The 2023 Honda Odyssey is another example of why the Honda minivan continues to be such a popular pick among families. One of the reasons why the Odyssey is so popular is because Honda has a lot of options available for it. As such, families can get the perfect minivan that fits their needs. Some of those options are better than others, though, so here’s a look at which 2023 Honda Odyssey trim is the best.

An overview of the 2023 Honda Odyssey

As Car and Driver wrote, the latest Honda Odyssey continues to be a great addition to Honda’s lineup. The Honda minivan starts at about $37,000, and five trims are available. That said, there are many things that the trims have in common with one another. The engine, for example, is a 3.5-liter V6, and it’ll be the same V6 engine in every single Odyssey trim.

This engine gets 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, and it’s powerful enough to get the job done. It’s not fast, but the engine will allow the Honda to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. This V6 engine also allows the Odyssey to get 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on highways, for 22 mpg combined. Another area where the Odyssey trims have a lot of similarities with one another is tech.

Every single Odyssey trim gets a standard 8-inch touch screen display. Additionally, since the Honda minivan is popular with families, safety is a crucial concern. As a result, every Odyssey has Honda Sensing, which is Honda’s suite of smart safety features. This’ll provide every Odyssey with a long list of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, a rear seat reminder system, and many more.

The EX trim is the best trim for the 2023 Honda Odyssey

Of the five Honda Odyssey trims available, the best is undoubtedly the standard EX trim. At $37,000, it provides the most value for families. According to Autotrader, the EX trim compares well to the other options. The EX-L trim starts at $40,000, adding leather seats to the first and second row and a power liftgate. Those are tempting features but not necessary for many.

The trim after that is the Sport trim, which starts at about $41,000. It’s very similar to the EX-L trim, but it offers some additional cosmetic changes. Unless car shoppers want those changes, this trim is not necessary either. Next is the Touring trim, which starts at almost $45,000. This trim adds some family-friendly tech features, such as parking assist, a rear-seat infotainment system, and CabinWatch, which allows parents to see and talk to their kids in the back.

While those are good features, folks will have to pay an $8,000 premium to get them. That price difference makes this trim not worth it for most folks. Finally, at $50,000, there’s the Elite trim. It gets features like rain-sensing wipers and wireless phone charging on top of the previously mentioned features. Once again, those additional features don’t justify the extra costs, especially compared to how capable the EX trim is.

What trims do other car critics recommend?

Autotrader also agrees that the EX trim is the best trim overall for the Honda Odyssey minivan. Honda gave the EX trim a lot of the features that families are looking for in a minivan, so there’s little reason to upgrade to another trim. Car and Driver has a different opinion, though.

Car and Driver agrees that the EX trim is well-equipped, but the car critic thinks that the EX-L trim is the best trim overall. The EX-L trim costs $3,000 more than the EX trim, and its power liftgate can be nice to have for a family.