Minivans tend to get a bad rap these days. With all the talk about SUVs and crossovers, it can be difficult to find good sources of information for the classic minivan and its many fantastic features. That being said, the Honda Odyssey is at the top of the modern minivan spectrum. With a reputation for durability and dependability, the Odyssey is a practical, roomy vehicle that is perfect for transporting families day to day as well as delivering comfort on long road trips.
Figure 1: The Honda Odyssey is a popular family minivan due to its superior safety and handling. Source: GarageChief.com.
Because it is known for its comfort and reliability, it is crucial that you find the best tires for a Honda Odyssey. However, with all the tires on the market, it can be difficult to find the set that will deliver exactly what you need. Luckily, we have put together a shortlist of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey that will help you find the features you are looking for.
By choosing a tire from our shortlist, you can be sure that your Odyssey will perform to its maximum ability. The comfort and security that you have come to depend on can always be enhanced with the right set of tires, and that is what today’s article is focused on.
Source: TireDeets.com.
What Makes a Great Tire for a Honda Odyssey?
The best tires for a Honda Odyssey will have a focus on comfort and noise control. Many tires have the ability to withstand all kinds of different terrain and driving conditions. With an Odyssey, you do not have to worry about these features. Most Odyssey drivers are focused on city and highway driving alone, so finding a tire that shines in this department is incredibly important.
We spoke to a tire specialist at Les Schwab who told us “for a minivan, an all-season touring tire is a good start. They’re quiet, they give you good traction and steering, and they’re not super expensive. You’re not going to be driving in any kind of off-road situation in an Odyssey, so that’s not something you have to worry about.”
Figure 2: Touring tires are the best match for the Odyssey because of their durability and reliability in all kinds of weather and conditions. Source: SafeRoad.com.
Touring tires are going to be the best tires for a Honda Odyssey because of their comfortable ride. They are usually designed to absorb vibrations and eliminate road noise by using an asymmetrical tread pattern. These tread patterns eliminate road noise by varying the pitch that the tire emits each time the contact patch moves along the asphalt. This variation of pitch stops high-pitched whines from emanating from the bottom of the tire. The asymmetrical tread also lets air escape more freely from the grooves of the tread blocks and eliminates whistling that can occur from pockets forming among the blocks. On long trips, a quiet ride is essential for keeping focus on the road and avoiding any unnecessary distractions.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO REVIEW OF THE BEST TIRES FOR A HONDA ODYSSEY
Touring tires also tend to have quicker, more responsive handling than all-terrain tires. This is an important feature of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey. Minivan owners expect complete control of their vehicle at all times for the purpose of safety and security. Touring tires use their complex tread patterns to maintain traction and a wide contact patch on the road. Often, they have sipes on the outer edge that lock onto the road as the wheels turn and keep a grip in all kinds of weather conditions.
Sources: BusinessInsider.com; TireDealerSites.com; TireBuyer.com; TheDrive.com; Interview with Les Schwab tire specialist conducted 12/15/2020.
How Did We Pick the Best Tires for a Honda Odyssey?
Our list of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey is made up of touring models that are focused on handling and safety as well as comfort. They are all designed to give you the best possible traction on the road, which in turn gives you complete steering control at all times. People who use their Odyssey to transport their family are in need of the best handling possible. A touring tire will be able to deliver this with ease.
Figure 3: All the best tires for a Honda Odyssey are going to be all-season and rated for snow and ice. Source: TireDealerSites.com.
The tires on our shortlist are also rated as all season tires. What this means is that they have special features that will give you that same traction no matter what kind of weather you happen to be driving in. Often, this is in the form of things like circumferential grooves that lock onto the road and keep a piece of the tire on the asphalt at all times. This gives you a straight and stable grip that will maintain a constant contact patch.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON AFTERMARKET WHEELS AND TIRES FOR A HONDA ODYSSEY
Many all season tires are also designed to push water and slush out from under the bottom of the vehicle. This helps to prevent hydroplaning in wet conditions and keeps the wheels from spinning independently of the drivetrain when snow is encountered. If you live in an area that sees all four seasons, this is an incredibly important safety feature.
Source: TireBuyer.com; FamilyHandyman.com.
1. Goodyear Assurance Comfortred Touring
Figure 4: Goodyear’s Assurance Comfortred Touring is comfortable no matter where you are doing your driving. Source: TireRack.com.
Goodyear’s Assurance Comfortred Touring tire has an asymmetrical tread design with completely independent tread blocks. This allows the tires to be malleable with whatever debris or inconsistencies happen to be in the road. By allowing the blocks to move individually, this is like having many smaller tires in one area, all reacting to the road conditions in real time. This keeps them stable and comfortable at high speeds as well as on city streets.
There are four circumferential grooves on the Assurance Comfortred and they keep the tire stable in wet conditions and on mild snow and ice. By evacuating water and slush, these grooves allow your Odyssey to keep its superior handling in top form, even in less than ideal weather. If safety is a priority of yours, they could be your best option.
The internal construction is made up of a shock absorbing inner layer of rubber. Located between the tread and the belts, this layer makes the tires up to 20% more absorbent of vibrations and other disturbances in the road. This combination of safety and comfort is what makes them one of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey.
Source: TireRack.com.
2. Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus
Figure 5: The tread on Pirelli’s P4 Four Seasons Plus is designed for the best possible handling in family minivans. Source: TireRack.com.
Pirelli’s P4 Four Seasons Plus is an all season touring tire specifically designed for minivans. It uses a special tread compound with silica additives to react to the temperature of the road and adjust its consistency accordingly. What this means is that you will always have the right type of tire for the kind of weather you are encountering. This is incredibly important for people who are driving their Honda Odyssey year round.
The tread pattern of the P4 uses a continuous center rib to give you the right amount of traction no matter what the road conditions are like. Even in ice and moderate snow, it is able to keep a solid hold on the asphalt through this center rib. It also uses computer designed sipes as well as independent tread blocks to be constantly moving and adapting to the road. This is the best way for your Odyssey to maintain its handling and safety in many different conditions.
Through the silica additives, the P4 is also able to offer a low rolling resistance at all kinds of temperatures. Low rolling resistance means that it requires less energy to move your Odyssey and thus, uses up less fuel in the process. This enhances the economics of the minivan and makes the P4 one of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey.
Source: TireRack.com.
3. Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus
Figure 6: The Ecopia H/L 422 by Bridgestone is rated for both mud and snow by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Source: TireRack.com.
The Ecopia H/L 422 by Bridgestone is perfect for people who are looking for the best winter traction for their Odyssey. This tire is adorned with the M+S symbol. This means that it meets the guidelines put forth by the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association for high performance in both mud and snow. Because of this, it is a great choice for people who live in areas that see a high proliferation of both in the wintertime. It can eliminate the chance that you will get stuck in a wheel spinning situation should you happen to get dug in in these conditions.
These tires are often used as original equipment on minivans, trucks and other SUVs. This is due to their superior handling and comfort that matches with the original intention of these vehicles. What makes them one of the best tires for a Honda Odyssey is their reliability and durability, even in weather that might be less than ideal. If you regularly drive in all four seasons and need extra traction, these could be a great option.
Source: TireRack.com; SSTire.com.
