2017 Honda Odyssey

2017 is the final, carry-over year of the fourth-generation Odyssey (2011–2017, refreshed for 2014). The 3.5L SOHC V6 is the only engine on every trim (LX, SE, EX, EX-L, Touring, Touring Elite).

This is the peak torque of the only powertrain. The naturally aspirated V6 makes it high in the rev range.

The powertrain carried over unchanged from 2014–2016, so tests of those years apply. At about 7.7 s it is average for a minivan of its era, and slower than the 280-hp 2018 redesign.

The V6 is smooth and linear, with no turbo lag, and has adequate power for a loaded van. Variable Cylinder Management transitions and some vibration at low rpm are occasionally noticeable, and the engine trails rivals with direct injection, such as the 283-hp Pentastar in the Chrysler vans.

Since the 2014 refresh, every trim gets the same conventional 6-speed automatic. It shifts smoothly and predictably without hunting, but has fewer ratios than the 9- and 10-speed units that followed and no paddle-shift manual mode.

Every trim is rated at 3,500 lbs, which is par for the minivan class.

Every 2017 trim is front-wheel drive only, with no AWD at any price, while the 2017 Sienna offered AWD.

This is a pavement-focused family van, with low ground clearance, FWD only, and no skid plates, terrain modes or off-road trim.

There is one engine and one transmission (3.5L V6 with a 6-speed automatic, FWD) on every trim, with no hybrid or plug-in option. The 2017 Pacifica offered a PHEV.

Every trim shares one EPA rating. With no hybrid assist, the Odyssey sits at the thirsty end of the minivan class.

It is weak in stop-and-go driving, with no hybrid recovery and no idle stop.

VCM cylinder deactivation keeps the highway figure respectable, but the 6-speed's wider gaps between ratios leave it 1 MPG behind the 2018 redesign.

This is total range on the 21-gallon tank at the EPA combined rating. The larger tank gives it more range than the 2018 redesign.

Regular fuel helps, but at 22 MPG combined the EPA annual estimate is among the highest in the minivan class.

Every trim runs on regular unleaded, with nothing to charge. Honda recommends premium only when towing.

NHTSA rates the 2017 Odyssey, the final year of the fourth generation (2011–2017), 5 stars overall. It gets 5-star frontal, side and side-pole ratings and a 4-star rollover rating.

IIHS rates every test it ran Good, including driver-side small overlap, but the 2017 Odyssey carries no award. Its front crash prevention rates only Basic because no autobrake was offered, and it was never tested in passenger-side small overlap or for headlights.

The 2017 Odyssey predates Honda Sensing: no trim offers automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise or lane keeping assist. Forward collision and lane departure warnings are optional extras on upper trims, and the base and volume trims get none of it.

No 2017 Odyssey trim offers automatic emergency braking. The optional camera-based Forward Collision Warning earns only IIHS's lowest 'Basic' front crash prevention rating, and no pedestrian detection exists.

EX and above get Honda LaneWatch, a passenger-side mirror camera that covers only the right side. True radar Blind Spot Information is limited to the top Touring Elite trim, and the van has no rear cross-traffic alert or safe-exit warning.

Upper trims get only a warning-only Lane Departure Warning, with no steering-assist lane keeping or centering on any trim. Lower trims have no lane assistance at all.

Only conventional cruise control is available; the 2017 Odyssey offers no adaptive cruise on any trim. Adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow arrived with the 2018 redesign.

No hands-free or even hands-on highway driving assistance is available on any 2017 Odyssey trim.

IIHS never rated the fourth-generation Odyssey's headlights. Most trims use halogen projectors with no auto high beams, and only the Touring Elite gets HID low beams. Reviewers give no reason to expect better than the Marginal/Poor halogen results the 2018 redesign posted.

