In our family we hang out together a lot! We run errands together and often load up the car to just drive. Road trips local and afar are something my family did a lot when I was a child. Something about being in a vehicle crammed together for hours really brings a family together! As my kids have grown this has not always been an easy task. Both of my teens are over 6 feet tall and need lots of leg room. Often they want to bring a friend along too when we are visiting attractions so extra seating is important.
Recently we had the opportunity to check out eh 2016 Honda Odyssey during Spring break. This was the perfect opportunity to try out this ‘soccer mom’ van that was sure to turn heads. Running errands in town, visiting the city and taking the family on long distance road trips was a breeze in this van. With seating for up to 8 and built in navigation, we were prepared for wherever the road was going to take us. This sleek sophisticated van was like no other soccer mom van I had ever drove before.
It took me a bit to get use to all of the features. I quickly became aware of bad habits I had as well. Alerts would tell me if I were too close to the line and let me know when I was getting the best gas mileage. There are many hands free options like navigation, XM radio and Bluetooth built in. The temperature controls that allow for different air/heat temps throughout as well as heated seating made it nice for traveling as well. I normally like it cooler than the rest of the family.
My boys both had a lot of leg room in the back seats. they had the freedom to move their seats to where they needed them to be most comfortable. There is an entertainment console for the kids with plugs for all of their devices including PlayStation, headphones and chargers. As a mom who drives a lot, I was happy to see all of the safety features included. Airbags, sensors that would not allow the door to open, rear camera and more. we all know when driving with kids there are many distractions. Honda seriously thought of them all with this.
Even with the back row of seating folded down my kids had lots of room to sit. The seats easily folded away and tucked down flat with a quick pull. Great for luggage, sports bags, groceries, pets and more. Even with the seats all up there is still a good amount of storage space, very deep too.
The heated front seats are very spacious with lots of storage in the console. Yes there is plenty of leg room but you also have a great deal of space side to side. There is a cool storage area as well for drinks or food you may need to keep cool while driving.
The drop down screen keeps the kids entertained and allows them to be in control (as long as the driver allows)
During long drives we could listen tot he radio or XM while Little one plugged in her headphones and watched a movie. Or if they chose to, the kids could plug in and listen to a different entertainment station than us. This is great as many of the satellite channels are not censored out.
Having kids and pets messes are bound to happen! even just every day wear on a vehicle means sand and grass and crumbs throughout. Luckily the Honda Odyssey has a built in vacuum to help you keep everything clean and tidy. The hose reaches throughout the entire vehicle and can easily be used when electronics are turned on. The bag is held below and can be changed as needed.
When not in use everything is fitted nicely within the wall. Fold up the door to cover and nobody will even know it is there. Another feature I loved as a mom and driver was the tiny mirror I could pull down to keep on eye on my passengers. This is great if you have fighting kids or young children who may need some extra attention.
Keep an eye on the kids while driving with this handy mirror #odysseytouring @HondaCanada pic.twitter.com/49ltUN27JW
— Ginger Mommy (@Gingermommy) March 28, 2016
“Mom vans” sure have come a long way over the years! If you are looking for a comfortable family vehicle for every day use and family road trips you will want to check this one out. See honda.ca for pricing and more information. Visit your local dealer and test drive on today!
Have you driven a Honda lately? What features do you think you would like most?
Disclosure- This post is part of my test drive with Honda All opinions are my own and compensation was not received
I’m impressed with the storage space. I think this is an awesome car. I like the built in vacuum feature.
The Odyssey looks like a great car. I could certainly stand an upgrade to a bigger vehicle with all my kids.
My parents had an Odyssey and they loved it. We just got a puppy so we may end up getting a minivan at some point.
A vacuum in the vehicle? How amazing is that!? That would solve so many of my problems, that’s a selling feature for me.
I like the mirror feature too, it’s little things that I wouldn’t have thought to look for in a vehicle.
I love the hidden vacuum idea. Makes for easy clean up especially on Cheerio messes.
This vehicle sounds great.
I never heard of a vehicle with its own built-in vacuum before.
We take a lot of trips to the beach in the summer, so I’d love that vacuum feature! And how roomy it looks too!
This is by far the best family and child-friendly car I have seen. I love all the features! Perfect for long drives with the little ones.
It sure looks like a comfortable ride for vacations. The vac is pretty brilliant too.
I know I already commented but I didn’t even comment on the vacuum at all but wow that’s neat. I need a Bluetooth equipped vehicle. My van is getting old. I hesitate to put money out on anything new right now though because our cars are all paid off. I like knowing however that there are great options out there.
I love that the seats fold down like that. We need all that room for luggage and souvenirs when we go on vacation.
That’s a pretty great looking vehicle right there. I like to hop in the car and just take rides too.
I’m NOT a van person but I’ve been in a Honda Odyssey and it’s a beautiful van. If I was ever to cross to the “dark side” this would be the van I would get. I really like all the features and the built in vacuum is brilliant!