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2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L

Written September 11, 2005

Two weeks ago, we finally joined the group of "not so cool" but "practical" minivan owners. This article discusses why we bought a minivan, why we got the 2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L in particular, and also some of the features of the minivan.

The Need for a Second Car

Asma and I had been sharing a single 2001 Honda Accord EX V6 for 4 years! It was about time we got a second car so we could be less dependent on each other's schedules. Our second car was not always planned to be a minivan. I was in the market looking for a 3 year old Honda Civic EX, as we thought that a smaller second car would work out just fine. However, after test-driving the Civic, and finding it weak, we started looking at alternatives. Buying another large sedan would just be silly! So I started looking at mini-SUVs like the Toyota RAV4. It is a nice car, but we realized that mini-SUVs have virtually no practical value as compared to a sedan except being higher. No real extra room for passengers or cargo! So we started looking at even larger SUVs.

SUVs versus Minivans

After looking at larger SUVs, we soon realized that they also do not have much practical value! I always imagined that they would have so much more space, but unless you get a Chevy Suburban or Ford Excursion (which are just ridiculously large gas guzzlers!), most have a VERY uncomfortable third row (which is also difficult to get in and out of), can fit only a couple of extra passengers, and still are quite inconvenient as you can't easily move between the first, second, and third rows. While visiting the dealers, Faheem Bhai (my cousin) convinced us to take a quick peek inside a minivan. I was overwhelmed at the amount of space inside - "Wow, this is almost as large as our guest bedroom" I exclaimed!

So we started checking out the different models of minivans. I did more research, read reviews on the Internet, talked to friends, and got tons of advice. What I learned from my research and discussions was that SUVs are good for 4-wheel driving, off-roading, camping, desert driving, hauling trailers, etc. They are well suited to people who are adventure seekers, outdoor explorers, and engage very regularly in these types of activities. I also learned from many people that SUVs are often bought as a status symbol, or by people who need more space than a "car" and think a minivan is "uncool" :-)

SUVs have many issues though - they are difficult to park, bumpy to ride, don't have that much more room, and use up a lot of expensive gas! Minivans, though not considered "cool", take a lot less gas, have very comfortable seats, and allow plenty of room for walking around between the rows! When not holding passengers, the cargo room is also AMAZING (see picture to the right, and that is without even removing the second row of seats!). So at this point, it was decided that we would become "less cool" and go for the minivan. After all, if my parents visit and my sister and brother-in-law are with us going somewhere, including Asma, myself, and the baby that is 7 people! Having to take two cars everywhere is just no fun!

Minivan Choices

After looking at the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Nissan Qwest, Dodge Caravan, and the Chrysler Town and Country, the Odyssey was a CLEAR winner. Because of a second-row middle seat, the Odyssey can hold a total of EIGHT passengers. The second row seats all come out, with the middle one being the easiest to remove. The third-row seats fold down. The Dodge and Chrysler had a second row that also folds down, but all the user reviews said that the design made this row VERY uncomfortable to sit on, which meant both these makes/models were out! All eight seats in the Odyssey are very comfortable. Safety-wise, the Odyssey is also rated one of the top, with airbags everywhere, etc. The Odyssey seemed to get almost all the features right, including the little details such as second-row windows that actually go down and go down all the way. With a 3.5 Liter V6 255-horsepower engine, one of the major selling points for me was that this minivan really DOES "drive like a car". The reviews on MSN Autos all said this, and there were many reviews of Toyotas, Chryslers, etc where people were regretting NOT buying an Odyssey. Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) was another Honda-only feature, which comes in the EX-L trim level or above. When "cruising" on the highway or in the city, VCM deactivates three of the engine's six cylinders to improve fuel economy and provide 28 MPG on the highway, or 20 MPG in the city. That's exactly what we get with our Accord!!

Trim Levels

We ended up going with the EX-L (EX with Leather) trim. The EX adds many features on top of the base model:

The -L adds:

While some of the features such as the sunroof, heated front seats, etc are useless, other features are a must have. The power sliding doors are REALLY sweet - I just love the way the doors close, and I keep getting impressed every time I see it happen. Leather was an absoute necessity with the baby coming - the car needs to clean easily. The tri-zone climate control is a must for our family (my mother likes it cold, my father likes it warm). Now we can have three different climates going within the car - one for the driver, one for the passenger, and one for the rear. My father also doesn't like the sun, so the second-row sunshades are nice :-)

What is Missing?

Overall, Alhamdolillah, we are VERY happy with the purchase. We decided not to get the DVD or navigation systems to save some money. We also did not go for the high-end Touring models. The Odyssey Touring is the most luxurious minivan you can find in the market, and includes a premium sound system with 7 speakers, halogen headlights with auto-on/off, PAX System Run-Flat technology, and more. It even includes 2 additional cup holders on top of the 15 already present in the base models. I am still having trouble understanding how 8 passengers could possibly fill up 15 cup holders! There are two features available in the Touring which I wish were in the EX models - auto-on/off lights and power tailgate. Other missing features (from all Odyssey trim levels) that people on the Internet complain about are the lack of a coin holder, and lack of a telescopic steering wheel. For me, neither one is a big deal :-)

Conclusion

In all my research, the Odyssey definitely is THE minivan to get. MSN Autos is a great place to check out user reviews - they also agree with my conclusion. My friends tell me when the baby comes, we will really save our lower backs a lot of pain by having a minivan! :-)