The mid-pack finishing order of some of the vans came to us as quite a surprise. But we suspected all along that the Honda Odyssey would be difficult to dethrone. While sure, we actually like the Chrysler and Pontiac entries because they have some personality, and the Toyota and Ford are tough to go wrong with from a purely logical standpoint, the Honda seems to have it all. It has character, it's loaded with all kinds of useful features, it matches the Windstar's quadruple five-star National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash-test scores, and most of all, it came to dominate this comparison on the basis of one factor -- price.

Look at it this way. The last-place-finishing Mazda MPV was the lowest-priced van in this test. Guess what? The Honda stickered at a paltry $350 more! And that's with its optional navigation system. Order an Odyssey EX without the navigation system, and its price drops $2,000. Further still, a slightly decontented LX model checks in at a positively dirt-cheap $23,900 -- or a shocking $13,000 less than our loaded-for-bear Chrysler Town & Country Limited. In fact, an Oddy LX only gives up such items to the EX as aluminum wheels, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, a homelink garage-door opening system, power-sliding side doors and a power driver seat. The Odyssey so dominated the pricing category of this test that if it had stickered at $5,000 more than our test vehicle, it still would've won overall.

Take price completely out of the picture, and the Honda is still the best minivan you can buy. But even Honda's heroic effort in the minivan market segment isn't without flaws. First up for the hyper-safety minded, the Odyssey isn't available with side airbags. And if you are thinking of soft, supple leather seats such as found in all five other vans, forget it in the Honda. The list of things you can't get on an Odyssey continues in the form of an entertainment system and rear audio controls.

Our gripes continued once we got moving in the Honda, but these were relatively minor. For example, one editor commented the Odyssey simply "feels big." And he's right. This van has the second largest cargo capacity of all six vans at 146.1 cubic-feet with the second-row seats removed and the third-row seat folded into the floor.

Some said the 3.5-liter V6 seemed to lack low-end torque, which makes sense since the high-revving VTEC motor is saddled with more than 4,300 pounds of curb weight. Others noted that the steering is a little on the heavy side in terms of effort, but it's still accurate and linear.

OK, even when we're trying to carp on the Odyssey, we end up praising it. Trust us, this van is that good. Even when it comes to things that, to some people, don't really matter, the Honda runs away from the crowd -- literally.

At the test track, further cementing its stranglehold on the minivan crown, the Honda was quickest when the gas pedal was matted. It got to 60 mph in just 9.1 seconds. It was also the best performer in the quarter-mile -- the only van to complete it in less than 17 seconds. Speed through our 600-foot slalom? Again the Honda was the winner traveling through at the fastest speed of 58.2 mph. Practically the only area in which our test vehicle faltered was in braking where it finished last, needing a still reasonable 141 feet to halt from 60 mph. Guess Honda ought to ditch the rear drums in favor of more effective discs.

Away from the track, the Honda shined brighter, even though some editors had a few issues with driving dynamics in terms of the Honda's size. One driver summed up Odyssey's demeanor on the road by saying, "It drives beautifully, with a lack of low-end torque and the transmission's reluctance to downshift for mid-range bursts of power its primary drivability flaws. Steering is responsive, power is substantial, the brakes feel confidence-inspiring, and ride quality is superior" (thanks to an independent rear suspension). He further solidified the Honda's place at the top by mentioning that "the Odyssey isn't a luxury liner, with plenty of low-rent interior plastics and mousy cloth upholstery. But experience with our 40,000-mile long-term test of a 1999 model proves these materials hold up over time. Our van had automatic climate control and a navigation system on board, all for less than $29,000."

Turning to safety, the Odyssey matches the Ford Windstar, which makes them the two safest vans of all. They're the only ones that get five-star ratings in all four NHTSA crash tests, and the Odyssey does the trick without side airbags. As for elements that help you avoid a wreck, an electronic brake-force distribution system and traction control are standard on all Odysseys -- including the price-leader LX model. And furthermore, the Honda has a unique feature -- again standard on all models -- that you can't get on any of the other vans. All seven seating positions inside get three-point seatbelts. That alone makes the middle passenger in the third row of the Honda better protected than in any of the other vans.

As for general passenger comfort, despite the sub par, although durable, cloth seats, the Odyssey is right there with the others. "Overall high marks for the front seats," commented one driver. "There's not much side bolstering, but they're still comfortable. In the second row, there's lots of foot room, plenty of legroom, lots of headroom and adequate thigh support." As for the third row, it was deemed to have "adequate legroom, plenty of foot room and massive headroom. Overall, the third row is adequate for adults, though not superb. There are a fair amount of bumps and vibrations transferred to riders in the third seat," the same reviewer concluded.

