Test drive Honda Odyssey 2007 - 2010

All photos of Honda Odyssey 2007 - 2010

Review of the new generation Honda Odyssey

The struggle for survival in the minivan market
Apparently, the Golden Age for Japanese minivans is approaching its completion. The fashion for this type of body reached its climax in 2004, when 1 million 20 thousand cars were sold, then a decline came, which led to a decrease in sales of up to 800 thousand cars a year. But, despite this, we are currently observing a desperate struggle for survival in this market segment. Just think, only 800 thousand cars, and this is one fourth part of the immense Japanese car market, the part where 40 participating models are crowded. The situation is also heating the fact that two -thirds of this segment are completely in the power of 10 models, and the remaining one third has to be divided among themselves 30 competitors.
What role does Honda Odyssey play in this play? The history of the appearance of the model will help us answer this question. The date of her birth is 1994. This model can hardly be called the progenitor of Minivan, but, nevertheless, its appearance was the impetus for the boom for such cars. Initially, Odyssey sales plans were more than modest only 3 thousand cars a month, but already in 1995 the plans were overfulfilled and reached 125 thousand cars in one year!
Before the advent of Odyssey, Honda’s affairs were so bad that in certain circles they even talked about its purchase by Mitsubishi, however, after the situation changed dramatically, and Honda turned into the largest enterprise of the mod legislator in the production of minivans.
Unfortunately, the interest in the Odyssey model began to gradually decline after the second generation of the car. And the further the more sad. If in 2004, when the annual sales of the minivans in Japan reached their historical maximum, the defense of Odyssey (it is worth noting that the third -generation model appeared that year) accounted for 10% of the minivans market, then last year last year

sales amounted to 32 thousand cars only 4% of the market. Thus, the speed of reducing Odyssey sales was higher than the speed of reducing the common minivan market. Also, the cause of the decline was the refusal of the 6-cylinder V-shaped engine in the third-generation ODYSSEY and the release of the competitor of the Honda ElySion luxury minivan. Of course, despite all the difficulties, the total volumes of Odyssey sales are inexorably approaching a million units, but you can’t close your eyes to the fact that the times are not the same. And at such, to put it mildly, not the right moment, a new fourth -generation ODYSSEY player appears in the arena.
By analogy with VW Golf
The model of the new, fourth generation, as you yourself can be convinced, inherited the concept of its predecessor, who arranged a mini-revolution in the history of Honda Odyssey. Non -standard body height, low floor and center of gravity thanks to these signs of Odyssey took a special position on the border of minivans and station wagons. Optimists may not without reason say that sales against the background of the ElySion minivan were very good for the new hero. But, if you look from the other side, from the successor of the dynasty bearing the proud name Odyssey, higher results were expected. How will Honda manifest itself in relation to the new model of the fourth generation, can it turn the current state of affairs? The intrigue is still preserved.
What a wonderful coincidence! Complete modernization and restyling while maintaining the basic concept, a similar path was previously traveled by the Volkswagen Golf model. Odyssey for Honda, as well as Golf for Volkswagen, is the face and pride of the company. The difference between the two models is that the sixth Golf donated one year of life for the sake of increasing the efficiency of the production and contribution of the environment, while Honda, on the contrary, increased this period for exactly one year, that is, Odyssey was originally cooked, a trump card, Cable to make a bestseller out of this model.

The designers of the new generation continuously worked on the creation of favorable conditions for successful sales of the model: these are stylish body elements and the internal interior, a modernized suspension (its architecture, however, remained unchanged), the special mode of the ECON, which maintains less fuel consumption due to automatic control of the engine and unfavorable control variator. In addition, the new Odyssey has a proprietary Multi View Camera System circular review system, which allows you to look at the car on top and designed to facilitate parking. As a result, we are faced with a complete set of modern automobile bells and whistles. The modernized engine complements the overall picture and makes potential buyers languish in anticipation of fast driving!
Basic equipment Comfort on the road
If you are interested in my opinion about the fourth -generation Odyssey yes, Honda tried and significantly improved the model, its superiority over its predecessor can be seen with the naked eye. However, to say that this car is from the field of fantasy, somehow the tongue does not turn. There is no such feeling, I will not exchange it for anything that you experience, sitting down, for example, behind the wheel of Golf.
On the new Odyssey is a modernized 4-cylinder in order engine (2.4 l), specially designed for monsters such as American Accord and Acura TSX. In the basic model, the power reaches 173 hp, and the torque is 22.6 kg-m. A front -wheel drive modification with a variator (all -wheel drive versions are equipped with a machine gun), moving in a mixed cycle, can run 13.2 km on one liter (7.6 liters per 100 km). Despite the fact that the power of the model increased compared to the predecessor by 13 hp, it is fully consistent with (and even by a quarter exceeds) the standards of 2010 in terms of fuel consumption. At the same time, the sports version of Odyssey Absolute produces the maximum power of 206 hp, torque 23.7 kg-m, with fuel consumption in a mixed cycle of 11.4 km/l (8.8 liters per 100 km).

