Inequality Among Minivans? Canuck Buyers Face a Pricier Honda Odyssey

Facing off against a stalwart Chrysler Pacifica and reborn Voyager, all-new Kia Sedona, and newly hybridized Toyota Sienna, the 2021 Honda Odyssey lopes into the coming model year with a mild refresh in tow.

Minor trim and content enhancements complete the mid-cycle overhaul, but Odyssey aficionados living north of the border are in for a shock.

You see, pricing for the U.S. model has already been relayed (the model, in base LX guise, starts at $32,910), but Honda’s Canadian arm has only just gotten around to pricing the fresh-faced minivan. Something’s missing, however. Namely, a base model.

(h/t to TTAC analyst Tim Cain)

For ’21, Honda lists EX-RES as the bottom rung of the Odyssey trim/pricing ladder, erasing last year’s EX. American customers can choose from both LX and EX ($36,310).

While higher trims provide more goodies, the ’21 Odyssey added standard driver-assist features to the base LX, making for a compelling buy.

In Canada, the elimination of even the EX means the model starts, after destination, at $44,645 — a significant jump from last year’s $41,530 entry model. Not only that, but the current base trim, EX-RES, listed for $43,030 in 2020. That’s a $1,615 climb.

It’s worth noting that, given the cash Chrysler’s throwing at minivan buyers, Canadians can get into a midlevel 2020 Pacifica Touring-L for $42,208 after destination. A base L model can be had, after discounts, for $36,555.

That said, the Odyssey’s not a carryover (second-row outboard seats now fold nearly flat, lumbar support arrives for the front seat passenger, new hooks and cargo cubbies abound, and the infotainment interface sees an upgrade), so buyers aren’t simply paying for the same stuff. Still, the elimination of the EX, to say nothing of the LX, likely won’t help the Odyssey’s presence on Canadian highways.

In 2019, Canadian buyers took home just 9,250 Odysseys — the model’s lowest sales volume since 2009. While the pandemic-related lockdown dried up sales this spring, the minivan’s sales remain depressed on monthly, year-over-year basis, with just 3,265 units sold through July.

[Image: Honda]