LONDON: Honda’s two versions of the Odyssey people-mover are simple and to the point. The base version, the $45,990 Odyssey S, has eight seats for maximum versatility. The top version, the $52,500 Odyssey L, adds the luxury of leather, more technology, and the freedom of seven seats.
Freedom? That’s an interesting description. Freedom from potentially having to carry three kids shoulder-to-shoulder along the bench seat that is the second row of seating in the S, perhaps?
Perhaps more to the point is the freedom that comes with sitting in excellent seats. With the Odyssey L, that second row is certainly not a bench seat. Instead there is a pair of so-called captain’s chairs, sumptuous leather-upholstered creations with armrests and footrests, and which can be reclined and slid forward and back to open up a massive amount of legroom.
In most respects these seats are identical to the two seats up front, except those ones are also electrically adjustable four ways, and heated.
What this all means is that this Odyssey is a people-mover that allows up to four people to luxuriate in those magnificent front and second-row seats. Oh – and if there is a requirement for more people to be carried, then there’s a third row that is a bench seat which means it is less comfortable, even though the upholstery is once again leather.
End result of all of this is that the Honda Odyssey L is a seven-seater people-mover, while the S is an eight-seater simple as that.
Both Odysseys are also powered by the same 2.4-litre petrol engine, their transmissions are same continuously variable automatic that can be operated manually using shift paddles on the steering wheel, and both models have identical suspension and steering setups.
But there is more to the L, which warrants the $7500 price difference between the two vehicles.
For starters, the L is slightly wider and heavier than the S, the extra width primarily because it has two electrically operated sliding side doors whereas the S has just the one, and the extra weight also because it has an electric glass sunroof. As a result, the L weighs in at 1841 kg compared to the S’s 1768 kg.
On the inside, the L is specified more towards luxury and safety than to sheer people-carrying capability.
For example it only has four child restraint anchorages while the S has five of them, and it has eight cupholders while the S has 10. But extras include satellite navigation, a smart proximity key with push-button start, an auto dimming rear view mirror, privacy blinds on the rear doors, a more comprehensive climate control air conditioning system with rear controls and rear floor vents, an aero sport kit, LEC headlights, exterior courtesy lamps, and the electric glass sunroof that can either tilt or slide.
The L also features more advanced active safety features than the S. These include Smart Parking Assist which uses cameras to give a 360 degree view around the vehicle, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-traffic warning. Overall this is a comprehensive selection of extra comfort and safety specification for the additional $7000 required to buy this particular Odyssey.
Powering Odyssey is a latest-generation 2.4-litre four cylinder petrol engine that offers 129 kilowatts of power and 225 newton metres of torque. This peak power is slightly less than what it was with the previous generation Odyssey, but it is reached at lower revs for better fuel efficiency. The torque is higher than before and also reached at lower revs, which improves the vehicle’s driveability.
The engine is mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, and it is a smooth operator even though it is guilty of reasonably noisy revolutions “flare” at times. But it can be used manually via paddles on the steering wheel – you move the gear lever from D into an S mode to use it this way. There’s also an ECON mode which alters the operation of the transmission, cruise control and air conditioning to help conserve fuel.
During the week we had the Odyssey L for road test we took it out on a day-long trip so we could luxuriate in those swanky front and middle-row seats. The drive proved to be a comfortable event, with the Honda offering an excellent driver position and very good visibilty for the person behind the wheel. However try as we might we couldn’t get the average fuel consumption below 8 L/100m, which was short of the official figure of 7.8 L/100km.
This new Honda remains a people-mover which obviously rides higher than your average sedan, but the ride and handling are surprisingly good. It proved a very easy vehicle in which to cover large numbers of kilometres. And that’s what should be expected with MPVs. The fact this particular model also features some of the best seats on the market adds to an excellent motoring experience.
