Odyssey Minivan Updated for ‘08

Honda’s Odyssey is one of the best examples of a modern-day minivan. Spacious, comfortable, refined and reliable, it also balances strong performance and surprisingly good on-road characteristics that have earned it the nickname, “the BMW of minivans”.

For 2008, the Odyssey gains a handful of styling modifications, such as a slightly larger version of the traditional Honda six-sided grille outlined in chrome with body-colored inserts. Also present is a new lower valance. Together, they help move the Odyssey’s nose in the direction of the new Accord. The rest of the body work has been left untouched from the redesign, which took place in 2005.

Inside, the Odyssey’s changes are mostly content related. New colors and fabrics have been made available to spice things up, as has a change in the textures for the plastics. Honda now offers the Odyssey with a standalone reverse camera, appealing to customers who don’t necessarily want the costly navigation system. Instead of featuring a separate screen, the image behind the vehicle is embedded into the car’s rear view mirror in a 2.5-inch display. Also on the list of convenience-related additions, the side-view mirrors now move outwards and tilt down to assist in parking maneuvers. An extra storage bin has been made in the “2nd Row Plus One” seat, an auxiliary-in jack for MP3 players, plus a power-operated passenger’s seat rounds out the key essential changes for the interior.

As before there are two engines available to Odyssey customers, with very minor details separating the two. Both measure 3.5 liters in displacement, and have a single overhead camshaft. The key difference is that the entry level models feature VTEC and 244 horsepower with 240 lb-ft of torque, while upper trim level models feature i-VTEC and 241 horsepower and 242 lb-ft of torque. The latter engine also features VCM cylinder deactivation, which has been advanced for 2008 so that it can run on three or four cylinders. This enables the Odyssey to function on fewer cylinders under a greater number of conditions, a move that has increased its fuel economy ratings and should prove to be more useful under real world driving circumstances. Previously, Odysseys with VCM could only operate on three cylinders in “Eco” mode.

Honda has also increased the safety content on the Odyssey, if only slightly. Included standard are active head restraints to reduce the risk of injury due to whiplash from rear end collisions. We also receive daytime running headlamps, ABS brakes, VSA stability control, plus front, side and curtain airbags with rollover sensors.

The new Odyssey will be available starting next year. Pricing has yet to be announced.