Chevrolet Silverado vs Honda Odyssey

What's the difference?

With its unique V8 soundtrack, all-terrain capabilities and sumptuous comfort, the ZR2 is a quintessential American muscle truck that's as capable of carting crews and accessing rugged worksites during the week as it is towing boats, horse-floats and caravans or getting muddy on weekends. For either work or play, there's a lot to like here.

The Honda Odyssey isn’t a bad choice for those looking to ferry around a large gaggle of people, but its far from the best option.

The first two rows are great and are supremely comfortable for those four occupants, but third-row usage will depend on how much those passengers are susceptible to motion sickness.

However, the Odyssey’s biggest weakness might be its sluggish engine and mundane CVT, with rivals like the new Kia Carnival and even Toyota Prius V offering better performance and better economy, respectively.

Still, the Honda Odyssey, and people movers in general, remain a solid option for those that don’t want another SUV or value the practicality and space afforded.

The Silverado’s extensive remanufacturing to RHD, performed on a purpose-built production line in Melbourne, meets OEM standards of fit and finish.

As the off-road focused 1500 model, the ZR2 has hardware and detailing consistent with its rugged bush-bashing persona, highlighted by aggressively treaded mud-terrain tyres and unique raised suspension with high performance dampers.

Other ZR2 features include a raised bonnet with ZR2 applique, ‘off-road cut’ front bumper, bash plates, black grille with ‘Flow Tie’ (flow-through) bow-tie motif, ‘Performance Red’ chassis-mounted front recovery hooks, concealed dual-outlet exhaust, black fender flares/door handles/bumpers/window surrounds and chrome ZR2 badges.

It has a tough and purposeful look with bluff-fronted styling and an imposing stance. 

An expansive length of almost 6.0 metres (5931mm) and a 14.4-metre turning circle highlight formidable (and at times impractical) dimensions for urban life.

The cabin is spacious and airy with a tasteful blend of contrasting tones and textures combined with many soft-touch surfaces, yellow stitching along seams and splashes of chrome and satin chrome creating a plush look and feel.

Gone are the days where people movers could be considered daggy or uncool. No, please, don’t click away, we’re serious!

The 2021 Honda Odyssey features a new front grille, bumper and headlights that combine for a much more imposing and aggressive front fascia.

The chrome highlights look especially good against the 'Obsidian Blue' paintwork of our test car, at least to our eyes, and between this and the new Kia Carnival, people movers might just be cool again.

In profile, the 17-inch wheels do look a little small next to the massive doors and huge panels, but they do feature a funky two-tone look.

The chrome touches also follow along the Odyssey’s flanks and are found in the door handles and window surrounds to break things up a bit.

From the rear, the Odyssey’s large dimensions are hard to hide, but Honda has tried to jazz things up with a roof-mounted rear spoiler and more chrome around the tail-lights and rear fog light surrounds.

Overall, the Odyssey looks handsome and confident without straying into the ‘trying too hard’ or ‘over the top’ territory, and if anything, at least it’s not another high-riding SUV, which are quickly overtaking streets and car parks the world over.

Step inside and the Odyssey’s layout is nothing special, but gets the job done.

The first- and second-row seats are plush and comfortable, while the dashboard also features woodgrain touches to lift the interior ambience.

The 8.0-inch multimedia screen sit proudly in the centre stack, while the shifter is on the dashboard to maximum interior space.

The ZR2’s hefty 2587kg kerb weight and 3300kg GVM results in a 713kg payload, which is modest given a seated crew of five big tradies could use up about two-thirds of that payload capacity before loading any of their gear.

It can also legally tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer on a 50mm ball and up to 4200kg on a 70mm ball. The latter figure is 300kg less than the LTZ due to the specialised off-road suspension.

However, given the ZR2’s 6851kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), you would be left with a mere 64kg of vehicle payload if you wanted to tow the maximum 4200kg.

That’s barely enough for a driver - and a light one at that. Fact is, few if any owners in real-world use would need to tow 4200kg, but it’s important to be across these legal limits if you’re planning to.

