Honda’s Odyssey has been made by the Japanese manufacturer since 1994 and has been a popular minivan in North America ever since. It has also gained a loyal following in parts of Asia, although it is marketed in many other places around the world, too. Following the economic crisis in Japan of the nineties, the car giant were forced to impose severe constraints on the vehicle’s size and overall design which meant that car fitted into the burgeoning compact MPV class immediately that it was launched.
Since 1999, Honda has sold a slightly larger version, but it is the car’s economical design attributes which, for many, have meant that it has achieved continued success. With seats that are arranged in three rows, the Odyssey has a number of internal configurations that offer their owners’ a great deal of flexibility. The second row, for example, has a seating position called wide mode which means that two or three people can occupy it comfortably. The middle seat of the second row can be used with a seatback or as a kind of table when it folds down to reveal three cup holders and a tray for small items. The seats can also be laid flat or removed to produce a very handy cargo configuration that turns the car into a van.
The Odyssey has a powerful six speed automatic transmission which offers an even spread of power when accelerating. This contributes to the car’s impressive fuel economy rating which is delivered by Honda’s 24-valve, 3.5 litre i-VTEC engine.