2021 Ford Expedition vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2021 Ford Expedition Platinum greeted us at Los Angeles International Airport after a tiring redeye flight from Maui. With six passengers, each carrying a suitcase and a backpack, the plush and roomy SUV was a welcome sight. However, it quickly became apparent that the Expedition couldn't accommodate all our luggage, forcing one passenger to hold a suitcase on her lap for the 40-mile ride to the suburbs. Despite this, the Expedition Platinum's luxurious features, including Magnetic gray paint, 4WD, and a Heavy Duty Trailer Tow Package, made it a visually appealing and comfortable ride.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Odyssey was designed with family convenience in mind. Its sliding side doors made loading and unloading children and cargo a breeze, even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey's third-row seat offered ample comfort for adults, and its cargo space was impressive, with a deep well behind the third row to prevent items from tumbling out. The Odyssey's design, while adhering to the classic minivan style, featured stylish elements like kinked sliding doors and dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels in the Elite trim.

The 2021 Ford Expedition came equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque in most trims, with the Platinum trim boosting these figures to 400 hp and 480 lb-ft. This powertrain, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, provided impressive acceleration even with a full load. The Expedition's towing capacity ranged from 9,000 to 9,300 pounds, and it featured Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist for easier trailer maneuvering. However, the ride quality suffered due to the Platinum's 22-inch wheels, transmitting road shock into the cabin despite the adaptive damping suspension.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey, on the other hand, featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. While it lacked the all-wheel-drive and hybrid options available in some competitors, the Odyssey offered a fun driving experience. During a test drive in Southern California, the Odyssey averaged 22.6 mpg. However, repeated use of the brakes on downhill grades led to pedal vibration and an audible grumble, indicating a need for more robust braking performance. Despite this, the Odyssey remained quick and responsive, making it enjoyable to drive.

The 2021 Ford Expedition excelled in comfort and utility, with large, wide seats for all passengers and a leather-lined cabin. However, the regular-length model struggled to transport more than five people and their luggage simultaneously. The Expedition MAX offered more cargo space, with 34.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 121.5 cubic feet with all seats folded. Despite its generous cargo volume, it still fell short compared to most minivans.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Odyssey provided easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. The Elite trim featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustments, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The Odyssey's Magic Slide second-row seats offered versatile configurations, and the third-row seat was comfortable for adults. With 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed, the Odyssey offered ample storage for family trips.

The 2021 Ford Expedition's Sync 3 infotainment system, while user-friendly, showed its age with an 8-inch touchscreen display that sometimes lagged in response. It included features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. However, the available dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system was not included in the test vehicle.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite came packed with technology, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring and Elite trims added navigation, HondaLink connected services, CabinWatch, and CabinTalk. The rear-seat entertainment system featured a single 10.2-inch display with media inputs and a "How Much Farther?" app. However, the Odyssey's infotainment system felt outdated, and the embedded navigation system required specific voice commands, making it less user-friendly.

The 2021 Ford Expedition, with its substantial curb weight, offered a safety advantage. It earned a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA, though its rollover-resistance rating was lower with RWD. Standard safety features included Ford Co-Pilot360, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey excelled in safety, earning a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. Standard Honda Sensing features included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. However, the system lacked refinement, sometimes issuing invalid warnings or taking abrupt actions. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the EX trim.