Mom's view: We think that the Toyota van is more family oriented than the Odyssey, and that the Chrysler has the best ride. Nissan has not made a van available to us, and the Volkswagen Eurovan and Ford Free Star aren't here yet. Anyway you slice it, Honda dealers are going to have to try a lot harder to sell the Odyssey than in the past when mark-ups were common. The Car Family does not like mark-ups because, we feel, in the end it hurts customer relations. For example, Subaru dealers used to ask a few thousand over list hot selling WRX sedan. Our daughter wanted one, but she passed because of the mark-up. Instead she got a great deal on a Saab 9-3. Now she is a firm Saab believer and would never think of going back to Subaru. Those dealers lost a potential young, long term customer for a couple of thousand dollars.
Getting back to the Odyssey, the bottom line for me is that the Honda, listed for $28,500 in base form for the more upscale EX, is a significant value. You get air conditioning, antilock brakes, traction control, cruise control, adjustable steering column, power windows, mirrors and door locks, power sliding side doors, automatic climate control, upgraded sound system with a CD player, a keyless remote entry and security system, and alloy wheels. Unfortunately, you need to order leather seats to get the DVD entertainment center, which I found difficult to understand since they appear mutually exclusive since children are tough on leather.
Safety wise, the Honda is a leader in many regards. You have dual front airbags, side-impact airbags, and a three-point seatbelt/shoulder harness for each of the seven seating positions. There are child safety seat anchors for the second and third-row seats. Best of all, the government gave the Odyssey its best ratings for frontal collisions. You also have good visibility to the front and side with your rear vision restricted by the high back window, head rests (which are removable if no one is riding there) and the wide stance of the Honda.