2012 Honda Odyssey LX

The 2012 Odyssey is Honda's family hauler, a minivan that seats up to eight and competes with the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Town & Country. It drives with a composed, car-like feel that makes it easy to forget you're piloting a van, though the ride is a bit firm over rough pavement. Inside, the cabin is roomy and flexible, with seats that fold flat into the floor and a deep rear well that swallows a week's worth of gear. Higher trims bring a rear entertainment system, navigation, and a backup camera, all of which families find genuinely useful on long trips. Cloth seats, a four-speaker sound system, and fewer power assists set the LX apart as the most affordable trim in the Odyssey lineup. Its 3.5L V6 makes 248 horsepower routed through a five-speed automatic to front-wheel drive, returning 21 mpg combined while feeling eager off the line.