A New Odyssey

Honda’s latest Odyssey might just be the ticket for reviving the minivan segment and actually making these handy machines cool to own

By: Malcolm Gunn

‘The ’05 Odyssey now has side air curtains front to back as standard equipment on all models.

   Honda’s latest Odyssey might just be the ticket for reviving the minivan segment and actually making these handy machines cool to own.
   Some pundits have written off minivans as being on a slippery downhill slope, but don’t tell that to the hundreds of thousands of buyers who, every year, purchase these Jacks-of-all-trades for their can-do versatility. Also, don’t tell that to Honda, a company that, along with other segment leaders such as Toyota, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to develop its second-generation Odyssey space vehicle.
   The new Odyssey, available in a single extended-length size, bears at least a passing resemblance to the one first introduced back in 1999, but that’s where the similarity ends.
   Honda’s designers roughly maintained the same exterior dimensions but managed to increase interior space, particularly benefiting third-row passengers who now get an extra 3 inches of leg room.
   In standard trim, the Odyssey can transport up to seven passengers, with those in the first two rows perched on comfy captains chairs that slide forward and back by up to 10 inches and also can be slid sideways to form a two-person bench. However, a stowable seat that fits between the second-row chairs converts the Odyssey into an eight-passenger people mover.
   The third-row bench seat can be folded flat underneath the load floor to create an impressively cavernous cargo area (the second-row chairs can be folded or removed for maximum hauling).
   Also available is a revolving cylindrical Lazy Susan compartment situated below the floor, and partially under the front seats, that can hold numerous small items.
   Behind the Odyssey’s steeply raked nose lives a 255-horsepower (up 15 from last year) 3.5-liter V6. On base LX and EX models, fuel economy is pegged at 19 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. Move up to the EX with the leather package or the premium Touring and the 3.5 includes variable cylinder management (VCM) technology that automatically shuts down half the engine’s six cylinders under light loads. As a result, the city/highway rating increases to 20/28.A five-speed automatic transmission with dash-mounted shifter is standard.
   An impressive list of standard safety equipment begins with a newly designed protective body structure that helps the Odyssey earn the federal government’s five-star rating for both front and side impacts.
   Other standard safety countermeasures consist of front-seat side-impact airbags, three-row side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor, stability assist with traction control and anti-lock disc brakes. In addition, the Odyssey Limited receives a tire-pressure monitoring system.
   As if all of the safety gear wasn’t enough, even the least expensive Odyssey LX features front and rear air conditioning, remote keyless entry, tilt steering wheel, first- and second-row power windows, power mirrors, cruise control and CD-equipped audio system. The EX trim level adds an eight-way power driver’s seat, power-sliding side doors, heated outside mirrors, alloy wheels and eight-passenger seat conversion. The EX with Leather includes the obvious cowhide-coated interior, including heated front seats, plus a power moonroof, while the luxury-class Touring is finished off with a power tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, removable second-row console, power adjustable pedals and a premium sound system. A GPS-base navigation system with voice recognition along with a DVD entertainment package with a 7-inch screen is optional.
   Perhaps the best news is that the Odyssey’s base price of around $25,000 is in very close proximity to that charged for an ’04 model.
   That’s good news for prospective minivan buyers who are tempted by the Odyssey’s solid standard content and increased power, even if its is a bit unsettling for other manufacturers reaching for Honda’s lofty plateau.