Honda Odyssey is an all-wheel drive minivan manufactured by the Japanese company Honda. The car appeared in 1995 as a result of the manufacturer entering the international automobile market with family cruise class models. The Honda concern sought to occupy its niche in the world market in the sector of 8-seater cars. And he succeeded fully - the success of Japanese minivans in the North American market and within Japan itself exceeded all expectations. Several times the model was nominated for the Best Minivan Award and received awards.
The emergence of a new model
The car "Honda-Odyssey" was created on the platform of the popular model Honda Accord, which borrowed the engine, transmission and some elements of the front suspension. The choice was successful, as the parameters allowed to reach the overall standards of American cars. The model was well received in the United States, not least due to the flexibility of Honda engineering, which equipped the minivan with a stylish steering wheel speed switch, which was fashionable in America at that time.
After the model was approved in the American automobile market, the Honda Odyssey transmission was redesigned and the car was equipped with an exclusively automatic transmission. Simultaneously with the improvement of the transmission, the steering mechanism received an efficient hydraulic booster, which increased its sensitivity by an order of magnitude. At the same time, the center of gravity of the car was significantly reduced , the suspension became more energy-intensive, and in general the model was already positioned as a family-class minivan, but with a sporty character.
The Odyssey model today
Currently, the Honda Odyssey, which is simply amazing reviews, is made in Japan and China, in Canada and the United States, with left and right hand drive, depending on the region of operation. If we analyze customer reviews over the entire history of car production, the percentage of positive and negative opinions will be approximately 100: 2.
For the Japanese market, the minivan was produced until 2003 under the name Honda Odyssey Prestige, the model was equipped with a three-liter engine with a V-shaped arrangement of cylinders. Then came the modification of the Honda Odyssey Absolute, a semi-sports version that immediately began to enjoy unprecedented demand.
First generation
In the European automobile market, the first generation Odyssey is known as the Honda Shuttle. This model was produced for four years, from 1995 to 1999, in the UK, but was not in demand due to the size excessive for England. Later, the model was replaced with a modification of the Honda Stream. In the US market, the Honda Odyssey was sold as an Isuzu Oasis. The model was widely used as a taxi in New York.
Second generation
In 1999, the Odyssey was deeply restyled, and first-generation cars are a thing of the past. Honda Odyssey cars of the second generation came to the fore with a spacious interior, three rows of comfortable seats and wide swing doors. The power plant was offered in two versions: SONC VTEC or DONC VTEC engines. The first is a 4-cylinder, 2.3-liter, the second is a three-liter, reliable and economical engine.
Another minivan modernization took place in 2001, when the Absolute model appeared, which was oriented to the European market for its main characteristics, including increased ground clearance and lateral stability of the entire undercarriage, which was important when operating on narrow European Roads in conditions of increased load cabin and trunk.
Third generation
The third generation of the Honda Odyssey model (the reviews were mostly positive) were produced from 2003 to 2008. As a result of a number of improvements, the car became even more popular, overtaking sales of its predecessors, which were made earlier. The 2003 minivan became lower, its height was 1550 mm, which allowed the car to park in multi-tier parking lots, which limited the entry of cars according to height criteria.
To maintain the level of comfort in the cabin, the floor had to be lowered, and new technologies were used that were used to build the body of the Honda Fit model. The methodology has fully justified itself, but at the same time there is a need to reprofile the fuel tank. The changes also affected suspensions, which acquired more compact characteristics.
Car development
The novelty of the saloon arrangement of the minivan was the transformation of the third-row seats, which went under the floor, due to which the volume of the luggage compartment increased significantly. In addition, by reducing the height of the body, the outline contours of the exterior of the Honda Odyssey model, the photo of which is presented in the article, took on a rapidly-aggressive look, the car acquired obvious signs of sportiness. A 17-inch wheels only reinforced the impression of the swiftness of the car. The engine, a highly dynamic four-cylinder DOHC, with a volume of 2.3 liters and a capacity of 185 liters, also contributed to the sporting image of the model. from.
The engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission type CVT, automatic design, but with the ability to manually switch modes using levers on the steering column. The system simulates the operation of a 7-speed gearbox.
Honda Odyssey specifications in 2003 had the following:
- length - 4830 mm;
- width - 1958 mm;
- height - 1550 mm;
- wheelbase - 2900 mm.
Fourth generation: minivan "Odyssey-Absolute", semi-sports modification
What has this model become? The new modification of the car "Honda-Odyssey", the model "Absolute", produced since 2008. The car has been updated in terms of exterior design has become more modern. The power plant remained the same, but the characteristics of the engine have changed in the direction of increasing power. The 2.4-liter engine develops 186 liters. from. at a torque of 4300 rpm. The body is equipped with new aerodynamic elements, the wheels also became larger, their size reached the 18-inch mark.
Vehicle interior
The car interior is equipped in an impeccable style, the dashboard is two-tiered, all gauges are equipped with three-dimensional illumination, the management of the interior systems is logical and rational. At hand are the buttons for switching climate control, navigation devices and an audio quad-system. The front seats are covered with moisture-absorbing material and are made with the latest ergonomics. The adjustment options for the seats and backs are expanded, which allows to achieve a greater level of comfort. The steering column is adjustable in two directions - in height and inclination relative to the horizontal line of the floor.
The fourth-generation Honda Odyssey car interior seats seven people, not counting the driver. The seats are arranged in such a way that the surrounding space is clearly visible when moving the machine from anywhere in the cabin. Wide windows, both side and windshield, contribute to the review. The car is equipped with many options to help the driver navigate in difficult road conditions, such as intensive traffic on a multi-lane highway, when parking or when driving at an unregulated intersection.
The latest generation of Honda Odyssey specifications
In 2013, the fifth generation model was created at the Tokyo Motor Show, created on an updated platform, with a fundamentally new gasoline engine. The design of the car has noticeably changed in the direction of futurism fashionable today, an ultramodern radiator grille has appeared, the front of the car has radically changed. The rear doors became sliding, which is dictated by the tense conditions of city parking. The minivan has noticeably grown up, the height of the car has increased to 1685 mm, that is, by 135 mm, this is a rather significant addition, the level of comfort of the cabin space has increased. The Honda Odyssey, whose photo speaks of the perfection of modern automotive design, continues to be considered one of the best cars in the world.
Odyssey and Formula 1
The power plant of the new model is a DOHC i-VTEC engine with injection injection, 2.4-liter cylinder capacity, developing a capacity of up to 185 liters. from. The transmission is a non-alternative variator, consisting of seven conditionally virtual gears, manually switched by means of the petals on the steering column. The technology is borrowed from Formula 1 racing cars in a simplified version.
The arrangement of seats in the cabin involves the transformation of seats to accommodate seven or eight passengers, depending on the duration of the trip and the overall load of the car. Sales of the Honda Odyssey model of the latest generation have already begun in Japan and in several Asian countries in the price range from 25 300 to 26 500 dollars (depending on configuration). In the United States, a new car is not yet available.
So, in our article, an overview of the car you are interested in and its full description was given. The Honda Odyssey of the latest generation is a recognition of the achievements of the Japanese concern Honda.