A tall greenhouse and large side windows give good minivan sightlines, and the distinctive 'lightning bolt' beltline modestly cuts into third-row side glass. A rearview camera is standard (multi-angle on upper trims) and LaneWatch helps on EX and above, but no surround-view camera is offered.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware only Acceptable, but five seating positions have full LATCH hardware and a sixth has a tether anchor. Wide power sliding doors and a configurable second row make multiple car-seat installs easy, so placement flexibility is excellent even though the anchors are not the easiest to reach.

The volume EX/EX-L trims seat eight; only the base LX is a seven-seater.

Scored on the volume EX-L, whose standard moonroof costs 1.4 in of front headroom against the LX/EX.

Front legroom is modest for a minivan and identical across trims.

Generous second-row headroom that the EX-L moonroof barely dents.

Second-row legroom matches the front row and sits near the top of the minivan band.

With 42.4 in of legroom and 38.0 in of headroom, the third row seats adults comfortably, more legroom than the front row. The second row slides for access, but this generation predates the 2018 Magic Slide seats.

Large space behind the second row. Even with every seat in use, 38.4 cu ft remains in the deep well behind the third row.

Hauling capacity is van-like, but the second-row seats have to be lifted out to reach it.

The deep third-row well, the removable second row and plenty of bins make for strong everyday storage. The headline features (HondaVAC, cool box and the 115V outlet) are limited to the SE, Touring and Touring Elite, not the volume EX-L.

Front seats are supportive, with a 10-way power driver's seat and lumbar from the EX up, and the roomy second and third rows suit long trips. Seat comfort drew less praise than the 2018 redesign's.

The suspension pairs a comfortable ride with relatively crisp handling. It is a little firmer than the softest rivals over broken pavement.

Reviewers call the cabin relatively quiet but note persistent road noise, which leaves it mid-pack for the class.

Tri-zone automatic climate arrives on the EX and heated front seats on the EX-L. Honda's spec list shows no ventilated seats or factory remote start on any trim, and no rear-seat heating.

2017 is the final model year of the fourth-generation Odyssey (2011–2017), a carry-over year with a new SE trim added. The LX entry trim has the 248-hp 3.5L V6 and a 6-speed automatic.

The EX-L (leather, power tailgate, moonroof, LaneWatch) is the volume trim. Every 2017 trim uses the same V6 and 6-speed automatic.

The mature 3.5L V6 is well understood and inexpensive to service. However, this generation's VCM-related misfire/oil-consumption complaints and transmission-fluid service needs push the estimate above CarEdge's model-level baseline. The ~105K-mile timing belt falls outside a typical 5-year window.

The 2017's 5-year window ended in 2022, during the inflated used-car market, which held residuals up. The estimate is set slightly below the model average because a final-year, outgoing-generation van loses value faster once the redesign arrives.

Honda's new-vehicle limited warranty sits at the industry floor, the same as the Sienna and Pacifica and behind the Kia Sedona's 5 years.

5 yr / 60,000 mi is the industry floor; the Kia Sedona's 10 yr / 100,000 mi is the segment benchmark.

The 2017 Odyssey includes no complimentary scheduled maintenance; Honda Service Pass started with MY2023. Roadside assistance runs only for the 3/36 warranty term, while the 2017 Sienna came with ToyotaCare (2 yr / 25,000 mi).

$37,440 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (59% retained, or about $22,090) leaves about $15,350 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,200 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,550 in total.

2017 is the carry-over final year of the fourth-generation Odyssey (2011–2017), so its early-generation bugs had been worked out. J.D. Power has no Quality & Reliability score for MY2017 itself, but the same-generation 2015 scored 82/100 and the 2016 scored 78/100, both well above the 2018's 64. Owner ratings are strong too. The one recurring complaint is a torque-converter judder, which keeps this below the top band.

Over this period Honda ranked among the top mainstream brands in Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and sat above the industry average in J.D. Power VDS. It trails Toyota and Lexus, which puts it at the top of the mid-pack band.

