatbelts or re-installing if you need to move the 2nd row seats. The well for the 3rd row seat makes a great changing table. Rear controls and door locks can all be disbled for young kids. Seating flexibility is great for cargo and passengers. The rear seat can actually seat 3 without discomfort, and it isn't difficult to get into it.

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Selected over competition based on safety ratings and also the flexibility of the fold-flat 3rd row seat and convertible captain's/bench 2nd row seats.