Besides the way the Odyssey drives, the safety features it has, Honda's reputation for quality and the amount of money it costs, there's one other factor that furthers its cause to take front and center among these six vans. That aspect is personality, poise, liveliness or whatever else you'd like to call it. The Odyssey has some character, a bit of chutzpah, if you will. Yes, it's still a boring ol' minivan, but at least it doesn't cause you to yawn like the Windstar, or worse yet, the Toyota Sienna. The Odyssey easily matches the Pontiac Montana for presence and comes close to being as pleasurable to pilot as the driver's van of the bunch, the Chrysler Town & Country.

Beyond these factors, though, it has so much more. And all these parameters combine to make the Honda Odyssey the clear victor in this group by a considerable margin.

Second Opinions

Road Test Ed Hellwig says:
Now here's a minivan that shines through as one of the best in the test for no other reason than its attention to the basics. There's hardly anything posh or gee-whiz about its interior, but the simplistic design and cavernous interior make it one of the most enjoyable to spend time in. The seats are on the flat side and lack any noticeable side bolstering, but they're otherwise comfortable for a wide range of body types and child seats. The center console is the best there is, with several cupholders that can handle just about anything, and a large flat tray that can accommodate multiple Happy Meals with ease. The dashboard manages to incorporate the only navigation system in the test, yet it still presents the least amount of switch- and knob-clutter.

The drivetrain is as smooth as one would expect from a Honda-built V6, but the lethargic transmission makes it feel less peppy than 210 horsepower would suggest. The suspension soaks up poor pavement with ease, although it doesn't feel quite as light on its feet as the Town & Country.

The absence of gadgets and gimmicks makes the Honda seem bland compared to the covered Town & Country, but when it comes down to everyday versatility, the Honda's fold-away third-row seat, cavernous interior and dual sliding doors give it a level of family friendliness that's hard to beat.

Associate Editor Liz Kim says:
The Honda Odyssey is the one for me. It's got all the right ingredients for a minivan -- plenty of storage space, surprisingly good handling, and the fact that I don't need to hire burly henchmen to remove the third-row seat. And it isn't as stultifying to drive as some of the other minivans are. The driver really appreciates the independent suspension when she's taking a corner. And there's actually some measure of steering feel, in addition to a tight turning radius! It makes one wonder how it is that its dimensions are one of the largest, yet it manages to feel precise and nimble. Plus, it's the only one that offers a navigation system, which I feel is more important than an entertainment setup. Fit and finish were the best of the group; my passenger commented that she felt the most comfortable in the seats. Most importantly, the Honda's got top-notch scores in crash tests. Muy importante for anyone's family, non?

All this, plus one of the lowest sticker prices of the bunch, as well as the fact that its resale value won't (unlike the third-row seats) magically disappear after a couple of years (unlike some of the minivans), and it was pretty clear cut what my first recommendation would be.

Road Test Editor John DiPietro says:
As with the Ford Windstar, the product planners at Honda put a lot of thought into the features of the Odyssey, such as the flip-up center tray with cupholders, hide-away third seat and three-point belts for all occupants. Dual trip meters and the option of a navigation system are great for those long road trips that the family is bound to take during school vacations.

Dynamically, the Honda is at or near the top of the class in every category. The V6 furnished brisk acceleration, and the transmission downshifted more readily than the last Odyssey I drove at length, a '99 in another Minivan Comparison. The road feel through the steering was among the best, but the Odyssey still felt large and not as buttoned-down as the Chrysler in the curves.

Not everything in Honda World is perfect, however. There were a few elements of the Odyssey that left me cold. Although the front and rear ends are mostly attractive, the profile looks broken up because of the exposed tracks for the sliding doors (unlike the Ford or Chrysler that hide them under the side windows). The upholstery looks as if it was lifted from the seats of an old 727 (and I'm not talking First Class), the steering wheel on the EX (the top trim level) should be leather-wrapped, and some wood-like accents for the dash and door panels would dress up the seriously austere cabin.

But buying a minivan is a decision dictated chiefly by logic and research, emotion rarely factors into this process. If I were shopping for a minivan, I'd look for one that is spacious, powerful, reliable, safe, well built and reasonably priced. In other words, I'd end up buying an Odyssey.

Stereo Evaluation - 2001 Honda Odyssey