2021 Honda Odyssey

2021 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the fifth-generation Odyssey (2018–). The update brought new styling and made Honda Sensing standard, but left the powertrain alone: the 3.5L direct-injected V6 is the only engine on all five trims (LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, Elite).

This is the peak torque of the only powertrain offered. Because the V6 is naturally aspirated, peak torque arrives high in the rev range.

Every trim has used the 10-speed since 2020, so the 2021 van shares its drivetrain with the tested 10-speed Odysseys. Published runs span 6.4–7.6 s; the 7.2 s midpoint is used, which is quick for a minivan.

The V6 is smooth, linear and eager with no turbo lag, and it feels among the strongest engines in the class. Variable Cylinder Management and idle stop are occasionally noticeable.

From 2020 on, all trims, the LX included, use Honda's 10-speed automatic with shift-by-wire and paddle shifters. Shifts are generally smooth and quick, with occasional part-throttle hunting among the tall upper gears.

Every 2021 trim is rated at 3,500 lbs when properly equipped. That is par for the minivan class.

Every 2021 trim is front-wheel drive only. The Pacifica offers AWD, and the redesigned 2021 Sienna offers it too.

This is a pavement-focused family van: low ground clearance, FWD only, and no skid plates, terrain modes or off-road trim. Gravel roads are about its limit.

The whole range shares one powertrain (3.5L V6, 10-speed, FWD), with no hybrid or plug-in option. The 2021 Sienna went hybrid-only, and the Pacifica offers a PHEV.

The EPA lists a single configuration for 2021. With no hybrid assist, it sits with the gas Pacifica at the thirsty end of the minivan class.

It is weak in stop-and-go driving despite idle stop and cylinder deactivation, because there is no energy recovery.

Tall 10-speed gearing and Variable Cylinder Management keep the highway figure competitive for a V6 minivan.

Total range on the 19.5-gallon tank at the EPA combined rating. That is far short of the hybrid 2021 Sienna's range.

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

Every trim runs on regular unleaded. There is no premium requirement and nothing to charge.

NHTSA rates the 2021 Odyssey 5 stars overall, with 5-star frontal and side ratings and a 4-star rollover rating, which puts it at the top of the minivan segment.

The refreshed 2021 Odyssey earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with Good ratings in every crashworthiness test: driver and passenger small overlap, moderate overlap, the original and updated side tests, roof strength and head restraints.

With the 2021 refresh, Honda Sensing became standard on every trim. That covers Collision Mitigation Braking, Adaptive Cruise with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist, Road Departure Mitigation, auto high beams and Traffic Sign Recognition. Blind Spot Information with Cross Traffic Monitor is still missing from the base LX and only comes on EX and above.

IIHS rates the standard Collision Mitigation Braking Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle crashes and Superior for daytime pedestrians, avoiding collisions at both 12 and 25 mph. No nighttime pedestrian result was published for this model year, so it stops short of the top band.

Blind Spot Information and Cross Traffic Monitor are standard on EX and above, which is most of the sales mix, but the LX doesn't get them. Both systems only alert, with no active steering or braking intervention and no safe-exit warning.

The standard LKAS and Road Departure Mitigation keep the van acceptably centred on well-marked highways. Reviewers note some wander and early disengagement on faded lines compared with newer systems.

Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow (stop-and-go) is standard on every 2021 trim and is smooth in traffic. There is no integrated highway-assist or traffic-jam-assist mode.

No 2021 Odyssey trim offers hands-free driving; every Honda Sensing function needs hands on the wheel.

IIHS rates the LED reflector headlights with high-beam assist Acceptable. The rating is the same across the range but falls short of Good.

A tall greenhouse, low beltline and large side glass give excellent minivan sightlines. A multi-angle rearview camera is standard, though this generation offers no 360-degree camera.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Good, with four rear seating positions that have full hardware plus one tether-only position. Wide power sliding doors and the Magic Slide second-row seats make installing several car seats easy.

Volume EX-L seats eight via the Multi-Function 2nd-row center seat; the base LX is a 7-seater.

The volume EX-L carries the moonroof, which trims front headroom to 38.7 in; moonroof-less LX/EX get 40.7 in.

Front legroom is modest for the class at 40.9 in.

Generous second-row headroom even with the moonroof.

Second-row legroom of 40.9 in is near the top of the segment.

The third row offers 38.1 in of legroom and 38.3 in of headroom, adult-usable on real trips, and Magic Slide second-row seats with a walk-in feature ease access.

Cargo behind the second row (third row folded) is 86.6 cu ft on the volume EX-L.

With the second row removed and third row folded the EX-L offers 155.8 cu ft; the new-for-2021 nearly flat-folding second-row seats also make removal easier.

