Globe and Mail: The gold standard for minivans, from the inside out

JEREMY CATO
Globe and Mail Update

First, a few words about the flip-up trash ring. It is ingenious and yet so simple: a small ring attached to the centre stack, it pops into a hoop perfect for fitting a typical plastic grocery bag.

You’ll find it in the 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan. Minivans, of course, are for family road trips where trash collects like dust balls under your sofa. In the Odyssey, it collects in the hanging trash bag, rather than all over everywhere. Why didn’t some other auto maker think of this?
Honda did, and it also thought about loading up the Odyssey’s cabin with cubbies for organizing all the junk minivan users collect. Over there you’ll find little slots, over here useful crannies and big drop-down holders litter the insides.

As you might expect, we’re going to focus this discussion about the new Odyssey from the inside out. Yes, the Odyssey delivers a fantastic ride, passes every safety crash test with flying colours, provides an excellent resale value, has a smooth engine with lots of power and even is relatively fuel-efficient.

But none of that matters if the minivan fundamentals are lacking. By that I mean, a minivan is first and foremost a kind of garage/family room/kitchen on wheels. A great minivan is durable and reliable – expect to find those qualities in the Odyssey – while also practical and useful for active families who need a kind of Swiss Army knife of a ride.

So even though I find the exterior design of the 2011 Odyssey bizarre in the extreme, I love everything else about it. The exterior styling is weird, for sure, but the Odyssey still is the gold standard of minivans. And with the pricing starting at $29,990, it is not obscenely out of reach for most families – unless you want the $46,990 Touring version.

But I digress.

Let’s put the spotlight on the seats. Fantastic. The fronts are thickly and firmly padded and if you can’t find a comfortable position you either have oddball dimensions or you haven’t tried hard enough. After hours and hours on the road you should arrive relaxed, with no complaints from your legs and back.

The passengers in back should have no complaints, either. The second and third rows are nearly as comfortable as the fronts. They provide lots of leg room for adults or kids.

Speaking of kids, if you have an infant in a baby seat, the second row allows you to pull the centre section forward to within easy reach. Moms and dads can tend to little ones without unbuckling. How clever is that?

At the very back, the fold-flat third row opens up cargo space for luggage or other stuff. Yes, you can fold up the second row if you need a panel truck for hauling home stuff from the building supply store.

Alas, all is not perfect. For such a clever company, Honda has trouble creating simple navigation systems. The Odyssey’s is overly complicated, in fact. Why, for instance, are points of interest listed by distance, instead of placing an icon on the map?

And another thing: why is the 110-volt outlet in the third row? Who at Honda thinks it’s a good idea to stretch power cords across the minivan if someone further forward wants to plug in a computer? Moreover, if you have a grounded plug, bring your adapter; the outlet is a two-pronged design.

I’d like to say that driving the Odyssey makes up for the missing ground plug and the not entirely simple navi. So I will. Minivans do not get any better than this. The ride is quiet and comfortable and the 248-horsepower V-6 has lots of muscle.

Not to be overlooked is Honda’s variable cylinder management system. It saves fuel by turning off two or three cylinders when they are not needed. I defy you to identify when these transitions are occurring. Honda’s engineers are so, so clever.

The top-of-the-line Touring model, with the six-speed automatic transmission (versus five-speed in lesser versions) is rated at 10.9 litres/100 km in the city, 7.1 highway, using regular gas. Not bad, given it weighs a portly 2,070 km.

It really is a shame that such a well-packaged, powerful, handy-to-drive van looks like this. Who exactly came up with this lightning bolt beltline? And exactly why did Honda drop the third-row window? Frankly, this minivan looks like it was styled by engineers rather than artists.

The good news is that the Odyssey is wide and lower and long and thus it is roomy and comfortable. This minivan is so good in so many thoroughly practical ways, it’s easy to overlook the grafted-on look of the side doors and that lightning bolt thing.

If you want a minivan that is durable, reliable, safe and as entertaining to drive as a minivan can be, if you want a van with the best acceleration in its class and shortest stopping distance, then that’s the Odyssey.

And did I mention the flip-up trash thing? Brilliant.

Tech specs
2011 Honda Odyssey Touring
Type: Minivan
Price: $46,990 ($1,590 freight)
Engine: 3.5-litre V-6
Horsepower/torque: 248 hp/250 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Drive: Front-wheel
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 10.9 city/7.1 highway; regular gas

Alternatives: Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country, Mazda5, Kia Sedona, Volkswagen Routan

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/reviews/the-gold-standard-for-minivans-from-the-inside-out/article2021586/print/

2011 Honda Odyssey Achieves Historic Safety Milestone

Odyssey becomes the only minivan to earn top U.S. safety ratings from both IIHS and NHTSA under more-stringent testing guidelines

MARKHAM, ON, March 22 /CNW/ - The 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan achieved a historic safety milestone, becoming the first and only minivan to earn the highest possible U.S. safety ratings from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under their respective more-stringent testing guidelines. No other minivan this year has received both a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK award from IIHS and an "Overall Vehicle Score1" of five stars from NHTSA.

