Honda Odyssey 2009 Review

Not so much
>>Legroom in third-row
>>Significant price increase over old model
>>Engine works hard

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5 /5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
-- the anti SUV peoplemover...
The rise of SUVs has had an impact on several segments across the car industry, most notably a decline in large car sales. But another victim has been peoplemovers, as more and more seven-seat SUVs capture buyer interest.

It's into this climate that Honda has launched its fourth-generation Odyssey. The company is aware of the changing trends but believes there is still a place for its new peoplemover. Honda is banking on its customers taking a stance on the stigma surrounding SUVs that spend all their time in the city and suburbs. 

"While the segment has lost sales to the seven-seat SUV market, our research tells us there are still a lot of people that don't want to be associated with large, heavy, four-wheel-drive SUVs for driving around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metro areas," explains Honda Australia's Senior Director, Lindsay Smalley.

"They don't like the image and they have a lifestyle that's primarily urban... We expect the Odyssey will continue its success in Australia."

Since the first generation was launched here in 1995 Honda has sold 22,000 Odysseys. It is targeting 100 sales per month for the new model (on sale now) through to the end of 2009.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- exchange rates hit bottom line but more goodies to boot...
Arguably the biggest and most significant change between the third and fourth-generation Odyssey is the price. Honda Australia admits it is being hit hard by the changes in the exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the Japanese Yen; the car being sourced from Japan.

In keeping with the out-going model there are only two variants, a regular and Luxury. The base car is now priced at $43,990 -- a $4700 increase over its predecessor and only $1800 less than the outgoing Luxury model. The new Luxury model starts at $49,990 which is a $4200 premium over the previous version.

There's not much Honda can do about the exchange rate, but the price increase takes away one of the main attractions of the third-generation Odyssey. It started under $40,000 and that made it a good value proposition for families looking for space and some Japanese sophistication. It will be interesting to see what impact the price hike has on sales in the current economic climate.

In mechanical terms, the specifications of the two models are all but identical (see MECHANICAL below) with the main differences confined to the interior comforts. Externally the changes are limited to the Luxury receiving 'Aero' front and rear bumpers as well as five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels; the base model rides on 16-inch alloys.

Interestingly, Honda says it expects 60 per cent of customers to choose the Luxury model in the first 12 months of the car's on-sale date. After the first year the company expects that pattern to flip with the basic model taking the majority of the orders.

MECHANICAL
-- a single powertrain that builds on the last generation...
Honda has kept things simple. There are no V6 or diesel engines on offer and the same four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission drivetrain is fitted to both Odyssey models.

The engine is an upgraded version of the 2.4-litre unit offered in the previous model. All the usual Honda features are fitted including Variable Valve Timing and Valve Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) to broaden the spread of power. The new engine produces 132kW at 6500rpm compared to the old model's 118kW at 5500. Torque is an identical 218Nm at 4500rpm when compared to the outgoing Odyssey.

Honda has also worked on reducing friction inside the engine in an effort to improve fuel consumption. Measures include special dot-pattern coating on the pistons and low-tension piston oil rings. Other changes are an optimized throttle bore for improved idle and high-ignition spark plugs.

The end result of all this fine-tuning is a Euro 4-compliant engine that runs on 91 RON petrol and returns economy figures of 8.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

Another 'loss' on the new model is the manual mode for the five-speed automatic gearbox. The overhauled unit is the only transmission available on either model. Although still based on the old car's gearbox, Honda says it has redesigned "nearly all of the major components" with a focus on improving fuel consumption.

While not riding on a new platform (instead relying on the third-generation chassis that was in turn based on the previous generation Accord), the new Odyssey features significant structural changes. The chassis has been stretched and stiffened to further enhance the wagon's trademark 'car-like' handling by keeping the centre-of-gravity as low as possible. Suspension remains double wishbone at the front and multi-link double wishbone at the rear.

Braking is handled by 302mm ventilated discs at the front with 305mm solid discs up back. Front anti-dive and rear anti-lift angles are utilised to reduce instability under heavy braking.

PACKAGING
-- plenty of seats without breeze-block proportions...
Styling was one of the biggest strengths of the third-gen Odyssey. Its low-slung stance made it a leader in the peoplemover class and was highlighted as one of the major reasons for the car's strong sales.

Honda's designers have tried to push that boundary further with the new Odyssey. The height remains low and sharp lines and sculpting give the car an aggressive stance that makes it stand out for most of its rivals.

The most noticeable changes are at the front, with a new deeply sculpted grille and narrow headlights creating a distinctive look. At the rear, the wheel arches have been flared and the tail lights are now horizontal to give the Odyssey a greater impression of width.