Magic Slide second row, a removable multi-function center seat, a deep third-row well and newly near-flat-folding second-row seats make the cabin unusually flexible; the 115V outlet is limited to Touring/Elite.

Front seats offer 12-way power driver adjustment with lumbar and are praised for long-haul support; outboard second-row seats are comfortable, though the removable center seat is a perch.

Composed and well controlled but slightly firmer than the Pacifica; the 19-inch wheels newly fitted to Touring add some impact harshness.

Acoustic windshield on all trims and Active Noise Cancellation keep highway noise mid-pack; acoustic front and rear door glass is Elite-only.

Tri-zone automatic climate, heated front seats and integrated second-row sunshades arrive at EX; ventilated seats and a heated wheel are Elite-only, and the LX is sparse.

2021 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the fifth generation (MY2018 launch). The LX remained the entry trim.

The EX-L (leather, power tailgate, 8-inch Display Audio) is the volume trim. Many 2021 transactions late in the model year happened at or above sticker as the chip shortage set in.

The 3.5L V6 and 10-speed automatic are proven and cheap to service, but the owner pays for all scheduled maintenance because Honda Service Pass only applies to 2023 and later models. This uses the same estimate as the mechanically identical 2022.

The Odyssey is the minivan resale leader, and the 2021 benefited from the inflated used market of 2021–2022. Projecting KBB's 3-year curve forward gives a figure a little below the aggregate model-level numbers, so a conservative midpoint is used.

Honda's coverage is at the industry floor. It matches Toyota and Chrysler and trails Kia's 5-year warranty on the Sedona and Carnival.

This is industry-floor powertrain coverage. Kia's 10 yr / 100,000 mi warranty is the segment benchmark.

The 2021 Odyssey had no complimentary scheduled maintenance; Honda Service Pass started with MY2023. Owners got roadside assistance for the 3/36 warranty term and a HondaLink trial on equipped trims. The 2021 Sienna came with ToyotaCare (2 yr / 25,000 mi).

$39,580 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (55% retained, or about $21,769) leaves about $17,811 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $22,411 in total.

Sources disagree sharply on the 2021. J.D. Power rates its quality and reliability at about average and named it the best minivan of 2021, while Consumer Reports gives it only 2/5 for predicted reliability and flags transmission, suspension and in-car electronics. That puts it in the lower half of the mixed-signals band: behind the 2022 (which CR rates above average) and the Sienna, ahead of the Pacifica and Voyager.

Honda has long ranked among the top mainstream brands in Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and sits 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.

MY2021 is covered by six Honda campaigns plus two from aftermarket mobility converters, a heavy record. Two are serious: the airbag-control software error that can deploy the side and curtain airbags unexpectedly (2018–2022 Odyssey only) and Honda's broad low-pressure fuel pump recall. The rest cover the rear camera display (MOST cable connector), side-mirror heating pads and two front-passenger occupant-sensor campaigns. No powertrain hard-parts campaign reaches 2021; the 2018–2019 connecting-rod bearing recall stops before it. That holds it at the bottom of the typical band.

The 2021 Odyssey uses the 3.5L J35 V6 with the 10-speed automatic, standard on every trim since MY2020. The J35 family has a long high-mileage track record, and the engine-bearing recall that hit 2018–2019 does not extend to 2021. Consumer Reports still lists the transmission as a trouble area for this year, which trims it slightly below the 2022.

2021 is the refresh year, bringing revised seats and trim. The cabin has soft-touch upper surfaces and solid switchgear on EX-L and above, with hard plastics in lower zones and a dated 8-inch display. That is competitive with the class, though short of the Carnival's upscale trims.

J.D. Power rates the 2021's quality about average for the class and named it the best minivan of the year, so assembly from the Lincoln, Alabama plant is generally solid. Consumer Reports' weak owner-satisfaction score and its electronics complaints point to scattered issues, which keeps it in the middle band.

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, Passport and Ridgeline, so parts are plentiful and the aftermarket is deep. Typical repair costs sit below the minivan average.

The volume EX-L uses the 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen; nothing larger is offered.

The 8-inch system keeps a physical volume knob and is straightforward but dated and occasionally laggy; the base LX makes do with a basic 5-inch screen.

Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on EX and up; not offered at all on the LX, and wireless projection did not arrive until the 2025 refresh.

Native navigation with voice recognition is limited to Touring/Elite; most owners rely on phone projection.

The 7-speaker 160-watt system is adequate; the 550-watt 11-speaker premium system is Elite-only.

Partial digital: a TFT driver information display alongside analog gauges; no full-digital cluster offered.

