8 February 2011
New car report: Space Odyssey
People movers don't always hit the exact spot they are aimed at. That is, to move a number of people in comfort and safety, with space to spread out and enough room for luggage.
Some are not much more than glorified commercial vans with windows cut into the side panels and a few seats bolted to the cargo floor. They can be noisy, cramped and uncomfortable.
However, Honda has hit the spot well with the 7 seat Odyssey. The two new models, Odyssey S and the more luxurious Odyssey L just released for 2009 would rate among the best all round purpose-built people movers money can buy.
The new Odyssey L we drove this week is quiet and smooth with numerous creature comforts including luxury leather interior. It is spacious enough for the extended family to travel in comfort and rides and drives like a conventional modern car, with all the safety features we've come to expect.
Grille and bumper styling treatments make for a modern aggressive look up front, and the clean, flat sided bodywork combined with the sloping roofline gives a long, slender appearance when viewed from the side.
The 60/40 split second row of seating has plenty of legroom and is complete with a fold down centre armrest, housing the all important cup holders. The seats tilt and slide forward on long runners to make way for easy entry and exit to the third row when additional passenger seating is required in the back.
The two seats in the third row disappear down into the rear floor electrically with the push of a button when the rear area is required for cargo stowage. The second row folds flat flat too, providing a huge amount of carrying space and making the Odyssey a truly practical, versatile vehicle.
The 133kW 2.4 litre i-VTEC petrol engine is smooth and quiet and provides adequate power delivery via a 5 speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels.
The dash-mounted gear shift lever incorporates a useful power button feature and the parking brake is operated by a floor mounted pedal.
Fuel economy is rated at 9.3 litres per 100km which is not super frugal by today's standards. Honda New Zealand claim the ability to get that figure down to 6.5 litres per 100 km, although we're not entirely convinced that's too realistic in real world driving conditions as during our return run from Auckland to Coromandel we struggled to achieve anything under 10 litres per 100km.
We can't help thinking that if ever there was a Honda crying out for the option of a diesel, this is it
There are high levels of equipment and safety features. Curtain Airbags are provided for all 3 rows of seats and Electronic Stability Control, ABS braking, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution with Brake Assist are standard for both the Odyssey L and S.
Motion Adaptive EPS (Electronic Power Steering) aids power assistance in the required direction should instant correction be needed due to instability through cornering, taking evasive action or in crosswinds.
Stylish 17" alloy wheels, Xenon HID low beam headlights, front fog lights electric driver's seat, 6 disc CD changer and glass sunroof are standard equipment for the Odyssey L, while the Odyssey S gets halogen headlights, 16" steel wheels and manual driver's seat adjustment.
Both models get tilt and rake adjustable steering column, cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls, 10 cup holders, coin pockets and a sunglass holder.
The audio system sound quality is acceptable, however the visual design of the unit is a little disappointing, with the big black square radio looking like something of an afterthought, sitting atop a stylish, harmoniously contoured modern dash.
For families, sports teams, businesses and anyone needing a vehicle capable of moving a number of people around in style and comfort, the Odyssey offers a very good people mover solution.
Honda's transparent pricing policy means that we are currently seeing fluctuations in pricing from shipment to shipment. Honda are quoting pricing from February 27th to March 31st 2009 (or until further notice) of $46,000 for the Odyssey S and $56,000 for the Odyssey L.