Only two NHTSA campaigns cover MY2017, far fewer than the 16 on the redesigned 2018. One is a generation-wide second-row seat latch recall and the other is Honda's fleet-wide fuel pump campaign. The pattern that matters for ownership is the 6-speed torque-converter judder, which Honda handled through a fluid-replacement TSB rather than a recall. That is typical activity with nothing systemic in the powertrain.

The J35 3.5L V6 with its 6-speed automatic (on every trim since the 2014 refresh) has a long high-mileage record, and the 2017 escaped the connecting-rod bearing and TCU recalls that hit the 2018–2019. Two things hold it in the mid band: Variable Cylinder Management, which owners link to oil consumption, spark-plug fouling and failed active engine mounts, and the torque-converter judder complaints.

By 2017 this cabin dated back to 2011, with a mid-cycle refresh in 2014. It is durable and practical, but its button-heavy, dual-screen dash and hard plastics in the lower zones trailed the newer Chrysler Pacifica. That is acceptable for the class without being competitive at the front of it.

This is the seventh production year of a mature design built in Lincoln, Alabama, so assembly is generally tight and consistent. There are scattered owner complaints about power sliding door motors and cables and some interior rattles, but none of the launch-year door-latch and water-intrusion campaigns that hit the 2018.

Honda has one of the densest US dealer networks, about 1,000 dealers, with generally strong service satisfaction.

The J35 V6 and platform components are shared with the Pilot, Ridgeline and Acura MDX, so parts are plentiful and the aftermarket is deep. Typical repair costs sit below the minivan average, apart from the timing-belt service around 105k miles and occasional engine mount replacements.

The volume EX/EX-L uses a 7-in lower audio touchscreen beneath the 8-in i-MID display, which is not a touchscreen. No larger touchscreen was offered.

Physical buttons and knobs keep basic tasks easy, but the split between two screens and the dated menus make the system clumsier than its newer rivals' (the 2017 Pacifica's Uconnect).

No trim of the 2017 Odyssey offers Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, wired or wireless; they arrived with the 2018 redesign.

Native navigation with voice recognition comes on the EX-L Navi and Touring trims only. The volume EX/EX-L has neither nav nor phone projection, so it relies on Bluetooth.

The 7-speaker system with subwoofer on the volume trims is adequate. The 650-watt, 12-speaker 5.1 surround system is Touring Elite-only.

Analog gauges with a small multi-information display on every trim. Customizable information lives on the dash-top i-MID screen rather than in a digital cluster.

There are no over-the-air updates of any kind. Software and map updates needed a dealer or disc.

HondaLink on the EX and up is a phone-tethered content app (Aha) with no remote lock, start or locate, because the car has no embedded modem.

USB-A audio ports and 12V outlets only on the volume EX-L. The 115V third-row outlet is limited to the SE and Touring trims, and no wireless charging or USB-C was offered.

From the EX up, Smart Entry, push-button start and power sliding doors are standard, and the EX-L adds a power tailgate. There is no factory remote start or phone-as-key, and the LX uses a traditional key.

The EX-L gets a multi-angle rear camera and LaneWatch. Parking sensors are Touring-only, and no surround view was offered.

No head-up display was offered on any 2017 Odyssey trim.

Power sliding doors from the EX, eight seats and an adult-sized third row make family logistics easy. LATCH is rated only Acceptable, and the 2018 Magic Slide second row was still a generation away.

It has a 5-star NHTSA rating and IIHS Good crash scores, but no automatic emergency braking on any trim. Forward-collision and lane-departure warnings arrive only from the EX-L.

Roomy rows, tri-zone climate from the EX and 38.4 cu ft behind the third row make long family trips easy. Rear entertainment needs the EX-L RES or Touring, and the cool box is Touring-only.

A smooth V6, light steering and well-placed controls make it easy to live with. Adaptive cruise and other traffic aids weren't offered.

