Background: What's in a name? For Honda's Odyssey, the designation brings marketing consistency. When Honda Motors redesigned its minivan for the 1999 model year, the Japanese automaker pondered a name change for its sole minivan. However, Honda retained Odyssey as the namesake well into the next millennium. A smart move making minivan shopping a bit less confusing for consumers already overwhelmed with minivan opportunities. The redesigned Odyssey is considerably longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. In fact, Odyssey went from one of the smaller front-wheel drive minivans to the largest. Odyssey and Ford's Windstar measure in as the longest minivans on the road. The under powered four-cylinder engine, jettisoned for this second generation, has been replaced by a more potent V-6 powertrain . Odyssey's car-like swing-out back doors have been replaced this year by more popular dual sliding doors. Honda assembles Odyssey at a new plant in Allison, Ontario Canada near Toronto. The first-generation Odyssey, debuting in 1995, shared an identical automotive platform with the Isuzu Oasis minivan. For 1999 the two part company. If shorter-dimension minivans still appeal you, the 1999 Oasis retains dimensions from the first-generation Odyssey platform.
Trim levels: Two Odyssey trim levels are available: an entry-level LX with dual manually operated sliding rear doors standard and the premium EX equipped with dual power sliding doors. Both feature seven-passenger seating.
Engine: Honda's multi-point, fuel injected V-6 engine ranks as one of the most powerful in its class. The 24-valve powerplant generates 210 horsepower. The quiet- running engine delivers decent low-end performance and good pulling power. Either premium or regular unleaded fuel may be used, although higher-octane premium improves performance.
Safety features: Dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, five-mile per hour bumpers and a security immobilizer system come standard in both trim levels. A remote entry system comes standard in EX while optional in LX. Traction control is an EX exclusive. Odyssey is the first minivan with three-point safety belts for all seven passengers. Honda received more good news last month when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded Odyssey the government's highest rating for occupant protection during frontal collisions.
Price: Honda provided the Daily Herald with the top-level, well-equipped, beige colored EX. Base price started at $25,800. The only extra feature was dealer installed floor mates which boosted the bottom line to $26,364 after factoring in the $415 destination charge. Odyssey LX versions start at $23,000.
Standard equipment: Both trim levels include: cruise control; adjustable steering column; four-speed automatic transmission; power rack-and-pinion steering; rear window defogger; variable speed front wipers; dual illuminated vanity mirrors; front and rear air conditioning (EX trim levels feature automatic climate control); variable assist power steering; four-wheel independent suspension; power front windows; power side view mirrors and rear window wipers. Odyssey LX versions feature an AM/FM/cassette feature while uplevel EX includes a compact disc player in place of the cassette. Odyssey EX editions add a few unique additions including steering wheel-mounted secondary radio controls, eight-way power driver's seat roof rails and automatic day/night rearview mirror.
Interior: As with most minivans of this girth, roomy ambiance abounds. Between front seat captain's chairs is a flat, plastic storage tray incorporating four cup holders that folds down when not in use, providing a walk-through area to back seating. A stand-alone digital clock situates between air vents at the top of the dashboard, next to the rectangular hazard light button. The dashboard's slightly angled central portion, places radio and climate control operations within easy reaches of drivers and front seat passengers. The climate controls consist of two circular dials monitoring temperature settings and fan speed. A push button controls blower direction. The radio, with small pre-set buttons, situates below the climate control. Two additional cup holders retract out from below the stereo while a pull-out storage bin situates below. The instrument panel includes three circular gauges; speedometer, tachometer and fuel. An illuminated, vertical gear shift indicator incorporates into the fuel gauge circle. Headlights operate from the turn signal stalk. Both front and rear windshield wipers operate from a right-hand side steering column stalk. The automatic transmission gearshift lever is also found on the steering column's right side. Cruise control turns on and off via a dashboard button while accelerate and resume controls mount directly on the steering wheel. Two rectangular toggle switches left of the steering column assisted in the operation of our EX trim level's dual power sliding door. Drivers easily open and close the two back doors by depressing these switches. Drivers can also lock both sliding doors from a dashboard switch. When operating power doors from the outside, both slide open and closed automatically once strap-like door handles are moved rearward or forward.
Seating comfort: The seven-passenger Odyssey includes one of the most flexible and easy to maneuver interior seating arrangements around. The third row bench seat, which Honda refers to as its "magic" seat, folds completely flat into the floor. Once headrests are removed, the backrest folds down and the entire assembly pulls down into a recessed well. One person can easily accomplish this action. With the third row in use, the deep, recessed well behind the seat provides an ideal area for holding shopping and grocery bags. Front seat captain chairs with a higher seating position than conventional sedans provide a good command of the roadway. Maneuvering into the front seats requires a sit down, rather than jump up motion found in some larger sport utility vehicles. In the middle, our EX test edition featured two easy-to remove bucket seats, with back rests that fold flat when necessary. Second-row bucket seats have the capacity to move next to one another forming a bench-like design. With the third seat folded and second row chairs removed, Odyssey sports 163.3 cubic feet of room. With the rear seat folded, 53.3 cubic feet of room rests behind second row seating. Honda's temporary spare tire, accessible from inside the van, stows under the floor in a covered well directly ahead of middle-row seating.
Exterior: The new Odyssey is more than a foot longer (13.6 inches to be exact) than the first generation. Odyssey's front nose-like front bumper includes vertical slats and centralized a chrome H (the Honda logo). The hatchback opening, hinged at the top, folds up as one unit. Both trim levels include large, 16-inch wheels and all-season tires standard. Uplevel EX includes alloy wheels while LX dons steel covers. The mast radio antenna protrudes up from the right front fender while both side view mirrors fold if brushed against immovable obstructions; a nice touch. The locking, circular gas tank door situates on the driver's side. Outside color choices include beige metallic, silver metallic, green metallic, emerald pearl and blue pearl.
EX Dimensions: Wheelbase: 118.1 inches Overall length: 201.2 inches Overall width: 75.6 inches Overall height: 69.7 inches Weight: 4,388 pounds
Fuel economy: Since both editions feature the same engine, fuel economy estimates are identical for both trim levels. Expect 18 miles per gallon in city traveling and 26 miles per gallon on the highway. The tank holds 20 gallons of either unleaded regular or unleaded premium.
Final thoughts: At 201.2 inches in length, Odyssey ranks as one of the longest minivans on the road. Both the Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth Grand Voyager (the longest minivans offered by DailmerChrysler) measure 199.6 inches in length while the Ford Windstar ties Odyssey's long 201-inch girth. Windstar provides a couple more trim levels than Odyssey's two and offers the choice of one or two sliding side doors; Odyssey comes exclusively with two sliding side doors. A top of the line Windstar SEL runs a few bucks more than a well-equipped Odyssey EX. Both Windstar and Odyssey performed well in recent government crash tests. One popular family feature not currently found in Odyssey is a rear audio system where back seat riders plug into rear-mounted headphone jacks and listen to their own brand of music. For its large size, Odyssey handled quite nimbly; probably the biggest surprise of the week-long test drive. The easy-to-fold third-row seat which disappears into the floor is a terrific concept. Honda's biggest challenge may be production capacity; demand is high while inventory is low. Because of the new redesign and assembly plant retooling, only one shift currently churns out Odyssey. But Honda's Canadian facility will soon add a second shift, increasing output. The good news for Honda is the all-new Odyssey has generated triple digit monthly year-to-year sales increases since it debuted last October. Honda will produce 80,000 units this year, with 65,000 earmarked for the U.S. market. Next year, Honda plans to build 120,000 units. Industry insiders expect overall minivans sales to continue at a steady pace. |