The 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite remains a top pick for families needing a reliable, spacious, and feature-rich minivan. If you're considering purchasing a used minivan, especially the Touring Elite trim, understanding its strengths, weaknesses, and unique features is crucial. This article dives deep into what makes the 2018 Odyssey Touring Elite stand out, covering everything from its performance and interior to its technology and safety features. So, buckle up, and let's explore this family-friendly vehicle!

Performance and Handling

When evaluating a minivan, performance and handling are vital considerations. The 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This engine provides ample power for daily driving, highway cruising, and even fully loaded family trips. The engine is paired with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission, which enhances fuel efficiency and provides seamless gear changes. This combination ensures a responsive and comfortable driving experience, making it a pleasure to drive whether you're navigating city streets or embarking on a long road trip.

Furthermore, the Odyssey's handling is surprisingly nimble for a minivan. Honda's engineers have fine-tuned the suspension to provide a comfortable ride without sacrificing stability. The steering is precise and well-weighted, offering good feedback to the driver. This makes the Odyssey feel planted and confident on the road, even in windy conditions or during quick maneuvers. The vehicle's turning radius is also commendable, making parking and navigating tight spaces relatively easy. Overall, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite offers a balanced and refined driving experience that exceeds expectations for a minivan.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the 2018 Odyssey Touring Elite achieves an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. These figures are competitive for its class and reflect Honda's commitment to efficiency without compromising performance. The 10-speed transmission plays a significant role in achieving these numbers, as it allows the engine to operate at optimal RPMs for various driving conditions. Additionally, the Odyssey features an Eco mode that further optimizes fuel consumption by adjusting throttle response and other engine parameters. For families looking to minimize fuel costs without sacrificing power and comfort, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite presents a compelling option.

Interior Comfort and Space

One of the most significant advantages of the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is its exceptional interior comfort and space. Designed with families in mind, the Odyssey offers seating for up to eight passengers, making it ideal for large families or those who frequently travel with friends. The seats are well-cushioned and supportive, providing excellent comfort even on long journeys. The Touring Elite trim boasts leather upholstery, which adds a touch of luxury and is also easy to clean – a definite plus for families with young children.

The second-row seats are particularly noteworthy. Honda's Magic Slide seats allow for easy access to the third row, even with child seats installed. These seats can slide sideways, creating a wider pathway and making it simpler for kids to climb into the back. The third-row seats are also surprisingly comfortable, with adequate legroom and headroom for adults. When not in use, the third-row seats can be easily folded into the floor, creating a vast cargo area. This flexibility is one of the key reasons why the Odyssey is so popular among families. The power folding option for the third-row seats in the Touring Elite trim adds even more convenience.

Beyond seating, the Odyssey's interior offers ample storage space. There are numerous cupholders, door pockets, and storage bins throughout the cabin, ensuring that everyone has a place to store their belongings. The center console is particularly spacious and can accommodate large items such as purses or diaper bags. The Odyssey also features a cooled glove compartment, which is perfect for keeping drinks and snacks cold on hot days. The rear cargo area is cavernous, even with the third-row seats in use. With the third-row seats folded down, the Odyssey offers a class-leading amount of cargo space, making it easy to transport luggage, sports equipment, or even large furniture items. The combination of comfortable seating, flexible configurations, and abundant storage space makes the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite a standout in its class.

Technology and Features

The 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is packed with technology and features designed to enhance convenience, entertainment, and connectivity. One of the standout features is the rear-seat entertainment system, which includes a large 10.2-inch display screen, a Blu-ray player, and HDMI input. This system keeps rear passengers entertained on long trips, whether they're watching movies, playing video games, or streaming content from their devices. Wireless headphones are also included, allowing passengers to enjoy their entertainment without disturbing the driver.

Another innovative feature is CabinWatch, which uses a camera mounted in the ceiling to provide a view of the rear seats on the front infotainment screen. This allows the driver to keep an eye on children in the back without having to turn around. CabinTalk is another helpful feature that amplifies the driver's voice through the rear speakers, making it easier to communicate with passengers in the back rows. These features demonstrate Honda's commitment to making family travel as stress-free as possible.

