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Used 2012 Honda Odyssey Consumer Reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
81 reviews

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2.38 out of 5 stars

Drive it on the Interstate before you buy

jaw407, 10/11/2012
2012 Honda Odyssey EX-L 4dr Minivan w/Rear Entertainment (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful

I traded in my 2008 Odyssey Ex-L with Nav. and rear entertainment for the 2012 EX-L. I tried to return the van the next day and was told my trade was already shipped off and they didn't have it anymore. What a disappointment in the drive. The dealership is not near the highway so the test drive was fine. It wasn’t until after I bought the van and got onto the Interstate that “buyer’s remorse” set in. The wife and I could hardly carry a conversation from the loud road and wind noise. The steering is much more sensitive and it felt like the van was getting blown all over the highway. My 2008 was much quieter and the drive was more enjoyable than this 2012. We travel a lot on the interstate and if I ever get equity back I’m trading it in as soon as I can.

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4.75 out of 5 stars

Touring Elite Owner

norcalhills, 07/17/2012
2012 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful

This is our first minivan. We traded a 2008 BMW X5 for the van and so far we love it. At the time we bought the van, we also traded a 2006 BMW 550i for a Mercedes E350. We NEVER use the Mercedes, my kids think its boring. They always want to use the van. We have put 8K miles on the van in 6 months. It handles great, rides well, has plenty of horsepower (for a van), and our kids actually like taking road trips, something we could never get them to do before. We got the Touring Elite, and the only problem so far is a warped windshield that Honda agreed to replace. The fit and finish look great. We got Black with the Truffle interior and we get a lot of compliments from others.

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4 out of 5 stars

Problems keep cropping up

Weston, 04/13/2018
updated 05/29/2025
2012 Honda Odyssey Touring 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful

This is the first Honda we have owned, and I am still positive over 200,000 miles. I like the feel of the van, build quality, great use of space, and general quality. We treat the van very gently, but we have still had a fair number of issues: 1. The entertainment system is proprietary, and now that the CD player which is tied into the whole entertainment system has failed, my only repair choice is to go back to the dealer. 2. The V-6 engine which I thought would be bullet proof continue to have issues with oil burn. We have babied this van and done all maintenance, but it is still burning a quart of oil every 2,000 to 3,000 miles. Update: I had the same engine missfire issue again, and Honda did a more thorough fix. Over the last 80,000 miles, oil usage went down to the point I haven't had to add any oil between oil changes. If this holds until the next update, I will increase my rating. 3. At 120,000 miles the timing belt broke. I had replaced the belt myself and used a non-OEM belt, so that could be the cause, but it was still surprising that it happened. We were able to replace a couple valves and the van is running again like it should. All OEM parts this time. 4. At about 155,000 miles, the passenger window mechanism broke. I was about to take everything apart and get the window up. Although the van is getting older, we do not use the windows that much, so this shouldn't have happened. 5. The passenger side sliding door failed open. The door would not even shut manually. It seems like something in the motor failed and will not let the door move. 6. The van has been rough on tires. The alignment checked out ok, but the rear spring don't hold up as well. This could partially be my fault as the van has been overloaded several times, but the springs are very difficult to find. I ended up adding air bags to the rear, and I will update next time if this helps tire wear. At 185,000 miles got the first emission system trouble light. Hopefully just an O2 sensor. Stay tuned. 200,000 Took the van to Honda Dealer. The issue with the engine was a control module for the cylinder deactivation. Also had the dealer replace the motor assembly for the passenger sliding door. At 13 years, I am still satisfied with the van, and parts are plentiful which makes it a good choice for a vehicle that needs to be kept a long time. Doing the minor repairs and maintenance myself and including insurance, fuel, and maintenance, the average cost of the van is $415/month and $0.48/mile (assuming current fuel prices)

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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4.38 out of 5 stars

Honda Odyssey 2012

jai2, 11/02/2011
2012 Honda Odyssey Touring 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
19 of 23 people found this review helpful

I just brought it last week, by my experience, the worst part of this vehicle is its Navigation System, I bet, nobody can find the AT&T sore in it, I tried for 2 days to search just to check if it works. They charge 2000+ for Navigation system whereas for 300 we can get the best from Garmin or Megellan so never buy with a navigation. If i place the child seat in the 2nd row middle seat the enterance to the 3rd row is blocked because the bucket seat doesnt fold then. No place to put children toys etc.

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4 out of 5 stars

Odyssee

Larry B, 08/19/2016
updated 02/27/2017
2012 Honda Odyssey EX-L 4dr Minivan w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Very reliable with excellent gas mileage for such a large vehicle. Very few maintenace issues encountered over 4 years. Have owned two and will probably consider getting another one. Recommend with anyone with a family. Lots of features.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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