19/27/22 mpg on regular fuel is typical for a gas V6 minivan of its era. It is not cheap per mile.

A tight-for-its-size 36.7-ft turning diameter, good visibility and LaneWatch help. It is still a big van, and parking sensors are Touring-only.

It tows 3,500 lbs on every trim, and with the second row removed it holds 148.5 cu ft of cargo, enough for light-to-moderate hauling.

The 3.5L V6 and 6-speed automatic were mature by this final year of the generation. Variable Cylinder Management was linked to oil-consumption and engine-mount complaints, and there is no fleet or work trim.

Removable second-row seats and a flat load floor help, but the 115V outlet isn't on the volume EX-L and there is no work trim or upfit ecosystem.

A comfortable, controlled highway ride and roughly 550 miles of highway range (21-gal tank at 27 mpg) make it a good tourer. It lacks adaptive cruise and lane-keeping, and some road noise persists.

It is front-wheel drive only with no off-road equipment. The 3,500-lb tow rating and roof rails cover small trailers and bike racks.

The deep third-row well, the one-motion fold-flat third row, the removable second row and 148.5 cu ft of maximum space make it excellent for bulky gear.

Reviewers consistently ranked this generation the best-handling minivan, with relatively crisp responses and good body control. Handling is secure rather than engaging.

Steering is quick for a van at 3.5 turns lock-to-lock and is called the most responsive in the segment, though it is light and short on feedback.

It has four-wheel discs with a predictable pedal. No instrumented stopping distance specific to the 2017 model was retrieved, so this is scored at class average.

The 248-hp V6 and 6-speed automatic are smooth, with a supple throttle calibration. Variable Cylinder Management can bring faint vibration as cylinders shut off at cruise.

The V6 is refined and hushed at cruise but audible under hard acceleration, and road noise is more of an issue than engine noise.

A notably tight turning circle for a full-size minivan, tighter than the 2018 redesign's.

A commanding view through a huge windshield, a conventional shifter and plenty of physical controls. The two-screen dash layout is busy.

It was the minivan driving enthusiasts favored in its day, thanks to the eager V6 and tidy handling, but it remains a family appliance.

The $30,790 LX includes the V6, a rearview camera, Bluetooth and an 8-inch screen. It lacks power sliding doors, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (not offered on this generation) and any active-safety suite beyond FCW/LDW on upper trims, so most buyers step up to the EX or EX-L.

The new $34,890 SE adds a rear entertainment system to the EX for under $1,000. Strong V6 economy (EPA 22 mpg combined) and segment-leading resale make it fair value. Still, the aging tech and missing driver aids trail the newer, better-equipped 2017 Pacifica at similar prices.

Eight closely spaced trims (LX, EX, SE, EX-L, EX-L RES, EX-L Navi, Touring, Touring Elite) span about $31K–$46K. Every van is FWD with one V6 and a 6-speed, while the Sienna offered AWD and the Pacifica a PHEV.

In its run-out year the Odyssey slipped to fourth among minivans, behind the Grand Caravan, Pacifica and Sienna, as buyers waited for the 2018 redesign. It still posted roughly 100K units.

Honda is strongly regarded by family buyers for reliability and resale value, and the Odyssey name carries long minivan credibility. It is not aspirational, but it is well liked by its target shoppers.

As an outgoing-generation van sold alongside the incoming 2018, the 2017 drew run-out discounts and Honda finance offers through 2017. These were larger than the near-MSRP pricing typical of Odysseys mid-cycle.

2017 is the seventh and final model year of the fourth generation (refreshed for 2014), with an all-new fifth generation arriving mid-2017 as a 2018 model. It is a carry-over year with no CarPlay or Honda Sensing.

Reviewers still rated the late fourth-generation Odyssey well for space, driving dynamics and reliability. However, the all-new 2017 Pacifica displaced it as the comparison-test and award favorite, and the 2017 drew no major new awards.