What Is the Best Minivan for the Money?

Minivans are practical family cars that are perfect for large families in need of extra cargo and passenger space. Unfortunately, even though they usually aren't overly stylish or decked out with luxury features, minivans can be expensive. For some families on a tight budget, the high prices may not be manageable for their financial situations. 

If you are looking for affordable minivans that don't compromise on safety features or comfort, the Honda Odyssey is a great choice. Unlike other clunky minivans on the market today, you'll never feel unstylish or be without convenient technology features. 

However, finding affordable minivans can be tough, and the prices of a new Odyssey may be unrealistic for some families. We'll go over why you should consider a used Odyssey model for your next vehicle. 

The Honda Odyssey (2023)

The current model year Honda Odyssey has a lot of upscale features, sleek styling throughout the interior and exterior, and tons of space-saving solutions. For families on the go, the Odyssey has all the versatility you need to take the kids' baseball gear to practices, go on Costco runs, and participate in the morning carpool. On all trim levels, you'll have Magic Slide 2nd row seats and a 60/40 split 3rd-row magic seat, which allows for multiple seating configurations.

Also, on all trims, you'll have the same driving performance and fuel efficiency ratings. The Odyssey has a decently powerful engine capable of generating up to 280 horsepower @6500 rpm. Additionally, you'll find that the fuel efficiency ratings are similar to that of its minivan competitors at a 22 combined city/highway mpg rating. 

Much of the lineup for this year's Odyssey remains unchanged. The Sport trim is one of the only additions to the current model year. You'll find that the previous years (2022 and 2021) offer much of the same performance capabilities, interior comfort, and technology features as the new model. 

What Are the Trim Levels?

The Odyssey has five different trim levels–EX, EX-L, Sport, Touring, and Elite. The base trim, EX, has a starting price of $37,490. At this trim level, you'll have all of the standard safety features, like a collision mitigation braking system, a lane-keeping assist system, and a lane departure warning. You'll even find advanced safety features usually only found on higher-end trims, like adaptive cruise control and a blind spot collision warning.

The EX-L is the next highest trim level. It has a starting price of $40,560. At this level, you'll notice some upgrades from the previous trim. Some of the features included in this trim are leather-trimmed seats, a power tailgate, and a moon roof.

The Touring trim is one of the higher trims available at $44,600. At this price, you'll have upgraded luxury features like a wifi hotspot capability, ambient lighting, and multiple USB ports. If you're looking for luxury, but don't want to pay the cost of the highest trim, the Touring is a great choice. 

The Elite trim is available for $41,360. At the highest trim level, you'll have luxury features like CabinWatch/CabinTalk. These features are especially useful when you have a car of full kids, as they are a video monitor showing the backseat and an in-car PA system. You'll also have a rear entertainment system for the backseat passengers, which will keep them occupied with fun activities like a Blu-ray player and built-in streaming apps. You'll also have a wireless phone charger. 

Should You Get a New or Used Model?

The starting price point for the current model year Odyssey is pretty expensive at around 37k. The prices for the upper trim levels continue to climb up to around 41k. For a lot of car shoppers, these prices may be slightly out of budget. If you're looking for affordable minivans, a brand-new Odyssey may not be realistic. However, that doesn't mean that the Odyssey is entirely out of reach for families. A simple, cost-saving solution is to buy the Odyssey used. 

A used Odyssey will have a lot of the same technology features as the current model, depending on the year and trim. This 2021 Odyssey EX has many high-quality features like a premium sound system, rearview camera, keyless entry, and a blind spot monitoring system. You'll get all of these great features, but you won't have to spend as much money on a new car. For this used model, you can expect to pay around $32,900. As the base trim, it's thousands of dollars cheaper than a new EX trim. 

If you're looking to save money on higher trims, this 2022 Touring trim is available for $39,900. Compared to a new Touring trim, which costs $44,690, you can save a lot of money without giving up luxury features. Some of the features you will enjoy include parking sensors, an entertainment system, a sunroof, and leather seats. Since this used model is in great condition, you'll still have high-quality features and a great driving performance but at a lower cost than a new Touring trim model.

If you're looking for affordable minivans that don't skimp on luxury features, style, or performance, a used Honda Odyssey is a great choice. The current model year Odyssey is a bit pricey. So, if you're working with a budget, you'll find the prices of a used model to be more affordable. Fortunately, used Odyssey models in the last few years have similar features and capabilities as a brand new model. We have a selection of used Odyssey models that are in great condition if you're ready to start shopping for your perfect family car.