MotorMouths

Functionality is what makes the new Odyssey worthy of its name and distinguishes it from the pack. It may wear more stylish threads but rest assured, it’s the thoroughly engineered competence that makes this Odyssey what it always has been: the best minivan, period.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey is not exactly all-new, but still all good and still exactly what a minivan should be. The Odyssey remains the driver’s choice in the segment.

I still stereotype minivans a bit as oaflike and cumbersome to maneuver, but the 2011 Odyssey is just as easy to handle as a midsize sedan. Where the Odyssey really shines, however, is in its ability to be flexible and customizable.

Buying a minivan isn’t an easy thing to do. It’s a rite of passage to the un-hip, elasticized-waist side of parenthood. However, if you’re a real car lover and you drive a 2011 Honda Odyssey with an open heart, you’re not going to choose a crossover over this van.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey makes an indisputably spectacular vacationmobile. I feel completely comfortable in every seat, save the wider but slightly too-firm middle-row center.

The new Odyssey combines all the seating and cargo flexibility needed in a van with a variety of features to suit different tastes, functions and budgets. Finally, it delivers best-in-class driving experience and fuel economy.

The all-new Honda Odyssey proved its mettle with every mile. It provides a fantastic ride, answers every need and knows how to take abuse that only a road trip provides.

Easier on fuel than others of its ilk. Odyssey made you want to volunteer for a carpool so you could justify having one. It seems the premier example of how good a van can be — but is so ugly it’d be embarrassing to park one in the driveway.

So the exterior styling is a sweet hot cubist mess. Evaluating a minivan on looks is like ranking Nascar drivers on their knowledge of Chaucer. The 2011 Honda Odyssey makes parenting better, and better parents will want one.

After our initial time in the Odyssey, we feel confident that this minivan will find a place at or very near the top of the segment due to its strong driver appeal and thoughtful interior – not to mention the automaker’s rock-solid reputation backing it.

If you’re not turned off by the minivan stigma, the Odyssey should be your first stop when shopping. I recommend leaving the kids at home, though, because once they hear that surround-sound system in the Touring Elite, they will not let you buy a lesser trim.

After spending quite a bit of time with the redesigned 2011 Honda Odyssey, we confidently proclaim it the best minivan you can get today.