2006 Honda Odyssey New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2006 Honda Odyssey?
For 2006, the Honda Odyssey gains a new Touring version equipped just with the DVD Entertainment System (before this feature was available only in combination with a navigation system). Additional enhancements for 2006 include XM satellite radio for all Touring models and the addition of a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob for all EX-L models.

Advantages of the 2006 Honda Odyssey:

• Refined 244-horsepower V6 engine
• Variable Cylinder Management technology
• Responsive handling
• Standard stability control
• Standard side-curtain airbags with rollover protection
• Second-row seats that slide together or split apart
• Fold-flat third-row seat
• Deserved reputation for reliability
• Proven ability to hold value over time
• PlusOne infant seat

Objections to the 2006 Honda Odyssey:

• Hard plastic upper door panels are uncomfortable for elbows
• Second-row seat doesn’t fold flat into the floor
• Lots of road noise filters through the floorboards

Editor's Advice:
Until Honda arrived on the scene in 1999 with the excellent second-generation Odyssey minivan, Chrysler ruled the segment with the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. What made the Honda Odyssey click with consumers? A third-row seat that folded into a well in the floor, second-row seats that could slide together or remain split apart, dual power sliding doors, a powerful V6 engine, handsome styling, excellent crash test scores, and Honda's reputation for reliability. The 2006 Honda Odyssey raises the bar again, with a cadre of safety features, multiple powered doors, a multi-configurable interior, and a host of entertainment features to keep the whole family happy on long road trips. On the minivan market, the Nissan Quest is for people who like to drive, and the Toyota Sienna is the cushy cruiser. Honda's new Odyssey neatly splits the difference between the two, and is our pick for the best minivan sold today.