The Odyssey Touring Elite also comes standard with a premium audio system, which delivers crisp and clear sound throughout the cabin. The infotainment system features an 8-inch touchscreen display, which is responsive and easy to use. It includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, allowing you to seamlessly connect your smartphone and access your favorite apps, music, and navigation. Other notable features include a wireless phone charger, a built-in vacuum cleaner (HondaVac), and a hands-free power liftgate. The HondaVac is especially useful for cleaning up messes quickly and easily, while the hands-free power liftgate makes it easy to load and unload cargo, even when your hands are full. Overall, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite offers a comprehensive suite of technology and features that make it a top choice for tech-savvy families.

Safety and Driver-Assistance

Safety is a top priority for families, and the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite excels in this area. It comes standard with a wide range of advanced safety and driver-assistance features, designed to help prevent accidents and protect occupants in the event of a collision. These features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Forward collision warning alerts you if you're approaching another vehicle too quickly, while automatic emergency braking can automatically apply the brakes to help avoid or mitigate a collision. Lane departure warning alerts you if you start to drift out of your lane, while lane keeping assist can gently steer the vehicle back into the lane.

Adaptive cruise control is another valuable feature that maintains a set distance from the vehicle in front of you, automatically adjusting your speed as needed. This can be especially helpful on long highway drives, as it reduces driver fatigue and makes the journey more comfortable. The Odyssey also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, which alerts you if there's a vehicle in your blind spot, and rear cross-traffic alert, which warns you of approaching vehicles when you're backing out of a parking space. These features help to increase your awareness of your surroundings and reduce the risk of accidents.

In addition to these advanced safety features, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite also comes standard with a rearview camera, which makes it easier to see what's behind you when you're backing up. It also features Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which is designed to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the vehicle, helping to protect occupants in the event of a collision. The Odyssey has earned top safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), further demonstrating its commitment to safety. With its comprehensive suite of safety features and excellent crash test ratings, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite provides peace of mind for families on the road.

Potential Issues and Reliability

While the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is generally considered a reliable vehicle, it's essential to be aware of potential issues. Some owners have reported problems with the 10-speed automatic transmission, including rough shifting and hesitation. These issues seem to be more common in earlier models, and Honda has released software updates to address them. It's advisable to check the vehicle's service history to see if these updates have been performed.

Another potential issue is with the infotainment system, which some owners have found to be slow or buggy. Software updates can also address these issues, but it's worth testing the system thoroughly before purchasing the vehicle. Additionally, some owners have reported problems with the sliding doors, such as difficulty opening or closing. Regular maintenance and lubrication can help prevent these issues.

Despite these potential problems, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is generally considered a reliable vehicle. Honda has a reputation for building durable and long-lasting vehicles, and the Odyssey is no exception. Regular maintenance is essential to keep the Odyssey running smoothly, including oil changes, tire rotations, and inspections. It's also advisable to follow Honda's recommended maintenance schedule, which can be found in the owner's manual. By addressing potential issues promptly and performing regular maintenance, you can help ensure that your 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite provides years of reliable service.

Conclusion

The 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is a standout minivan that offers a compelling combination of performance, comfort, technology, and safety. Its powerful engine, smooth transmission, and nimble handling make it a pleasure to drive, while its spacious interior and comfortable seating provide ample room for passengers and cargo. The Touring Elite trim is packed with features, including a rear-seat entertainment system, CabinWatch, CabinTalk, and a premium audio system. It also comes standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assist.

While there are some potential issues to be aware of, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is generally considered a reliable vehicle. Regular maintenance and prompt attention to any problems can help ensure that it provides years of dependable service. If you're in the market for a used minivan, the 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is definitely worth considering. Its combination of features, performance, and reliability make it a top choice for families who need a versatile and capable vehicle. Just be sure to do your research, inspect the vehicle thoroughly, and address any potential issues before making a purchase.