Another striking change is the A-pillars. They are now set further back along the car to improve the profile but they're also narrower to improve visibility for the driver. Ultra-high tensile strength steel is used to make the pillars 30 per cent narrower than the old model while also improving strength and rigidity.

Special attention was also paid to the view of the passengers. The second row seats have been moved towards the centre of the car by 25mm over the old car to create what Honda calls V-shaped seating.

The rest of the interior carries on the evolutionary pattern. The stereo and air-conditioning controls have been moved higher on the centre console for easier access.

In practical terms the tailgate opening is now lower and wider.

SAFETY
-- stability control at last...
While there have been cut-backs in several areas, there have also been some important additions. None more so than stability control (Vehicle Stability Assist -- VSA -- in Honda-speak) that is standard on both models. It packages up both anti-lock brakes and traction control. Previously the system wasn't even available as an option.

Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering is another new addition and it works with the stability control to provide assistance to driver steering inputs in the event of either understeer or oversteer.

Front, side and curtain airbags are standard on both models. Sensors mounted in the seats are able to detect the angle of impact and allow for the curtain airbag to deploy in the right time to protect the passengers from making impact with the interior.

Lap-sash seatbelts are now standard in all seats

COMPETITORS
-- a wider pool than you might first think and a Subaru lurks...
The list of competitors is getting longer as families look for not only greater practicality but better equipped and more stylish seven-seaters. In addition to the traditional peoplemovers rivals the Odyssey now has added competition from seven-seat SUVs and even some wagons such as the Holden Commodore Sportwagon.

One the peoplemover front the Kia Carnival leads the segment ahead of the long running favourite, the Toyota Tarago. Add those newer contenders that include the Citroen C4 Picasso, Dodge Journey, Kia Rondo, Hyundai iMax and Volkswagen Caddy Life and Honda faces a stiff challenge with the pricier Odyssey.

Perhaps the most direct challenger to the Odyssey is on its way Down Under in the shape of the new Subaru Exiga (more here). Although it will only be offered in six-seat configuration the Exiga will provide the same blend of wagon practicality but with a focus on 'car-like handling'. Subaru has promised a simple but well-equipped line-up when the car arrives in November to keep pricing competitive and Honda on its toes.

While the company is confident there are enough buyers out there who don't want to be associated with bigger, bulkier SUVs the fact remains that they are becoming more plentiful and an option for larger families.

Ford will soon release the facelifted Territory, Mazda has the CX-9, while Holden's Captiva is available with third-row seating. And importantly all three cars have been designed with urban driving as a priority. That means the Odyssey's key advantage, its 'car-like handling', is diminished by these new generation SUVs with improved handling.

ON THE ROAD
-- more torque please, but potentially the best in segment...
When we reviewed the third-generation Odyssey last year (more here) it was apparent that an upgrade was needed. While unquestionably a good car, it was beginning to show its age and was being passed over by newer peoplemovers.

The final verdict was it needed more torque, a suspension tweak and some additional creature comforts -- specifically multi-zone climate control and a trip computer.

Honda was either paying close attention to us or were aware of the Odyssey's shortcomings because many of those changes have been implemented. There is three-zone climate control, an information display with fuel economy and trip meter as well as the worked-over mechanical package.

Unfortunately the additional torque didn't arrive and instead the engine has to make do with more power. But the fact remains the engine needs more low-end torque. Honda's trademark i-VTEC means all the engine's thrust is locked away too high in the rev range.

The only way to tap into it is by burying your right foot and waiting for the engine to start screaming and that's probably not ideal if you have a car full of kids. This is where an optional V6 (or perhaps a low-pressure turbo four) would have been a useful addition. On a positive note, the 132kW of 2.4-litre four is enough to pull the 1700kg car along comfortably most of the time.

The strength of the third-generation model was its handling -- a dramatic improvement for peoplemovers. The low-slung wagon was designed with 'sedan-like handling' as the ultimate target.

It's worth remembering that there remains a big difference between car-like handling and handling actually as good as a car's. It is impossible to disguise the fact the Odyssey weighs more and is longer and higher than most sedans on the market today.

Once again the Honda engineers have done a good job, however. The suspension is compliant but without feeling soft or loose like many of its competitors. Instead the ride is well controlled and responsive giving you a feeling of confidence when pushing on. The same applies to the steering, which is direct and well weighted for such a large car.

All things considered, Honda has done a good job giving the Odyssey a makeover but the new car's sales prospects could be stymied by an unfavourable exchange rate that hands the advantage to cheaper competitors -- the very same competitors (in most cases) that were forced to improve because of the previous Odyssey...

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