Road Test: Honda Odyssey

Review by Peter Maniatis - 02/September/2009

Comfort is the word that personifies the Honda Odyssey. For a passenger car, there is not much about the car that gives it away as an an in your face people mover, apart from the third row of seats.

The styling is sports-wagon, the ride is comfortable saloon, the interior is elegance, comfort and modern, the engine, well, it's refined Honda technology although a little underpowered for mine.

The fourth-generation Odyssey is superior to the third-generation, which was a four-time winner of ‘Best People Mover’ in Australia’s Best Car Awards - the only vehicle to achieve this record in the award’s history.

Drive: 4/5

It is a pleasurable and “easy” car to drive, which makes it quite perfect for those drop offs to school or longer trips to the country to visit family and friends.

Engine: 3/5

The engine, although a little underpowered, is quiet and has enough power to get you around adequately without guzzling too much petrol and without making too much noise. The automatic transmission changes effortlessly and seems to be well matched for the torque required getting around town without struggling or changing at the wrong time.

In my opinion, Honda's V6 would be a perfect match for this car in the Australian market.

Although Honda has done well in creating a refined engine with enough get up and go for normal driving.

I find that Honda engines can tend to be highly-strung and but work to perfection in such a small capacity. Somehow Honda has managed to create a perfect balance between responsive handling braking and comfort, making the Honda Odyssey great for city maneuverability as well as highway driving.

The steering controls are very responsive without being too twitchy on the road. You get a real sense of safety and assuredness. Braking is firm, yet well refined and the ABS works a treat (didn't have to use them much but on testing did the trick)

This car has all the refinement and technological advancement that the Holden Commodore Sportwagon doesn't but without the option of an engine that would make the middle class working dad proud to pull up in it at the weekend footy game and take his heavy set mates back home for drinks.

Exterior: 3.5/5

I like the new styling of the Odyssey. The front grill is very sporty and modern as well as the rear lights being less gaudy and an eyesore as in previous models.

The wheels and general look of the car are more in line with a modern family car that can move around seven people.

One thing I would say is a must in any car these days is “rear sensors”, the Odyssey didn't have them, which made parking a task. Honda should think about making them a standard feature in a car like this.

Although, I was surprised how close I could get to the rear car when parallel parking. I felt like I was on top of the car behind me but still had a foot or two to maneuver, which was surprising.

Driving at night the xenon headlamps clear the way as if it were day, making visibility clear which is a plus.

Interior: 4/5

I must say Honda have out done themselves in the interior department, interior is simply gorgeous.

The seats are made from “real” leather and are comfortable, especially the front seats. Personalised arm rests for both sides of the driver and front passenger seats are quite comfortable and relaxing for the arms over long trips.

Instrumentation is clear without being too techno as in the previous versions of the Odyssey. The Blue dash lights are soothing and not to harsh on the eye. I have come to like the overall layout of the dash and interior much more than previous models.

The blue instrumentation lighting is extended to the vehicles interior, with blue lighting across some of the door trims. Which is good at night when you are getting in and out of the car, plus it looks rather stylish also.

There is a sense of being in a cockpit with this Honda. The set up (seats, instrumentation, comfort) give you a great sense of control and safety. Have I mentioned that this is a very comfortable car to drive!

Anyone who needs seven seats and does not want to drive a heavy 4WD and does not want to look like they are driving a people mover, then the Honda Odyssey is for you. There is lots of room in the middle and a third row for bigger kids and adults.

Now I'm not sure if I was operating them correctly or not, but the second row seat can be a little tricky when trying to fold it down to get into the rear, there is some real tension in the spring mechanism that could bop an unsuspecting head or two if you get in its way and is probably not the smartest set up for getting into the 3rd row seating.

Overall: 4/5

 The underlying element of Honda refinement is found throughout this car without it being too tacky and tinny.

They made driving easy, comfortable and relaxing which I ended up taking for granted until I had to get back in my normal car and realized how really “pleasurable” the Odyssey was to drive.

This car would well suit mums and dads with a young family who want to take a few extra kids or grandparents around on school journeys or longer trips. As it has such a large capacity, I think Honda has done well to cater for its intended market.

Although, as mentioned, the engine probably lets it down a little when carrying a full load or there are too many “big” people in the car.

I think Honda could be on a real winner, if they offered the Odyssey in a V6 (Honda Accord).

In short, I like it, I liked driving it around, I like the style and it carried seven people comfortably.