The load tub is protected internally by a spray-on liner and offers almost 1.8 cubic metres of load volume. Its load floor is 1776mm long, 1813mm wide and sits 569mm deep, with 1286mm between the rear-wheel housings. More than wide enough for hauling Aussie or Euro pallets.

There are also 12 load-anchorage points, power assistance for lowering the tailgate and a tub camera to keep an eye on loads when driving. The rear bumper provides surefooted tub access using either the centre step or concave side-steps.

All occupants enjoy luxurious space, particularly rear passengers thanks to easy entry created by the wide-opening doors, a flat floor with no transmission hump for the centre passenger to straddle and palatial head and legroom even for tall people. Combined with ample shoulder room, a full crew can travel in enviable comfort.

Cabin storage for the driver and front passenger includes two bottle holders and a bin in each door. There’s also a large glove box and the centre console has an open tray and two USB ports up front, two bottle holders in the centre and a big box at the back topped by a padded lid that provides comfy elbow support.

Rear passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door, plus more USB ports and two more pairs of bottle holders in the rear of the centre console and in the bench seat’s fold-down centre armrest.

There’s also storage pockets on both front seat backrests and handy compartments for small items are cleverly concealed within the rear seat’s upper-backrest cushions. Its 60/40-split base cushions can also swing up and be stored vertically if more internal load space is required, or to access ample under-seat storage.

Measuring 4855mm long, 1820mm wide, 1710mm tall and with a 2900mm wheelbase, the Honda Odyssey is not just an imposing behemoth on the outside, but also a spacious and practical people mover on the inside.

Up front, occupants are treated to plush and comfortable seats with electronic adjustment and individual fold-down armrests.

Storage options abound, with deep door pockets, a dual-chamber glove box, and a tricked-out centre storage console that can retract into the centre stack and features two hidden cupholders.

Because of the compact engine and transmission package, and the fact the centre console tucks away, there is actually just empty space between the two front occupants, which is a missed opportunity.

Maybe Honda could have put another storage bin there, or even a cooled box for chilled drinks on long road trips. Either way it’s a notable, unexploited cavity.

The second-row seats are probably the place to be in the Odyssey, though, with its two captain’s chairs offering supreme comfort.

Adjustability is also plentiful, with forward/backwards, recline and even left/right positioning available.

However, while there are cupholders and roof-mounted climate controls present, there really isn’t much else to keep second-row occupants, well, occupied.

Would be nice to see some charging ports or even entertainment screens to keep kids and adults placated on long journeys, but at least the head, shoulder, and legroom is generous.

In the third row, it’s a tighter squeeze, but I managed to get my 183cm (6'0") frame comfortable.

The three-row bench is the least comfy place to be, but there is a charging outlet and cupholders back there.

Those with child seats also take note, the second-row captain’s chairs top-tether anchor point is very low down on the seat back, meaning you might have to max out the strap length to get it there.

Also, because of the captain’s chairs, the top tether strap can be knocked off quite easily, as the inner shoulders of the seats are smooth offering nothing for the strap to catch onto if pushed towards the middle of the car.

And you can’t even install the car seat in the third row because the bench seat doesn’t feature any ISOFIX points. 

With all seats in place, the boot will happily swallow 322 litres (VDA) of volume, more than enough for groceries, school bags or even the stroller.

However, the boot floor is quite deep, making the retrieval of bulkier and heavy items a little cumbersome.

With the third-row folded, though, that cavity is filled in and the Odyssey features a completely flat floor then able to take on 1725L of volume.

Honda has even found a place for the space saver spare wheel, though it’s not underneath the car or tucked into the boot floor as you'd expect.

The spare is under the two front seats, and requires the removal of some interior carpets and trim to access. 

It’s not in the most convenient of places, but props to Honda for getting one in there when other seven-seaters just opt for a puncture repair kit. 

The 2021 Honda Odyssey range kicks off at $44,250, before on-road costs for the base Vi L7, and extends to $51,150 for the top-spec Vi LX7, which we have here.

Compared with the likes of the Kia Carnival (from $46,880) and van-based Toyota Granvia (from $64,090), the Honda Odyssey is more affordable, but doesn’t skimp on equipment to bring its price down.

