2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L

ellerysmama

New member
Hello :)

Can anyone tell me about the 2nd row in the 2008 Odyssey? Do they come out? Fold into the floor board? I've been looking on youtube but no one has demonstrated it or mentioned it.

Also, wondering if anyone has an opinion on the 2008 Odyssey vs 2008 Sedona. Both cars have about 85,000 on them.

Thanks!!!!!
 
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CarSafetyGuy

New member
I'd rank the '08 Odyssey and Sedona as equals from a safety perspective, if that helps. They have near identical features on paper and driver death rates in real life; it really comes down to which you prefer. Between the two, I'd go with the Odyssey, as they tend to be more reliable than the Sedona, which tend to have more random annoying things go wrong, like light bulbs that burn out repeatedly.
 

MommyShannon

New member
The '08 had 2 captain's chairs and a small 8th seat or console between them. You can remove the center seat and slide the passenger side captain's chair toward the center. It creates a nice aisle to the 3rd row. The seatbelt comes from the sidewall though so you don't want to install a car seat with a seatbelt there if you have it scooted over. The LATCH limit for Honda is 65lbs (child+seat) so I just keep my younger kids there and install with LATCH. There are 3 sets of LATCH, but top tethers everywhere except the 8th seat which makes it great for carsests!
ETA: All the 2nd row seats can be completely removed. The captain's chairs are just heavy, but otherwise easy to remove. The 3rd row folds flat into the trunk.
 
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henrietta

Well-known member
Yep! What mommy shannon said. :yeahthatlove:

We bought an '09 yesterday, get to take it home tomorrow morning..and I looked at an '08, too. The seats are easy to deal with.

The middle second row seat doesn't work for many car seats, b/c it's so narrow, but I know there's a thread on here somewhere about what works on it. It's probably best for rear facing seats (no top tether), but I've heard some folks have managed a booster seat on it.

We didn't have any Sedona's available here that interested me, but I had them on my list initially. They are certainly cheaper and that would have been really helpful for us right now.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Congrats!

Just to add, I think some trim levels did not have the stow-able 8th seat, but that may have varied by model year?

Yep! What mommy shannon said. :yeahthatlove:

We bought an '09 yesterday, get to take it home tomorrow morning..and I looked at an '08, too. The seats are easy to deal with.
 

seb3244

New member
I'd rank the '08 Odyssey and Sedona as equals from a safety perspective, if that helps. They have near identical features on paper and driver death rates in real life; it really comes down to which you prefer. Between the two, I'd go with the Odyssey, as they tend to be more reliable than the Sedona, which tend to have more random annoying things go wrong, like light bulbs that burn out repeatedly.

Don't mean to hijack this thread but since you were so helpful to op on her question I have a question for you. Where did you get your info from? Because I would like to look up safety of 2005 honda odyssey vs 2005 Toyota sienna & possibly a sedona (perhaps in a newer year than 2005 since they are less expensive).

I am slowly learning that bigger isn't better or necessarily safer either :(
 

CarSafetyGuy

New member
Don't mean to hijack this thread but since you were so helpful to op on her question I have a question for you. Where did you get your info from? Because I would like to look up safety of 2005 honda odyssey vs 2005 Toyota sienna & possibly a sedona (perhaps in a newer year than 2005 since they are less expensive).

I am slowly learning that bigger isn't better or necessarily safer either :(

Thanks seb3244. It's my opinion based on the safety features of both vehicles as well as on their driver death rates and on how I feel other factors (weight, etc) interact. Safety feature information comes from the IIHS, including driver death rates that come from their status reports.

Regarding the vehicles you listed, the 2005 Odyssey is as safe as the '08 Odyssey; they're the same generation. I'd also suggest the '05 Odyssey over the '05 Sienna, even though they're equally safe in actual death rates, because the Odyssey came with side airbags and ESC in every trim level, while the Sienna did not except for in the highest trim levels.

And you're right; bigger isn't always safer. However, better to learn this before making a purchase than after! :D
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
One difference to note, Honda did not include any additional top tether anchors for 2005 beyond the minimum three that are federally mandated. If you need additional flexibility for child safety seats, the 2006 and newer Odysseys have two additional top tether anchors in the third row compared to the 2005 model.

The 2004-2010 Sienna has an optional 8-passenger model with a usable 2nd row center seat. If you want 3-across in the second row, it is far superior to the Odyssey's PlusOne stowable middle seat. Stability control become standard on this generation in 2008. Side curtain airbags became standard in 2006. Both features were optional prior to those years, and may be difficult to locate on the used market.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Regarding the vehicles you listed, the 2005 Odyssey is as safe as the '08 Odyssey; they're the same generation. I'd also suggest the '05 Odyssey over the '05 Sienna, even though they're equally safe in actual death rates, because the Odyssey came with side airbags and ESC in every trim level, while the Sienna did not except for in the highest trim levels.

