PLUSES: Redesign with lower, wider, less van and more crossover look. More power yet better mileage from revised V-6 that now sports a 6-speed automatic. So much cabin room, comfort and nooks to store things. Easier third row flip/fold/hide in floor.
MINUSES: Styling still can't make a van look like a crossover.
It's not that Odyssey is ugly, but Honda seems to have taken great pains to camoflouge the 2011 rendition to look more like a crossover and less like a mini van, the vehicle that caters to moms hauling the brood from soccer field to soccer field.
Odyssey is offered in LX, Ex, and Touring versions. We tested the top of the line Touring Elite.
Odyssey is lower (half inch) and wider (2.1 inches) and longer (three quarters of an inch). You can stand alongside and see some, though not all of the roof, a new found shortness to "reduce the perception of vertical height common to minivans," Honda says. At the same time, projector beam HID headlights and fog lights along with fender flares which it insists contributes to "a sophisticated and upscale appearance."
While you can debate the merits of the next generation Odyssey's form, you can't argue its function. The van holds up to 8 people without making them bend, twist, spindle or contort to get in any of the three rows and enjoy the well cushioned seats. And the second row middle seat has been widened by 3.9 inches so it no longer only offers enough room for one cheek. If you don't need the middle seat, the back flips over and serves as an armrest with beverage holders and a tray.
And there are cubby holes throughout the machine to store items, from the big glove box up front, to the holders in the side doors, to the cargo hold in the rear.
Odyssey is blessed with creature comforts, such as a covered "cool box" low in the dash with an air conditioning duct inside to keep beverages cool; a grocery bag hook along the lower dash as well as grocery bag holders along the bottom of the third row seats in back; coat hooks in the roof along both second and third rows; pull down sunshades over the glass in rows two and three; a huge container inside the center console to hide a purse; and a mirror in the roof along the windshield to see how the kids are doing in rows two and three.
But wait, there's more, such as dual power open/close side doors with both cabin and key fob controls; power tailgate lid to help loading/unloading; low cabin step in height plus second row seats that move fore and aft depending on whether more leg or storage room is needed in row two or three; removable front row consoles to ease access to the rear; flip and fold second row seats to create an aisle to row three or add to cargo space; and a revised one step pull strap to flip and fold third row seats flat or into the handy stowage compartment in the floor (a concept Honda introduced with the 1995 Odyssey)to create exceptional cargo capacity---including the ability to carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood inside the cargo bay with second row seats removed and third row seats stored in the floor.
Then there's power plugs and USB and Bluetooth connections, places to hold cell phones and iPods and any of a host of electronic gizmos and gadgets, plus a rear backup camera, and a plastic ring that pulls out from the back of the center console so you can attach a plastic bag and have a place to toss your garbage.
And, of course, there's the DVD rear seat entertainment system that serves rows two and three, and a blind spot warning that sets off lights along the side of the outside mirror if another vehicle approaches unseen from either side, though it is difficult to notice the yellow light in daylight.
The 3.5 liter, 24 valve V-6 has gotten a shot of added omph for 2011, and an upgrade to 264 h.p. and 250 foot pounds of torque from the previous 244 h.p. and
245 foot pounds of torque. Good takeoff without hesitation, vital in a vehicle that often will be hauling lots of people and their stuff. Most noteworthy, however, is that the Touring Elite we tested now comes with a 6 speed automatic rather than a 5-speed. Thanks to engine tweaks and the 6-speed, the 3.5 is rated at 19 m.p.g. city/28 m.p.g. highway, a healthy improvement from 17/25 from the
previous model.
Being lower and wider contributes to good road grip while stability and traction control help keep it planted without unnecessary wiggle or wander. The lower profile also helps reduce wind noise as well as lean in corners.
Our test vehicle, also came equipped with navi system with traffic reports,
The base Odyssey touring starts at $27,800, while the EX starts at $30,950, and Touring at $40,755. The top of the line Touring Elite we tested starts at $43,250 and doesn't have any options. In addition to all the goodies already noted, the van comes with tThree-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, power moonroof, power seats, windows, (heated) mirrors and locks, rear window wiper/washer, remote entry, heat-rejecting glass, front/rear parking sensors, and front/rear air conditioning with humidity control and air filtration.
Honda forecasts growth in the mini van segment of about 13 percent through 2012 prompted by a "cultural shift underway with a younger generation more open to the concept and image of a minivan" and more people moving from vans as a practical purchase to seeing it as an emotional purchase prompted by all the goodies it delivers. Sounds like some psychologists have been enlisted by Honda.
2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite Wheelbase: 118.1 inches
Length: 202.9 inches
Engine: 3.5 liter, 248 h.p., 24 valve V-6.
Transmission: 6-speed automatic.
Mileage: 19 m.p.g. city/28 m.p.g. highway.
Base price: $43,250.
Price as equipped: Add $780 freight.