As standard, the 2021 Odyssey is fitted with 17-inch alloys, keyless entry, push-button start, second- and third-row air vents, and a powered rear passenger door, while new for this year’s update is a 7.0-inch customisable tachometer, fresh leather-wrapped steering wheel and LED headlights. 

Handling multimedia duties is a new 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, as well as Bluetooth connectivity and a USB input.

Stepping up to the top-spec Vi LX7 nets buyers tri-zone climate control with second-row controls, powered tailgate, gesture controls to open/close both rear doors, heated front seats, a sunroof and satellite navigation.

It’s a good list of equipment, but there are some notable omissions such as a wireless smartphone charger and rain-sensing wipers, while the handbrake is one of those old-school foot-operated ones, which is a shame to see in 2021.

Nevertheless, even the top-spec Vi LX7 we have on test here is still relative affordable compared to rivals, and offers plenty of space for the price.

Like the LTZ, the ZR2 is powered by a 6.2-litre petrol V8 producing 313kW of power at 5600rpm and 624Nm of torque at 4100rpm. It features cylinder deactivation to optimise fuel economy when full power isn't required.

This is paired with a refined 10-speed torque converter automatic, armed with an auxiliary external oil cooler ideal for heavy towing duties and off-road slogging. It also offers sequential manual shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles and there are numerous selectable drive modes.

Its dual-range transfer case with push-button control offers the choice of '2WD High', '4WD High', '4WD Low' and '4WD Auto', with the latter being a full-time torque-on-demand system. It’s also equipped with driver-selectable front and rear locking differentials for optimum traction in the rough stuff.

All 2021 Honda Odysseys are powered by a 129kW/225Nm 2.4-litre ‘K24W’ four-cylinder petrol engine, which drives the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

Peak power is available at 6200rpm, while maximum torque is on stream from 4000rpm.

Honda diehards might note the K24 engine designation and be reminded of the rev-hungry 2.4-litre unit of the Accord Euro from the early 2000s, but this Odyssey’s powerplant is built for efficiency rather than performance.

Compared to the likes of the Kia Carnival (which is available with a 216kW/355Nm 3.5-litre V6 or 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel) the Odyssey is noticeably down on power.

The Australian Odyssey also doesn’t feature any form of electrification, such as the Toyota Prius V, which would excuse the lower outputs and push the Honda people mover more into green territory.

GMSV claims official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption of 12.7L/100km and the dash display was showing 15.3 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 397km test, which included our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about half was hauling a variety of payloads.

This compares to our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, which was higher again at 16.8L/100km. That exceeds the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between official and real-world consumption but is still acceptable for a 2.5-tonne pick-up powered by a big petrol V8 in urban use.

So, based on our real-world consumption figure, you could expect a driving range of around 540km from its relatively small 91-litre tank.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey, regardless of grade, will return a fuel consumption figure of 8.0 litres per 100km, according to official figures.

This betters the fuel economy of the petrol-powered Kia Carnival (9.6L/100km), as well as the Mazda CX-8 (8.1L/100km) and soon-to-be-replaced Toyota Kluger (9.1-9.5L/100km).

In our week with the Odyssey Vi LX7, we managed an average of 9.4L/100km in a mix of inner-city and freeway driving, which isn’t too far off the official figure.

Though the fuel consumption isn’t too bad for a naturally aspirated petrol engine, those who want to save costs at the bowser should look to the petrol-electric Toyota Prius V hybrid, which sips just 4.4L/100km.

The ZR2’s raised off-road suspension requires more of a climb aboard than the LTZ, but the low-slung removable side-steps fitted to our test vehicle certainly make boarding easier and are an accessory worth considering if most of your driving is on-road.

There are large handles on the truck’s A- and B-pillars to assist entry to the cabin where the driver is treated to multiple power adjustments of seat and steering wheel plus a large left footrest, which together provide a very comfortable driving position.

The ride and handling are outstanding, as the ZR2’s suspension combined with the additional cushioning of its baggy all-terrain tyres is commendably supple over bumps, yet it's surprisingly responsive to steering input without the ponderous feeling expected in a vehicle of this size and weight.

