Honda Odyssey Question - regarding year

Hi,
So, I think I have my heart set on an Odyssey, if we can get the financing and find one for under $25, 000. However, I've looked up some of the safety information on informedforlife and I noticed that the 2007 rates "marginal" for the rear impact rating, but that the 2008 rear impact rating is "good." They must have changed something that year........?

This is quite significant, is it not? It seems like I should really try to get a 2008 or newer and I'm a bit stuck on this. I think we may have a hard time finding one for under $25,000, but I don't want to get older if the rear impact rating is not good. Do you think this is important enough to avoid the 2007 or older if possible? Or, am I overfocusing on this?

Honda tweaked the head restraint design in the Odyssey to improve the IIHS rear impact rating - details of the rear impact rating are at http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?honda for Honda models. While it wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me because rear impact crashes are statistically rarer and generally less severe than other types of crashes, I'd try to swing a 2008 model if possible, particularly if older boostered kids in backless belt positioning booster seats, or older kids who pass the 5-step test to ride in the adult-sized vehicle seatbelt only, or adult passengers frequently ride with you, and there's always a driver in the van to consider safety-wise as well. With the expected debut of a redesigned 2011 Odyssey later this year, you might find more room to negotiate on the current version Ody's used models.

Jeanum said:

Honda tweaked the head restraint design in the Odyssey to improve the IIHS rear impact rating - details of the rear impact rating are at http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?honda for Honda models. While it wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me because rear impact crashes are statistically rarer and generally less severe than other types of crashes, I'd try to swing a 2008 model if possible, particularly if older boostered kids in backless belt positioning booster seats, or older kids who pass the 5-step test to ride in the adult-sized vehicle seatbelt only, or adult passengers frequently ride with you, and there's always a driver in the van to consider safety-wise as well. With the expected debut of a redesigned 2011 Odyssey later this year, you might find more room to negotiate on the current version Ody's used models.

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Thanks Jeanum! This is really helpful. I looked at the ratings..... how would I find info on a model not listed? For example, they list the Odyssey EX from 2008 - 2010, but what if it's not "EX?" Would the same apply or could it be a different rating?

Hmm, it does seem strange that the IIHS is only specifying the EX version for 2008 and newer. You could try contacting IIHS and/or Honda to clarify because I'm not sure if it means that only the 2008 and newer EX trim level/versions of the Odyssey have the improved headrest design, or if it means the IIHS only retested the newer EX version and did not test the newer LX/EX-L/Touring versions. :twocents:

So, I'm still struggling with this. We had finally narrowed down what we wanted to a 2008 Honda Odyssey, but the problem is that there are VERY FEW of these available. We drove all over the lower mainland (B.C.) last weekend looking at the few we found. It wasn't possible to get the price down to $25, 000 including taxes, but this wasn't the deal breaker - if we found the perfect one, we would have paid a bit more.

We did see lots of 2007 models to choose from and most were in better shape than the 2008's we saw - and many more features, probably could get one for under $25,000.

Problem is I'm still a bit unsure about the rear crash test ratings. I realize they only tweaked the headrest design, but it made the rating go from "marginal" (2007) to "good" (for 2008). But what does this really mean? How does this translate practically? In a rear end crash is this the difference between a fatal accident and surviving, or minor whiplash and more severe whiplash?

Any opinions? What would you do? We have a two-year-old rear facing in a Britax Advocate. And a new baby on the way, who will be rear facing in an infant seat........ both in captains chairs in the second row. I don't anticipate my toddler would be sitting in the back until (and if) we have a 3rd child, so mostly, it would be my Mom or Dad or other adults with us......

Help!
Liana

Tough call, isn't it? Going from Marginal to Good in the IIHS' rear safety rating is a significant enough improvement for me the safety geek to personally lust after the 2008 Ody if you're going to frequently have adults/grandparents riding along, but I'm not qualified to quantify/interpret that accurately in terms of how much reduction in injury or fatality risk there would be over an earlier model. The IIHS notes that most rear crash injuries are not severe in that link above, but that they're frequent, info. likely coming from the insurance institute's compilation of data from insurance claims for whiplash and the like. I'm not sure what you're driving currently or how much more time you have before you purchase another car, but to put it in perspective more, depending on the current vehicle's safety rating, it's possible that an '07 Ody would be quite the leapfrog in its overall safety rating, too, which could factor into your decision making if an '08 model isn't available to purchase or a workable option for your family now. It's also possible that more 2008 model year Odys will be coming off 3 year leases shortly and become available for sale used if you feel like you would be unhappy or compromised by opting for a 2007 model and can hang in there a while longer before purchasing. I can relate to your dilemma as I fret some about our '05 Sienna, which is like the pre-2008 Ody in that it doesn't have a good rear safety rating and I do transport adults/grandparents around in it regularly. Like the 2005-2007 Ody, though, our Sienna is rated fairly highly overall for safety in terms of frontal and side impacts, and I also balance that with the statistics about rear crashes being less frequent/less severe typically than frontal or side impacts to put it more in perspective (well that, and the fact that the Sienna was just paid off a couple of months ago ). :twocents:

Good luck deciding, and I hope I haven't muddled it further for you.