No meaningful over-the-air vehicle updates on the 2021 Odyssey; map and software updates need a dealer or USB.

HondaLink is available, with remote/concierge functions subscription-gated on Touring/Elite; the CabinControl app lets rear passengers run audio and climate.

The volume EX-L has three 2.5A USB-A charging ports plus the front data port; the third-row USB and 115V outlet are Touring/Elite and the wireless charger is Elite-only. No USB-C.

Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock and remote start from EX; power tailgate from EX-L, hands-free only on Elite; no phone-as-key. The base LX uses a remote-entry key.

Multi-angle rear camera standard; front/rear parking sensors only on Touring/Elite; no surround-view camera offered.

No head-up display is offered on any 2021 Odyssey trim.

Power sliding doors (EX and up), Magic Slide second-row seats that open a center aisle or spread car seats apart, and walk-in third-row access make family logistics effortless.

For 2021 Honda Sensing became standard on every trim (adding pedestrian AEB and Low-Speed Follow), a Rear Seat Reminder is standard, and the van earned IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5 stars.

Adult-sized third row with 32.8 cu ft behind it, tri-zone climate from EX, and rear entertainment, CabinWatch and a 115V outlet on Touring/Elite.

Smooth V6 and composed manners; adaptive cruise gained Low-Speed Follow on all trims for 2021, though the 10-speed occasionally hunts and the van is large.

19/28/22 MPG on regular fuel is typical for a gas minivan but well behind hybrid rivals.

A long body and a 39.6-ft turning circle take care in tight lots; parking sensors only on Touring/Elite and no surround camera.

3,500-lb towing and up to 158 cu ft of cargo with seats removed suit light hauling.

Proven 3.5L V6 but family-oriented interior; no fleet or cargo variant.

Removable second-row seats and cargo bag hooks help, but the 115V outlet is Touring/Elite-only and there is no work ecosystem.

Comfortable, roomy highway cruiser with standard ACC and LKAS; roughly 500-mile highway range from a 19.5-gal tank.

Front-wheel drive only with car-like clearance; 3,500-lb towing covers small trailers only.

Deep third-row well, a removable second row that now folds nearly flat, and up to 158 cu ft make bulky gear easy.

Widely rated the best-handling minivan of its era, with tidy body control for its size.

Precise, well-weighted dual-pinion electric steering, though feedback is filtered.

Adequate stops (about 180 ft from 70 mph in instrumented tests) with a firm, progressive pedal.

The 280-hp V6 is smooth and strong; the 10-speed automatic, standard on every trim for 2021, shifts smoothly but occasionally hunts, and VCM transitions are mostly seamless.

The V6 sounds pleasant under load; Active Noise Cancellation and Active Control Engine Mount mask cylinder-deactivation vibration.

A 39.6-ft curb-to-curb turning diameter is average-to-large for the segment.

Good visibility and a well-adjustable seat; the push-button shift-by-wire takes acclimatization; the refreshed cabin keeps a physical volume knob.

About as engaging as minivans get, with an eager V6 and composed chassis.

For 2021 Honda Sensing and LED headlamps became standard on every trim, so the $32,910 LX gets the full safety suite plus the 280-hp V6, tri-zone climate and Magic Slide second-row seats. The LX still has a basic 5-inch audio unit without Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and manual sliding doors, which pushes most buyers to the EX.

Strong V6 performance, flexible seating, a standard safety suite and Honda reliability make for fair content per dollar. The gas-only 22-mpg-combined powertrain loses running-cost value to the all-new hybrid-only 2021 Sienna.

Five well-spaced trims (LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, Elite) span about $33K–$49K. Every van is FWD with the V6, though, while Sienna and Pacifica offer AWD and Pacifica also offers a PHEV.

The Odyssey remained a top-three minivan in calendar 2021 with about 76K US sales. That is down from pre-pandemic levels, and the redesigned Sienna took the segment lead.

Honda has a strong reputation with family buyers for reliability, resale value and low-drama ownership, and the Odyssey name carries decades of minivan credibility. It is very well regarded by its intended shoppers without being aspirational.

The 2021 model year went on sale in late summer 2020, when normal lease and APR offers were still available. From spring 2021 the semiconductor shortage thinned inventory and minivans largely sold at or above MSRP, so deals depended heavily on when the van was bought.

2021 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the generation that launched for MY2018, bringing revised styling, standard Honda Sensing, LED headlamps and a rear-seat reminder. It is current but not cutting-edge next to the all-new 2021 Sienna and 2022 Carnival.

The 2021 Odyssey was the only minivan to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ that year. Reviewers consistently praise its driving dynamics, V6 and Magic Slide seating, but the new hybrid Sienna drew many of the 2021 comparison wins on efficiency.