2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors were a standout, making it easy to load children into car seats even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey offered a spacious and comfortable third-row seat, accommodating additional passengers like grandparents or carpool groups with ease. Its cargo space was impressive, rivaling that of larger SUVs when the seats were folded down or removed. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Odyssey managed to maintain a sense of style, particularly in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels and quality interior materials.

In contrast, the 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar was a luxury SUV that exuded elegance and sophistication. Its design was a nod to the classic Range Rover, with a sporty, streamlined profile and distinctive features like pop-out door handles. The Velar's interior was equally stylish, with high-quality materials and a sleek, polished center stack. Despite its compact size, the Velar offered a refined driving experience, though it sacrificed some practicality for its striking appearance. The Velar's design choices, such as the lack of a discrete parking brake control, highlighted its focus on aesthetics over functionality.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system 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 respectable EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. The Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, though its brakes showed signs of strain during extended downhill driving.

The 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar shared its chassis with the Jaguar F-Pace, resulting in a lower center of gravity and improved handling. The base engine was a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 247 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The Velar offered an optional air suspension for a smoother ride and a more powerful 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, available in two states of tune. This setup provided up to 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, enhancing the Velar's performance while reducing emissions.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered a spacious and versatile interior, with easy access and comfortable seating for all passengers. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, while the third-row seat provided ample legroom and support. The Odyssey boasted 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 88.8 cubic feet with the seats folded and 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed. This made it an ideal choice for families needing maximum cargo capacity.

The 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, while stylish, offered less interior space compared to the Odyssey. Its sleek design resulted in reduced headroom and limited visibility, with cargo space measuring 16 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 49 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Velar's interior featured modern design elements, but some controls, like the parking brake, were less intuitive. Despite these limitations, the Velar's interior was luxurious and well-appointed, with high-quality materials and advanced technology.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with a range of technology features, though its infotainment system lagged behind competitors. It included an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with navigation and HondaLink connected services available on higher trims. The Odyssey also featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk systems for monitoring and communicating with rear passengers. However, the rear-seat entertainment system was outdated, and the infotainment interface could benefit from a larger screen and more intuitive controls.

The 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar's Pivi Pro infotainment system was a pleasant surprise, offering a simplified layout and improved functionality. It featured voice activation, a PM2.5 air filter, and advanced navigation capabilities. The Velar's technology package included a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control, and a 12-speaker Meridian stereo. While the driving assist display was less detailed than some competitors, the Velar's technology offerings were comprehensive and user-friendly.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was well-equipped with safety features, including the Honda Sensing suite, which offered adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. It also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. The Odyssey earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, though some safety systems lacked refinement and could be overly sensitive.

The 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar had not been rated by U.S. safety agencies, but it performed well in European NCAP tests. It came standard with forward emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and traffic sign recognition. Optional features included a 360-degree camera system and adaptive cruise control with steering assist. While the Velar's safety features were comprehensive, the lack of U.S. crash-test ratings may be a consideration for some buyers.