Honda Odyssey VTi-L 2016 Review

Honda Odyssey VTi-L
Quick Spin

What’s it all about?
Honda’s Odyssey has been around in its current fifth-generation form since early 2014 and, apart from a downwards price adjustment in February 2015, and a more recent silly fiddle with smartphone GPS, has remained largely unchanged.

It contributes with mild significance to Honda sales, behind HR-V, Jazz, CR-V and Civic, but ahead of City and Accord. It’s more influential in its market segment, where it offers a cheap entry price and, with 1628 sales recorded so far this year, is bettered only by Kia’s Carnival on the scoreboard.

In top-tier, seven-seat VTi-L form as reviewed here, its price undercuts rivals such as the Carnival and the recently price-trimmed Tarago, but is marginally ahead of Citroen’s Grand C4 Picasso.

Despite its keen pricing ($46,040 plus on-road costs), the VTi-L Odyssey isn’t left wanting for standard equipment.

It comes with LED projector beam headlights, active cornering lights, proper built-in GPS, power sunroof, front/rear climate control operation, push-button ignition, leather trim, heated and powered front seats, powered sliding doors, two-passenger “captain’s chair” mid-row seating, self-parking (including a bird’s eye view camera system), blind-spot and cross-traffic monitors, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The warranty/servicing is class-competitive at three years / 100,000km and the (capped-price) servicing slightly less customer-friendly at six-month / 10,000km intervals.

Buyers also need to opt for a special Warranty Plus plan to get roadside assist.

For a big vehicle weighing more than 1800kg, the Odyssey steers quite accurately and offers a nice, unflustered, long-wheelbase ride. It cruises with ease over sharp undulations that would upset many sedan cars.

Not so satisfying is the normally aspirated 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine which needs 6200rpm to develop its maximum 129kW and 4000rpm to produce 225Nm. The CVT transmission works hard to get the best out of it, but in the end the Odyssey is a somewhat torpid performer.

But it’s big and comfy inside, with heaps of room in the first and second rows, as well as a deep 330-litre boot available even when the maximum seven passengers are on board. The third-row seating is more spacious than most, too, and the powered sliding doors are a worthwhile bonus.

Fuel economy on test was 9.6L/100km – well short of the claimed 7.6L/100km

When is it available in Australia?
The fifth-generation Odyssey is available, as a base VTi ($37,610 plus on-road costs,) or in VTi-L form as reviewed here, at Honda dealers around the country.

For sheer value the Honda Odyssey VTi-L is a tempting proposition in the larger people mover segment.

Dimensionally, it sits (marginally) above the Toyota Tarago and (a bit more) above Citroen’s C4 Grand Picasso but is overshadowed by Kia’s Carnival and Volkswagen’s enormous Multivan.

Big families will likely go for the eight-seat VTi, but if it’s maximum luxury you’re after then the extra eight grand or so is well spent and you’ll still be outlaying considerably less than you would on most of its rivals.

The Odyssey will tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1000kg, which is pretty handy.

As we’ve mentioned, Honda has priced the Odyssey very well. It’s at the lower end of the spectrum yet, in VTi-L form, is undeniably luxurious.

As a family vehicle, the VTi-L is made easier to live with via functions such as the self-parking, blind-spot monitoring and variable-view cameras that enable the driver to place it with some accuracy in tight situations, while being aware of surrounding traffic out on the road.

That is all clearly indicated by the Honda’s strong position on the sales charts, way ahead of all (Toyota Tarago, Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, Hyundai iMax and Volkswagen Multivan) except the Kia Carnival.

Choosing a favourite Odyssey, I’d personally go for the low-slung third-generation model from 2003. But if we’re talking about maximum utility combined with high-tech influences it’s not possible to go past the almost gawky-looking current model.

As a people mover it’s thoroughly competent, with excellent road manners, heaps of room for passengers and luggage and, in VTi-L trim, it’s pretty well fitted out too.

2016 Honda Odyssey VTi-L pricing and specifications:
Price: $46,040 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 129kW/225Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 178g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Kia Carnival (from $41,490 plus ORCs)
>> Volkswagen Multivan (from $49,990 plus ORCs)
>> Citroen Grand C4 Picasso (from $44,990 plus ORCs)

Related reading:
>> Honda Odyssey Review
>> Honda Odyssey v Citroen Grand C4 Picasso