Here’s Why You Should Buy a Honda Odyssey and Not a Honda Pilot
When you want a Honda with seating for eight, you have two choices: the Honda Pilot or the Honda Odyssey. The Odyssey makes a good case that sliding doors are better, and it could be a better choice for most of us. We know, it’s a minivan. But, the Odyssey is cheaper, it has more room, more luxury options, is safer, and offers a lot more features than the Pilot.
The Odyssey is more than a minivan
The Odyssey and the Pilot share the same basic platform as the Honda Ridgeline truck. That means it’s stout, reliable, has the same engine options, and has similar safety features. The one big drawback is that the Odyssey can’t be ordered with all-wheel drive. They both have the same 280-horsepower V6, but the Odyssey gets a slick-shifting 10-speed transmission, while the Pilot only gets nine cogs. There will be some significant updates to the 2023 Honda Pilot, however.
Which is bigger, Odyssey or Pilot?
The Pilot holds 109 cubic feet of stuff when you fold all three rows of seats flat. The Odyssey, however, holds 158 cubic feet, which is enough to hold a sheep of plywood flat in the back. In the Odyssey, the rear seats fold into the floor, and the second row of seats can be completely removed to add even more space for the family or stuff. Either can be ordered in seven- or eight-seater packages with captain’s chairs in the middle.
By the numbers, the Odyssey and Pilot are very similar
They both have the same engine. Both have seating for seven or eight. They have Honda Sensing driver’s aids. Both have similar fuel economy, at 22 for the Odyssey and 23 for the Pilot. Their interior room is within about an inch of each other, except in the third row where the Odyssey has seats that are made for adults.
Though the Pilot hasmore off-road trim versions, you can order the Odyseey as an Odyssey Elite, which adds the cool CabinTalk feature, and a back-seat intercom for the driver. It also has tons of chargers, heated and ventilated seats, and a ton more.
Is the Odyssey or Pilot safer?
The Odyssey earns a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency. The Honda Pilot does, too, except it only gets four stars in the frontal crash test, while the Odyssey gets five. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, gives the Odyssey a Top Safety Pick Plus rating, while the Pilot gets a Top Safety Pick, but not the Plus.
The Odyssey is less expensive than the Pilot
The 2022 Honda Odyssey starts at $37,340 for the EX trim, but the Sport and Touring models, at $41,210 and $44,450 have a lot more to offer, including a power tailgate, parking sensor, and acoustic glass. The Pilot starts at $38,080 and like the Odyssey, you have to step up to the higher trim versions to get more goodies. The $40,910 Special Edition adds a hand-free tailgate and wireless charging, while the $44,870 Touring adds heated front and rear seats and a back-seat entertainment system.
