Standing like an elongated and supersized CR-V, the all-new Odyssey was designed to stand out from the multitude of MPV's in the market. What they came up with was something they call “dynamic monovolume” which is the combination of the sloping front and the tapered rear, plus its distinctive “lightning bolt” beltline.
But the Odyssey's real strongpoint is not in its form, but its function. They've created it to become the “Ultimate Family Vehicle" by bundling chic new styling, class-leading performance, advance family safety, and ultimate utility in one complete package.
The Odyssey boasts seating for 8 full-sized passengers. And because its longer, wider, and taller than the Honda Accord, everyone should have more than enough shoulder and leg room to wiggle around. The ground clearance is then kept low so that second and third row passengers will be able to get in and out with ease. As an added bonus, the sliding doors and the tailgate are all powered and can be opened or closed with a touch of a button.
Well-prepped for long out-of-town trips, the Odyssey comes with a tri-zone auto climate control, 15 cup holders, and a cooler thats' big enough to fit six soda cans. Supplying all the beats during the ride is a seven-speaker single CD in-dash sound system with USB, AUX, and Bluetooth audio streaming connectivity. Plus, its got a 2GB flash memory CD library and a subwoofer to boot.
To lug around 2-tones of sheet metal plus passengers, Honda relies on their trusty 3.5L V6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) from the Accord. But this time, it only produces 250 horsepower (25 less than the Accord) and 343 Nm of torque. Still, with its five-speed automatic transmission, they claim that it can achieve as high as 7.6 km/L in the city.
Honda's all-new Odyssey is directly imported from North America and only comes in one variant, priced at P2.8 million a pop. For that kind of money, you do get leather seats, power sunroof, reverse camera with sensors, cruise control, front and rear corner sensors, and an 8-inch multi-information display. Even so, that's still a lot of cash for an eight-seater MPV. While we don't expect HCPI to sell them like hotcakes, it's more than good enough to make people buying an Alphard or Town & Country think twice.
Available colors are Smoky Topaz, Mocha Metallic, and for a P25,000 premium, White Diamond. For more details, please visit www.hondaphil.com.
