The 2008 Odyssey lasts over 300,000 miles with only some paint and oil issues. At $6,245 – 7,724, it’s worth the money for one of the longest lasting minivans available.
Is the 2008 Honda Odyssey a Good Used Van?
- Yes, 2008 is a good year. Owner reviews praise the comfortable seats, affordable maintenance, and interior space.
- Reliability ratings are great. Avoid models from 2007 and older, and go with a 2008 or newer.
- Performance is good from the V6 engine that is offered as standard.
- The Odyssey is a very safe van, getting a perfect 5-star rating in government crash tests and has an available backup camera.
- Fuel economy is good, at up to 20 MPG combined.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the Odyssey?
- Consumer Reports describes the Odyssey as an agile well-rounded van with high owner satisfaction scores.
- Edmunds gives the Odyssey a 4.3/5 liking the tight handling, but disliking the high prices.
- Kelley Blue Book users rate the Odyssey 4.5/5 and enjoy the interior features, but don’t like the button-heavy infotainment system.
What Common Problems Does the 2008 Honda Odyssey Have?
Problems on the 2008 Odyssey are fairly minor and include bubbling paint, excessive oil consumption, and excessive battery drain.
Bubbling and peeling paint is the most common complaint from owners at around 100,000 miles. Paint that is not properly cared for will fail eventually, and repainting affected areas is about $1,000 per panel.
Excessive oil consumption is another issue on some vans at roughly 120,000 miles. The source of the issue is usually the VCM cylinder deactivation system. Most owners just leave the system off, or top off the oil regularly.
Excessive battery drain is mentioned by owners at about 55,000 miles. There are several sources, but a common one is the air conditioning relay. Replacing the part costs about $80.
There are 5 recalls with a few serious ones including the fuel pump cover cracking and leaking, as well as brake pedal performance which increases braking distances.
How Long Will the 2008 Honda Odyssey Last?
A well-maintained 2008 odyssey should last around 300,000 miles, which is around 100,000 miles more than a Dodge Grand Caravan. Regular annual maintenance costs are a bit high at $492 per year, according to Repair Pal.
Most Odysseys will have over 100,000 miles, so buyers should be prepared to replace stabilizer bushings for $275, the drive belt tensioner costing $375, and the coolant reservoir which costs $300.
Yes. The power steering hose is leaking at the moment. Transmission is a bit shaky but still okay. The DVD player has electrical issues.
Very reliable for its age. We take regular trips in it. It has normal problems for being 21 years old.
It's a very reliable vehicle. Only has a few problems, but that's to be expected because she's high mileage, but none of the issues are major ones.
It is very reliable. The only problem we have with this vehicle is sometimes it leaks in the car. When it rains, it comes in on the passenger side seat belt.
It is a very reliable van, it was worth the value spent I paid to have. I have no problems with this vehicle, the only I have to do is regular maintenance.
Our Honda odyssey have been very reliable so far. I had to change the tires and it came with a bad battery but no repairs that cost too much money to fix.
So far it is been reliable. It has not had any issues and does what we need it to do. It had only had minor issues, from age and use.
Mine does not have any problems. I've done maintenance on time and replaced tires a couple of times, but not unexpected problems.
How Much Is the 2008 Honda Odyssey Worth?
Blue book values range from $6,245 – 7,724, making the Odyssey about $500 more than a Chrysler Town & Country or Kia Sedona. When new, the price range was $25,860 to $40,610. Depreciation is similar to other vans, losing about 10% of its current value per year.
What are the Different Models of the Odyssey?
There are four models of the Odyssey available. Technology is good for the year since it was just updated for 2008, and there’s a complete redesign for the 2011 model year.
LX is the entry-level model with:
- 16-Inch Steel Wheels
- Cloth Seating
- Manual Side Doors
- Cruise Control
- 4-Speaker AM/FM/CD Stereo With 3.5mm AUX Jack
EX is a step up adding:
- 16-Inch Alloy Wheels
- Power Side Doors
- Power Driver’s Seat
- Tri-Zone Climate Control
- 6-Speaker AM/FM/CD Stereo System With 6-CD Changer & 3.5mm AUX
EX-L is a popular choice and has:
- Leather Seating
- Heated Front Seats
- Backup Camera In Rearview Mirror
- Sunroof
- Satellite Radio
Touring is the flagship model and offers:
- 17-Inch Alloy Wheels
- Premium Leather
- Power Liftgate
- Navigation System With Bluetooth Connectivity
- Premium More Powerful 6-Speaker Stereo System
What Engines Come In the Odyssey?
The only engine found in the Odyssey is the powerful 3.5L V6 with 244 horsepower, which gets up to 20 MPG combined. Performance is good for a van, taking only 7.7 seconds to go 0-60 MPH.
What Colors Does the Odyssey Come In?
How Big Is the Odyssey?
The 2008 Odyssey is an average-sized minivan, similar to the Nissan Quest and Dodge Grand Caravan. Passenger room is excellent throughout the cabin, easily fitting adults in all three rows. The second row captain’s chairs are also very comfortable.
Cargo space is great for a minivan offering 38.4 cubic feet of room behind the third row, 91.1 behind the second, and 147.4 with the seats folded flat.
How Does the Odyssey Compare to the Competition?
The Toyota Sienna is a popular rival costing about $1,500 more. Where the Sienna stands out is with a more powerful engine, but the Odyssey has more technology. We recommend the Odyssey since it’s cheaper, but both are long-lasting and dependable vans.
The Chrysler Town & Country is another competitor costing about $500 less. Interior materials are more luxurious in the Town & Country, but the Odyssey has a better infotainment system. We recommend the Odyssey since they last longer and are more affordable to own.
Do Owners Recommend the Honda Odyssey?
Yes. Very comfortable, average gas mileage, dependable. Mine has 212,000 miles on it. Strong pick up when needed.
Yes. It has good amount of space inside. Lots of cupholders. Has good storage. Love the 8 seats and entertainment options.
Yes, I love my vehicle, she takes me wherever I need to go reliably and comfortably. She has a lot of miles on her now, but she still runs well.
Yes! We love the odyssey. It is the second one we have purchased. We owned a 2005 odyssey before trading in for this one.
Yes very good, I enjoy driving thus well built van, the engine is a very good technology, and it is very good on gas. It is a very comfortable vehicle to haul friends and family on long trips.
Yes it has been a great fit for my family. Rides and handles very well. Comes with lots of extra amenities my family enjoys!
It is a good vehicle definitely. It takes where we need to go without much problems. It is also nice to own a minivan to accommodate to two children in car seats.
The 2008 Honda Odyssey is a great vehicle, especially for families. It has a lot of room for people, dogs or luggage. The roof rack helps a lot on trips and it gets great gas mileage.