The 2017 Honda Odyssey is a great minivan, and you have just decided to buy one, but then an announcement that the new 2018 model will replace it makes you reconsider your plans. You don’t want to buy the Kia Sedona or one of the best, Chrysler Pacifica, so you wonder whether the new 2018 Odyssey is worth the wait. The 2017 Odyssey Elite has been tested recently, and here you will see if this minivan suits you or if it is better to postpone the purchase.
2017 Honda Odyssey
Selection
The region is what determines selection and incentives, but Honda will definitely offer something in that transition between the two models. The 2018 Honda Odyssey will be very popular immediately after its official launch, but you might have more choice with the 2017 version. It can just mean that you can buy an EX-L instead of an EX or a Touring instead of an EX-L, but these differences between trims will not be vast.
Cabin and Trunk Space
The Odyssey is one of the best in the segment when it comes to the cabin space, and you would be surprised with all the room, even in the third-row of seats. The 2017 vehicle has more legroom in the third row than any other minivan, and if you want to access the rear bench, you can just move the second-row seats forward. However, the 2018 Odyssey comes with a new flexible system which is easy to use.
The same goes for the trunk. The 2017 model has 38.4 cubic feet of cargo, and if you fold down the third row, you will get 93.1 cubic feet. We still don’t know these figures for the next version, but it will be the best in the class, no doubt about that.
Useful Features or Not?
The Odyssey Elite starts at $46,265 and one of the standard features is the HondaVAC, which is also available in the cheaper SE trim level. This can be a useful feature on long trips when you and your family eat in the car, and food pieces drop on the floor and seats. The vacuum is housed on the side of the rear cargo area, but you can reach the front seats with no trouble at all. Is this necessary, though?
2018 Honda Odyssey
Active Safety Technologies
The active safety tech will be standard on each trim starting from the EX, and this is a great move by the Japanese carmaker. The package includes a collision-mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control, and a lane-keeping assist. Safety is not a problem with the current minivan, in fact, it even received a five-star rating by NHTSA, and it is an IIHS Top Safety Pick, but the 2018 Honda Odyssey, with advanced features, will help you avoid the accidents better.
Screens and Modern Cabin
With the new model, you will not have to get a trim with a rear entertainment system to make it look more modern because it offers a new instrument cluster with a large display which gives this car a new layout.
Instead of two-screen setup on the current minivan, you will have one 8.0-inch touchscreen display in the 2018 vehicle. Even though this is not a big difference and you may like the two screens better, it is considered an upgrade because the lower display on the ongoing model is not that useful. The navigation system is improved, whereas the screen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moreover, in the 2017 Odyssey, there are two rotating knobs to control air temperature which are now replaced with two up/down switches.
Power Boost
This is an irrelevant category since a minivan is what you are buying, but there will be a difference between the two models, and we have to mention it. The 2017 Honda Odyssey that was tested had a 3.5-liter V6 engine good for 248 hp and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which can be more efficient with the press of the D4 button on the gear stalk. The 2018 Odyssey’s 3.5-liter V6 will produce 280 hp, and it will be paired with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and a new 10-speed auto on some upper models.
Additional Features
The 2018 Odyssey will come with more additional features which will help it go against the likes of Kia, Toyota and Chrysler. Some of the equipment includes a heated steering wheel, three 2.5-amp USB outlets, a foot-activated power liftgate and ventilated front seats. Among other stuff, we have auto brake hold, a camera for the rear seats and a CabinTalk system so that the driver can talk to the backseat passengers through the speakers.
Wait or Not?
If you want practicality, the 2017 Honda Odyssey is just fine, but if you are also looking for latest technologies and have about $50,000 for a minivan, the 2018 model is the better choice. It is up to you.
