2022 Honda Odyssey: The Minivan That Refuses to Be Embarrassing

After 14 months and 22,000 miles, the Odyssey has done something remarkable: made a minivan feel like the obvious right choice.

Why I Resisted

For two years I kept telling myself we could make an SUV work. Three kids, a double stroller, lacrosse gear, and a dog later, I was spending $800 on a minivan down payment and feeling like I’d failed some kind of suburban masculinity test.

Fourteen months later I genuinely look forward to driving this thing. The Honda Odyssey is that rare product that works exactly as advertised, then works harder once you’ve lived with it.

Daily Driving Reality

The 3.5L V6 puts out 280 hp and it’s enough — the Odyssey never feels fast, but it never feels underpowered. On the highway it cruises quietly at 75 mph with no drama. Road noise is well-suppressed. My wife falls asleep on long trips and I take that as the highest possible endorsement of interior refinement.

The Magic Slide seats — Honda’s party trick that lets the second row shift side-to-side and creates a walk-through to the third row — have been used daily. I didn’t expect to care. I was wrong.

18 Months of Ownership

One warranty repair: a USB port replaced under warranty at 8 months. Nothing else. The paint has held up without swirling. The interior — which I was worried about with three children — has taken abuse well. The plastic on the armrests shows wear but nothing structural.

The Bottom Line

The 2022 Odyssey is the most practical vehicle we’ve owned. If you have kids, you’re going to end up here eventually. Go sooner.