This response is optimised when the ‘Sport’ mode is selected as it sharpens steering, brake pedal feel and suspension tuning for a more engaging drive. It also activates the louder and freer-flowing exhaust setting and modifies the auto’s shift calibration, which allows the V8 to shine with a guttural roar under full throttle that is not only an aural delight but can quickly reach triple-digit speeds with remarkable ease.

By contrast, it can also deliver relaxed and fuel-efficient highway travel thanks to the V8’s auto cylinder deactivation and less than 1500rpm being required to maintain a leisurely 110km/h. Engine, tyre and wind noise are negligible at these speeds.

To test its payload rating we forklifted 475kg into the load tub which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of 655kg that was within 60kg of its legal limit.

The rear leaf-springs only compressed abut 35mm under this loading, which left more than enough bump-stop clearance to ensure there was no bottoming out on our test route. The ZR2 performed so effortlessly with this payload it was easy to forget we even had one.

Our only criticism of the driving experience was the tri-fold tonneau cover. When hauling loads, this accessory is designed to fold forward into a flat bundle that leans against the rear of the cabin with two adjustable struts to brace it in place (see photo).

This worked fine during suburban driving up to 80km/h but was not suited to higher speeds, as the increased air pressure made it flex enough to block the rear-view mirror's camera view. So, an alternative tonneau design would be preferable for those needing to do lots of highway travel with uncovered loads.

Though the Honda Odyssey looks like a bus on the outside, it doesn’t feel like one behind the wheel.

The Odyssey drives differently to an SUV, which is a good thing, feeling more hunkered down and connected to the road compared to the wallowy and bouncy nature of some high-riders.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t Honda’s best handling model, but there is certainly enough feedback in the steering wheel to know exactly what’s happening underneath, and the Odyssey always feels predictable, regardless of road condition.

And because visibility is excellent all around, the Honda Odyssey is just an easy, no-fuss car to drive.

The second-row is also great while on the move, and might actually be the better place to be.

The seats do a great job at soaking up little bumps and road imperfections, and there is plenty of room to stretch out and relax while someone else handles driving duties.

It’s a shame, then, that there isn’t more going on in the second row to keep passengers happy.

The third-row seats, though, are nowhere near as comfortable.

Maybe it’s the fact they are positioned right over the rear axle, or it’s the thick and vision-obscuring C- and D-pillars – or a combination of both – but time in seats five, six and seven, aren't ideal for those prone to motion sickness.

Maybe kids, or those with stronger stomachs can get comfortable in the third row, but for us, it was not a pleasant experience.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from its test in 2014, as the current model is a heavily revised version of the fifth-generation car that launched seven years ago.

While back then the Odyssey did not come with advanced safety features, a key part the model’s 2021 update is the inclusion of Honda’s 'Sensing Suite' comprising, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

On top of that, the Odyssey also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, hill-start assist, a reversing camera and rear cross-traffic alert.

The long list of safety is a huge boon for the Odyssey, and with it featuring a third-row of seats, also comes with curtain airbags that extend to seats in the rear.

There are some omissions to the safety list though, with a surround-view monitor not available and the third-row seats missing out on ISOFIX anchoring points.
 

Now comes standard with a class benchmark five years/unlimited km manufacturer warranty, plus five years of roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/12,000km whichever occurs first, but there's no capped-price servicing. Expect a three year service bill of around $2000, which isn't outrageous for a vehicle of this type.

GMSV has an Australian network of 50-plus dealers across most states and territories and all dealerships can provide vehicle servicing.

Like all new Hondas sold in 2021, the Odyssey comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with six-years of rust protection assurance.

Scheduled service intervals are every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first, but this is much sooner than the industry standard of 12 months/15,000km.

According to Honda’s 'Tailored Service' price guide, the first five years of ownership will cost buyers $3351 in servicing fees, averaging out to around $670 per year.

The Kia Carnival petrol meanwhile, is about $2435 to service over five years, averaging out to be about $487 per year.

The Toyota Prius V also needs to be serviced every six months/10,000km, but the cost of the first five years of ownership totals just $2314.71 – more than $1000 less than the Odyssey.