I have been a Minivan driver for 5 years now. I just recently leased the 2003 Honda Odyssey after I swore that I would never buy another minivan again. Why - you ask? Because I previously drove the 2000 Ford Windstar. My Windstar had plenty of room and versatility but I never felt comfortable driving it. It was awkward to turn and parallel parking was difficult.

I was all set to buy an SUV when we went to the Honda dealership but the salesman convinced me to test drive the Odyssey.

What a dream! I was sold instantly. I don't feel like I am driving a large vehicle.

Smooth ride, smooth maneuvering. I have already taken it on 2 long trips with the kids that were pure pleasure.

The DVD option is a definite must if you have kids. Although they only give you 2 earphones and I have 3 kids who fight over them. I love the fact that I can listen to MY music in the front while they enjoy the latest movie.

The movable seats are also a great feature. You can set the 2nd row of seats either together or apart in less than 2 minutes. The third row of seats can be folded down flat (they fold down into the bucket-like trunk space). This gives you lots of room for shopping or lugging large items.

The only 2 things I miss from my old mini-van days are all of the storage compartments and the easy sliding passenger doors. Even though the doors are lighter - they seem relatively stiff and there are no easy buttons to push them closed (you have to use the handle or the remote)

Overall - I am willing to live with these 2 minor complaints as I play chauffeur to a carload of kids!!!
Amount Paid (US$): 427/MONTH
Condition: New