2011 Honda Odyssey Plymouth

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The new Odyssey should have no difficulty maintaining its reputation with owners and critics alike. It combines all the seating and cargo flexibility needed in a van with a variety of features to suit different tastes, functions and budgets. The Odyssey is all about function and making the business that is family life easier. It is loaded with conveniences to simplify things and can be loaded with distractions to quell intra-family disturbances. The 2011 Honda Odyssey is longer and two inches wider than the previous generation but half an inch lower, so while the aerodynamics are said to be better by 5.5 percent, the net improvement based on the wider front is 3 percent. Honda has added a new element with a drop in the lower window line behind the sliding doors. They call it the lightning bolt look and, while it has nowhere near that shock value, it does break up the monotony and improves the view out from the third row.

Powering the '11 Odyssey

The 2011 Odyssey comes with a 248-hp V6 engine. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard, but Touring models get a 6-speed automatic worth a good portion of the price premium: Because of the 6-speed, the heaviest Odysseys are also the quickest.. Comfort and poise on the road are first rate. Although it is bigger, the 2011 Odyssey is also a bit lighter than its predecessor and has a very minor increase in power from the 3.5-liter V6 with active cylinder management that runs on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders as needed. Vibration and noise play a big part in refinement, and fatigue for occupants, so all Odysseys come with active noise cancellation and active engine mounts to minimize both.

2011 Honda Odyssey Design

Up front, a new grille and lighting for 2011 appear to be a cross between Honda's Insight and Civic. Touring models have a few distinguishing features, including small panels under the sides and revised mirrors to smooth airflow, and larger-diameter wheels. They also use a laminated windshield to minimize wind noise. New for 2011, the power sliding doors can be opened with the brakes on, without having to shift to Park first, which better matches the way we live. As is often the case on vans the trim piece below the third-row window and above the sliding door track may not exactly match the color on the fender below it over time, and darker colors hide that track better than lighter colors.

Inside the 2011 Honda Minivan

Odyssey uses cloth upholstery on lower models and leather on the others, with carpeting throughout and soft-touch panels above the muddy foot zone. Gadgets and flexibility make vans, and the Odyssey does not disappoint. Though they vary by model, you can get a six-pack sized coolbox under the dash, purse and grocery hooks, fifteen beverage holders, four coat hooks, a trash bag holder behind the console, reading lights throughout, and smaller bins and cubbies scattered about. On leather-equipped Odysseys you can get a conventional rear-seat entertainment system. The Touring Elite's entertainment system uses a 16.2-inch widescreen that shows side-by-side images or one panorama and has 650 watts driving 12 speakers in 5.1 surround to insure if anyone asks Are we there yet? you will not hear them. The lazy Susan underfloor storage area of earlier Odysseys now carries the spare tire. If you get a flat the flat tire will not fit in that space but is secured behind (or on top of a folded seat) the third row. For big stuff the cargo area holds about 38.5 cubic feet of gear, just seven less than the biggest SUV. With the third-row folded it grows to 93 cubic feet and behind the first row 148.5 cubic feet, both more than a big utility.

'11 Honda Odyssey Lineup

Odyssey LX seats seven on cloth upholstery and uses a 5-speed automatic transmission. It includes front and rear manual air conditioning, eight-way power driver's seat, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows/locks/mirrors, adjustable second-row seats, 60/40-split fold-in-floor third row seats, 229-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 five-speaker stereo system auto-off projector headlights, cruise control, reading lights (all rows), trip computer and 10 beverage holders.

Odyssey EX has eight seats and adds power sliding side doors, three-zone automatic climate control, driver power lumbar, second-row sunshades and multi-function seats, alloy wheels, removable front center console with two more cupholders, 2GB CD library and seven speakers with subwoofer, Homelink, conversation mirror, security system, heated mirrors, wheel-mounted audio controls, auto on/off headlights, compass and outside temperature display.

Odyssey EX-L upgrades to leather upholstery and steering wheel-wrap, power moonroof, tailgate and four-way passenger seat, heated front seats, Bluetooth hands-free and steering wheel phone controls, XM radio, USB port, eight-inch display, front cool box, and auto-dimming mirror.

Odyssey Touring gets 6-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels, and mild aerodynamic changes like side sills and mirrors with signal repeaters. Touring also adds to EX-L driver-memory system linked to reverse-tilt mirrors, an acoustic windshield, standard navigation and rear entertainment, third-row sunshades, third-row center armrest, multi-information display, corner and backup sensor indicators, fog lamps and ambient footwell lighting.

Odyssey Touring Elite is a Touring model with blind-spot warning system, HID headlamps, and a dual-input 16.2-inch widescreen rear entertainment system linked to a 650-watt, 12-speaker 5.1 surround sound system.

Conclusions

For more on this model, visit the official Honda Odyssey website! Safety features on every Odyssey include frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, three-row curtain airbags, tire pressure monitors, electronic stability control, ABS, EBD, and brake assist.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com