Clarifying a couple of comparison points between the 2005 model year Sienna and Odyssey which might be helpful for the poster comparing them directly, the 2005 Sienna LE had stability control/ESC, front side torso airbags and side curtain airbags for all three rows as optional equipment on the mid-level LE model. You don't necessarily have to go all the way up to the higher level and spendier 2005 Sienna XLE/XLE Limited versions to get those safety options (especially if anyone is shopping for the 8-passenger model which isn't available in the XLE or XLE Limited trim as those are 7-passenger models only), but it definitely takes some hunting to find a 2005 LE model so equipped to buy either new back then (which we ultimately did when we were minivan shopping for a new 2005 model back in 2005 :dance:) or as a used model now. We would have gone with the 2005 Odyssey back in 2005 due to the standard ESC and side airbags if it weren't for its smaller second row center seat compared to the 8-passenger Sienna model, and the Ody's fewer LATCH/top tether anchor equipped seating positions compared to the 2005 7-passenger and 8-passenger Sienna models. There are LATCH/TAs in both second row captain's chairs but not in the second row center in the 8-passenger 2005-2010 Odyssey version, and the only third row TA is in the third row center in the 2005 Ody (remedied by Honda starting with the Ody's 2006 model year which has 3 tether anchors in the third row), vs. full LATCH in all rear seating positions except the third row driver's side in the 2005-2010 Sienna.

ETA: And Darren types faster than me, lol!
 

DawgDad

New member
If I am not mistaken, the Sedona is quite a heavy car with a lesser performing engine in comparison to the Odyssey, which makes it sluggish. It doesn't get quite as good of gas mileage and like CSG pointed out, it has been plagued with annoying maintenance issues. You also will probably have a harder time finding well equipped models of the Kia used in comparison to the Odyssey. There just weren't as many bells & whistles on the Kia in 2008.

However, I am sure the Kia is coming in at a nice price in comparison...the Odyssey is practically king when it comes to holding it's value...even after children have had their way with the backseat for years.
 

ellerysmama

New member
One difference to note, Honda did not include any additional top tether anchors for 2005 beyond the minimum three that are federally mandated. If you need additional flexibility for child safety seats, the 2006 and newer Odysseys have two additional top tether anchors in the third row compared to the 2005 model.

Darren, in the 2005 are the top tether anchors only in the 2nd row? I am looking at a 2005 touring models right now that have about 90k miles selling for 10k. It would be nice to have that option in the 3rd row if we have someone visiting.

There's a 2006 that's going for 12k with 97k miles on it - also a touring. Would it make more sense just to go for the 2006 model?

Thanks again, and again :)
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I believe 2005 was 2 in the second row captains chairs and one in the center of the third row. For 2006, they integrated three anchors on the back of the third row seat for each position for a total of 5.
 

henrietta

Well-known member
Congrats!

Just to add, I think some trim levels did not have the stow-able 8th seat, but that may have varied by model year?

To my knowledge, the LX trim level does not include an 8th seat, even in the 2011 and 2012 models (not on the ones we looked at and not on the Honda website descriptions of each model). But EX, EX-L (leather & sunroof), and Tourings all do.

hths
 

henrietta

Well-known member
FWIW, I'd probably go for the '05 or '06 Touring model with less than 100,000 miles on it vs. an '07 or '08. My reasoning was that I'm not real happy with the brake recall that does not have a fix available just yet (at least in my area) on the 2007 & 2008 models. It's a totally fixable thing, no deaths or injuries at this time...just some scary sudden braking that is not under the driver's control. The fix is supposed to be available this summer, so very soon, but I'm not in the mood for that kind of stuff right now. :cool:

The top tether anchors would make a difference for me, personally, but the service records on the vans would probably be what swayed me one way or the other in the end. The difference b/t 90,000 miles and 97,000 miles isn't that great, except for however long it takes you to save up about $800-1000 to change out the timing belt (our dealers price was $880 out the door including parts with the water pump, too, and labor) and get to around 100,000-105,000 miles (when it's supposed to be changed).

If there had been one anywhere near me like that, I may have bought it instead of the '09 EX-L, b/c I really could have used those $$$$ for other things right now!! ;)
 

DawgDad

New member
FWIW, I'd probably go for the '05 or '06 Touring model with less than 100,000 miles on it vs. an '07 or '08. My reasoning was that I'm not real happy with the brake recall that does not have a fix available just yet (at least in my area) on the 2007 & 2008 models. It's a totally fixable thing, no deaths or injuries at this time...just some scary sudden braking that is not under the driver's control. The fix is supposed to be available this summer, so very soon, but I'm not in the mood for that kind of stuff right now. :cool:

I would actually disagree here. Honda in that model series did something very annoying. They put specialized run/flat tires on those cars at that trim level. Unless the owner swapped out the tires for the normal rim and tire, you are looking at easily $1000-2000 to change a set of tires...and it can only be done at Honda. Quite frustrating since there were some add-ons to that trim level outside the tires that made it a good buy...you just had to spend a little more at purchase to switch out all 4 tires. Those run/flats were NOT worth it then and definitely not now with the advancements of tires.
 

CarSafetyGuy

New member
Yeah, the PAX tires are silly. However, you can de-PAX them yourself or via a shop, but you'll need to plan on buying 4 new tires and rims if it hasn't been done already, and that'll probably run you close to a grand, so if you want the Touring trim, make sure you budget for that on top of the vehicle price.
 

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