The Odyssey was recently named a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK from IIHS, the U.S.-based institute's highest honour. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in IIHS tests, as well as having a standard electronic stability control system. The Odyssey earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test.

In addition to earning the TOP SAFETY PICK designation, the Odyssey was one of the first vehicles to achieve NHTSA's best-possible "Overall Vehicle Score" of five stars. The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the U.S. government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. The Odyssey achieved its top "Overall Vehicle Score" with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests2 in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. The Odyssey also received four stars for the rollover rating3.

All 2011 Odyssey vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new 3-mode second-row seat design that is more comfortable for centre passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-litre i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering a city/highway/combined fuel economy of 11.7/7.2/9.7 on the LX, EX and EX-L models and 10.9/7.1/9.2 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper and much more.

The 2011 Odyssey is truly a North American-made vehicle - designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S. The Odyssey is produced exclusively at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama using domestic and globally sourced parts.

# # #

Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs). Vehicles tested under this program cannot be compared to model-year 2010 and earlier vehicles. Ratings can only be compared with similar ratings on model year 2011 and later vehicles if rated under the new program.

Includes a new, additional test mode for side-pole impact.
Vehicle tested includes electronic stability control as standard equipment, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Honda and Acura vehicles.

Source;
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2011/22/c5464.html

Honda Odyssey, Safest Minivan for 2011

As a testimony to the way in which Honda's new Odyssey minivan has been designed, two of America's most renowned safety organizations, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have both given the model their highest scores in the crash test conducted this year. The achievement, in the case of other models not surprising, comes to establish the Odyssey as the first and single minivan to have achieved top scores from both organizations this year.

Both of the organizations crash tested the Odyssey in the beginning of the year, but only now the Japanese car maker can safely say that their vehicle is the best in its class as far as the safety of the occupants go. The new Odyssey, launched last year, is Honda's take on a segment that, because of the competition, is growing harder and harder to control. Several important players fight for a piece of the market that stands for a whole lot more in the US than in Europe.

Honda's Odyssey, seen by the manufacturer who produces it as one of the most successful minivans it has ever made, is trying to build on the all-American appeal by being designed and engineered in the US and assembled at the Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) plant, using mostly domestic parts.

For the new model year, Honda has tweaked the model a bit, adding little extras like a more powerful 3.5l i-VTEC V6 engine (248 hp), a new 3-mode second-row seat design or a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-odyssey-safest-minivan-for-2011-33127.html

Inside Line: 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Long-Term Test

By Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor Published Feb 28, 2011

Our staff is growing up. We've got two new babies and a new hire with a 5-year-old, so it seems fitting that our long-term test fleet should add a little bulk. In the spirit of baby announcements, please join us in welcoming the 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring to our growing family. This rather large delivery took place on February 1, weighing in at 4,541 pounds and measuring 202.9 inches.

What We Got
There are five Honda Odyssey trim levels, with our Touring model ranking second only to the Touring Elite. Included with our Topaz Metallic minivan are 18-inch alloy wheels, dual power-sliding doors, a power liftgate, a sunroof, foglights, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, memory settings for the driver, retractable third-row sunshades — deep breath — a fold-down armrest for third-row passengers and both the navigation and rear-seat entertainment systems. Opting for the range-topping Touring Elite would've added xenon headlights, a blind-spot warning system, an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system with a 16-inch HD widescreen video monitor (with HDMI input) and a premium 650-watt, 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.

Like all 2011 Odysseys, ours is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 248 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Touring and Touring Elite models get a six-speed automatic, while lower trims make do with a five-speed. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 19 city/28 highway mpg and 22 mpg in combined driving.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring is priced at $41,535 with no notable options to kick that figure higher. That makes our latest addition the second most expensive minivan on the market — $2,495 less than the Odyssey Touring Elite. Fortunately, Honda provided the car to us for 12 months, so those children of Edmunds still have a college fund.

Why We Got It
The entire minivan segment has seen significant revisions or complete redesigns for the 2011 model year, and the new Honda Odyssey benefits from a roomier interior, better fuel economy and a longer list of features.

In our most recent minivan comparison test, the Odyssey (in midrange EX trim) tied for 2nd with the new Nissan Quest. The 1st-place Toyota Sienna SE is already in our long-term fleet. Before the Sienna, the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan was the last minivan in our lot. While the new DGC is a vast improvement, it still finished last in the comparison test.

