- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
2.4i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
132kW, 218Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 8.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Odyssey gets six of the best
For: Power, refinement, user friendly.
Against: Front seats lack support, price prohibitive, only six seats.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
Honda has raised the stakes in the people mover market. The Japanese company has succeeded in delivering a one-box people mover with the performance, refinement and dynamic ability to satisfy most car owners.
Until now, people wanted the space and practicality of a people mover but refused to cop the on-road compromises these tall, often van-derived, models offered.
The dynamic standard has improved in recent years, but people movers were still a bit noisy and often too slow.
Buy a V6 Odyssey and the performance problem disappears. With a 3.0-litre V6 engine that develops a strong 154kW and 270Nm of torque and driving through a five-speed automatic transmission, the range-topping Odyssey has bags of acceleration on tap.
With maximum torque coming in at 5000rpm you won't be surprised to hear that it works best with some revs on board, but it still can get the 1653kg bus to boogie off the line. In the wet, the driver can get the front wheels spinning with little provocation; traction control would be nice.
The gearbox only adds to the driving enjoyment with the five-speed automatic offering class-leading changes and the option of "tiptronic"-style manual control. The gearlever sits high on the centre console and falls easily to hand, encouraging you to take charge of the gearchanging duties.
Fortunately this performance potential is met by a fairly sophisticated double wishbone suspension set-up front and back. It gives the car above-average handling, with its on-road ability approaching that of a well-sorted passenger car.
The steering also helps here, remaining fairly firm and direct, taking just 3.0 turns lock-to-lock.
Over bumps, the double wishbone suspension does a generally good job and in terms of comfort the car is again at the top of the people-mover class, although the rear suspension can clatter over mid-size obstacles. But, as with all machines of this type, its large one-box cabin does generate a little more tyre and suspension thump than a sedan.
The second-generation Odyssey sits on the same wheelbase as before but it is 10mm wider and a significant 85mm longer than the original model. The front and rear tracks (width between the wheels) have also been pushed out further, helping to increase passenger and load space.
Buy the V6, however, and you only get six seats - one more than most cars - with the middle row bench of the four-cylinder version replaced by two "captain's chairs". The low floor makes getting in and out of this people mover a breeze and once inside passengers and driver will find there is lots of head and legroom, even for those in the two-seat rear bench.
The flat, uncluttered floor also allows "walk through" between the front and back. A small tray can be locked into place between the front and middle seats for storage space. However, there isn't a decent place to store a mobile.
Leather trim is standard and while the seats are comfortable, the driver in particular will notice that the seat cushion is wide and flat and lacks under-thigh support. Being leather you also tend to slide around during cornering.
Access to the middle row is by conventional, rather than sliding, doors and the tailgate is big, but light enough to close without too much effort.
If you fancy turning the Odyssey into a load carrier, the third-row seat neatly folds - with the headrest in place - into the floor, although it does leave a noticeable step down to the centre-floor section. The middle seats can't be removed but they do slide forward and fold out of the way.
With the third row seat in place there is decent enough cargo room, helped by the fact that the spare wheel now hides under the floor. In the superseded car it sat proud and ate into load space.
The cabin is kept cool by a dual, dial-a-temperature air-conditioning system that provides roof outlets for the passengers. Neat equipment touches include radio controls on the steering wheel and an in-dash, six-stack CD player. However, it pumps through only four speakers. The foot-operated park brake is easy to use.
The V6 Odyssey is a class leader but it comes at a price. At $52,500 it puts the V6 model about $7000 above the mainstream mostly-four-cylinder players and with just six seats it is limited in the people-moving stakes. But if you can afford it, the V6 Odyssey brings a new level of refinement and power to what has been a fairly uninspiring class.
Nuts 'n' Bolts
HONDA ODYSSEY V6
How much? $52,500 (auto)
Insurance: Premium $500, $400 excess (RACV wholly owned, driver 30 plus, rating one, medium risk suburb)
Warranty: 3 years/100,000km
Engine: 2.997-litre, SOHC, 32-valve, all-alloy V6. 154kW at 5800rpm and 270Nm at 5000rpm
Transmission: Five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Steering: rack and pinion, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle 11.5m
Brakes: Ventilated discs front, discs rear
Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, stabiliser bar, front and rear
Wheels/Tyres: Alloy 16 x 6.5-inch, 215/60
How big? Length 4845mm, width 1800mm, height 1630mm, wheelbase 2830mm
How heavy? 1653kg
How thirsty? 13.0L/100km, regular unleaded. Fuel tank 65 litres
Equipment: Airbags - yes, dual front; anti-lock brakes - yes; air-conditioning - yes, dual system; cruise control - yes; central locking - yes, remote; power windows/mirrors - yes; security - yes, immobiliser; sound system - AM/FM radio cassette, CD stacker, four speakers; cup holders - yes, six.