* Click HERE to see a video on the Honda Odyssey *
The Honda of minivans
Families in Canada are not getting any bigger; however the vehicles designed especially for them continue to grow. Safety remains the most important concern for both the manufacturers and the consumers. Many minivans now have six standard airbags, traction control and safety cell to rival many of the safest cars on the road today.
Honda's first minivan, the Odyssey, first arrived in 1995. This variety was basically a large station wagon version of the Accord. In 1999, Honda made a real splash with a completely rethought approach to this segment. It set the norm for power, size and convenience. Every other manufacturer now had to play catch-up. 2002 brought some changes to the van including 30 extra horsepower and a new 5-speed automatic transmission. With fierce competitors such as the Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna, Honda decided to end the debate once and for all for 2005. The redesigned Odyssey is more powerful, better equipped and more enjoyable to drive than ever.
A base Odyssey LX retails for $32,700. The top-of-the-heap Touring has a sticker price of $46,900. We tested both a Touring and an EX that retails for $35,900.
Exterior styling
Some will say that there is no such thing as an attractive minivan. Well, I
am here to say that it is no longer the case. The new Odyssey is wide, low and even tough-looking, for a minivan of course. Everything about the minivan speaks about its girth: large headlights, larger bolder grille and strong-looking rear shoulders. Every version is shod with a hatch mounted spoiler and, other than the LX, handsome 16" alloy wheels.
Every model, except for the LX, has standard dual power sliding doors. To boot, the Touring also has a power tailgate. I must admit to either being lazy or spoiled, but I found these gadgets to be very useful when loading and unloading passengers and groceries.
Panel assembly is quite good in general terms. However, there are a few welds that could be seen when the sliding doors were open that look sketchy as some rust was present on the seam. There is some orange peel in the paint finish in certain areas. The sliding doors are one example.
Interior styling
The dash layout of the new Odyssey is an improvement over the old. Nearly all controls are within easy reach for the driver. The only small issue is the location of the heated seat controls: they are a few inches above the floor on the centre console. Not only are they low down but, when the cup holders are pulled out, the switches are no longer accessible. Of particular interest to very large families is the fact that all Odysseys are delivered with a minimum of 15 cup holders. The Touring gets 17. Storage compartments abound: multiple cubby holes and a double glove box. For every model except the LX, there is even a lazy-Susan style rotating cubicle located under the second row floor that can be accessed through two different trap doors.
The Honda of minivans
 |
Honda's first minivan, the Odyssey, first arrived in 1995. This variety was basically a large station wagon version of the Accord. In 1999, Honda made a real splash with a completely rethought approach to this segment. It set the norm for power, size and convenience. Every other manufacturer now had to play catch-up. 2002 brought some changes to the van including 30 extra horsepower and a new 5-speed automatic transmission. With fierce competitors such as the Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna, Honda decided to end the debate once and for all for 2005. The redesigned Odyssey is more powerful, better equipped and more enjoyable to drive than ever.
A base Odyssey LX retails for $32,700. The top-of-the-heap Touring has a sticker price of $46,900. We tested both a Touring and an EX that retails for $35,900.
Exterior styling
Some will say that there is no such thing as an attractive minivan. Well, I
 |
Every model, except for the LX, has standard dual power sliding doors. To boot, the Touring also has a power tailgate. I must admit to either being lazy or spoiled, but I found these gadgets to be very useful when loading and unloading passengers and groceries.
Panel assembly is quite good in general terms. However, there are a few welds that could be seen when the sliding doors were open that look sketchy as some rust was present on the seam. There is some orange peel in the paint finish in certain areas. The sliding doors are one example.
Interior styling
 |