This latest long-termer addition is almost $10,000 more than the Odyssey EX from the comparison, with plenty of other bells and whistles to evaluate. Are these added features worth it? Do they function as advertised? These are questions that we hope to answer in the next year.
In our reviews, we list the Odyssey's agile handling, fuel economy, quiet cabin, configurable second-row seat and easy-to-fold third-row seat among its strengths. On the other end of the spectrum, we count the high sticker price and button-heavy dash among its drawbacks. We'll see how these hold up during the next 12 months and 20,000 miles.

Follow the long-term road test blog for updates about our 2011 Honda Odyssey.

Current Odometer: 1,373
Best Fuel Economy: 23.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20.8 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/odyssey/2011/2011-honda-odyssey-touring-long-term-test.html

2011 Honda Odyssey Earns Best-Possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in More-Stringent Federal Government Crash Test Safety Rating Program

01/27/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.
The all-new 2011 Honda Odyssey has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) best-possible Overall Vehicle Score1 of five stars and is one of the first two vehicles ever to earn five stars in each seating position for all three crash tests, each crash test category and the overall rating, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The Odyssey joins the 2011 Accord Sedan as one of the few vehicles to date that achieves the federal government's best-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score and five stars in the combined frontal and side crash safety ratings.

The Odyssey achieved its top Overall Vehicle Score with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests2 in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. Additionally, the Odyssey received four stars for the rollover rating3, the highest achievable in the light-truck vehicle class using the program's measurement methodology.

The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. As a convenience to new car shoppers, the Overall Vehicle Score represents the combined results of the overall ratings from the frontal crash tests, the side crash tests and the rollover-resistance into a single, summary score between one and five stars. Additional information is available at www.safercar.gov.

Complete NCAP safety rating results for the 2011 Odyssey are:

All 2011 Odyssey vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new "3-mode" second-row seat design that is more comfortable for center passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering an EPA-estimated4 city/highway/combined fuel economy of 19/28/22 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper, integration of FM traffic data on navigation models and much more.

The 2011 Odyssey is truly an American-made vehicle – designed, engineered and assembled in the United States. The Odyssey is produced exclusively at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) using domestic and globally sourced parts.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/2011-honda-odyssey-earns-best-possible-5-star-overall-vehicle-score-in-more-stringent-federal-government-crash-test-safety-rating-program

Consumer Reports Test complete: 2011 Honda Odyssey EX-L

“Mocked as Uncool, the Minivan Rises Again,” proclaims the headline in the recent New York Times’ business section. Long maligned for their dowdy image and shunted to the sidelines as buyers were attracted to SUVs, minivans are experiencing something of a sales resurgence.

Maybe buyers are rediscovering the appeal of minivans: no other vehicle offers their combination of passenger and cargo space, drivability, refinement, and fuel economy. It’s also entirely likely that sales are up because there is fresh product. Every player in the market has been redesigned or updated in the last 18 months.

That includes the Honda Odyssey, currently the top-selling minivan. Trying to appeal to a new generation of buyers who previously wouldn’t be caught dead in a minivan, the redesigned Odyssey has much more swoopy styling and some new interior features. But as our test shows, a minivan that is now more interesting to look at isn’t necessarily more entertaining to drive.

Watch the video for highlights from our testing, and visit the Honda Odyssey model overview page for complete pricing, reliability, road test, and more.

—Tom Mutchler

Source;
Consumer Reports

2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite vs. 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE Comparison Test

Excellent comparison done by Inside Line, I included the final part of the artical....


Crowning the Ultimate Minivan
Though they have different personalities, the 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite and 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE both offer smart, relevant designs in packages that go a long way toward accommodating every possible desire of the modern family. There isn't another vehicle class that's so singularly focused on the very details that make it perfect for the target customer.

Sure, some say the 2011 Honda Odyssey looks like a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer. Others criticize its beltline hitch and not-so-subtle door-slider track, but whether you're talking about seating configuration or slalom performance, the Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is the ultimate minivan of 2011.

Sienna detractors might say it looks like a hospital gurney with a satin sheet thrown over it, and that it handles like a gurney to boot. However, if you're looking for an extremely low-impact, smooth and quiet minivan (or one with a four-cylinder engine or all-wheel drive), there's good reason to consider a 2011 Toyota Sienna.

The Odyssey Touring Elite is the better overall value, though, as its boatload of features easily offsets its price disadvantage versus the Toyota Sienna XLE. Moreover, the Honda's road manners will win the heart of any car-guy-turned-family-man. Forget crossovers. The 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is the closest thing there is to an eight-passenger sport sedan.

Source;
http://www.insideline.com/honda/odyssey/2011/2011-honda-odyssey-touring-elite-vs-2011-toyota-sienna-xle-comparison-test.html