I had the opportunity to ride on both modifications, and in terms of engine operation I liked the base model more. Absolute is a wonderful sports option with a quick switching and low noise, but for my taste, the basic equipment combines smoothness and lightness during acceleration, it simply obviously obeys the owner.
The fact that the main part of my path on the new Odyssey ran in the city line could also not affect my sympathy for the basic model. The suspension provides a minimum change in the clearance and roll, bringing the driver and passengers a feeling of complete comfort! The Absolute suspension is improved in such a way that the irregularities on the roads are almost not felt, however, in my opinion, sometimes the return is too tough.
Quantitative and qualitative growth, is it really so?
In fact, the attention of designers and developers to the smallest details is very impressive. The facts speak for themselves: here you have an advanced review, achieved by facilitating the front strut of the body by 30% using hydraulic hood technologies; and an increase in the size of the passenger compartment by 60 mm, despite the fact that the total length has grown by only 30 mm; and a decrease in the full height of the machine by 5 mm (up to 1,545 mm) with a constant size of the inside.
It seems to me that the new Odyssey compared to the third generation model has grown both qualitatively and quantitatively. The new model, in which, with a change in generations, were introduced thorough, well -thought -out changes, is very charismatic. A moderate 2.4-liter engine appetite is especially convincing 13.2 km per 1 liter of gasoline.

However, recently, the behavior and tastes of consumers of cars are gradually changing. The leading positions in the Minivan market are now seeking to occupy a 1.5-liter compact minivan Freed, which, incidentally, released the same Honda on its own! When Honda has launched the third -generation Odyssey, many Subaru Legacy Wagon drivers moved to it, which became one of the bails of good sales. However, now a three -row seven -sized Subaru Exiga has appeared on the market, and there is no need to expect the previous activity from Legacy owners. In addition, the situation is complicated by the fact of the continuous appearance of new models of compact minivans on the market: Toyota Noah, Toyota Voxy, Nissan Serena, Toyota Alphad, Nissan Elgrand.
How will the consumer react to the desire of the fourth -generation Odyssey to take the first position in the minivans market? Yes, besides, not everything is clear with the working volume of the engine. After the latest trends, many popular models now have up to 2 liters under the hood of an engine, and many full-size minivans are also enough 2.4-liter. Thus, Odyssey cannot be attributed to any group both in the class of the machine and in the volume of the engine. Oh, this is the car just for me! It is unlikely that they will think about Odyssey, they will rather take it for a luxury class, not available to everyone. And then the competitor to Toyota Estima was released in a hybrid version. In general, the situation is not easy.
Honestly, I really want Honda to make a jump above my head and came up with something radically new about Odyssey. Of course, at the moment you can already be proud of the new Odyssey, but I would like to wish the company not to stop there.
I want a little recklessness
What if you try to change the engine for Odyssey? Even if you leave the gasoline engine, then the non-specialist is clear that for this machine and 1.8-2.0 liter volume will be quite enough. In general, the company that prolonged the launch of diesel engines into the domestic Japanese market and concentrated the forces and capital on the development of hybrid models, is simply obliged to at least consider using the hybrid in the new Odyssey. Moreover, the president of the company Mr. Fukui has repeatedly announced this.

Yes, now the Odyssey model is vital for some kind of adventurous plan. It should be something exceeding the plan with a non -standard low body height in the third -generation model. In general, Odyssey was originally one great adventure: few are aware that the decision to recall the first generation to the Japanese market was made contrary to huge resistance within the company itself. Odyssey’s father became Otagaki Kunimiti (responsible for the project, currently President of Keihin). And the first model appeared on the domestic market only after the contract was concluded with the American branch of Honda on the sale of 5,000 units per month in the North American market. No one suspected that such a model would become a big milestone in the history of the company.
Odyssey is a huge success for Honda, a brainchild born contrary to common sense. Therefore, I really want to hope for the emergence of new, at first glance, crazy ideas, which can then be put on a par with the ideas of models of the first and third generations. Oh yes, do not forget that the modest second generation Odyssey has become the ancestor of the ABSOLUTE modification, without which the history of the model would not be so bright. Odyssey is constantly on the crest of the wave, constantly invents something new. I propose to wait for new turns in the history of the model. Well, until that time, when this happens, let's just enjoy the fourth -generation ODYSSEY!

Technical characteristics of Honda Odyssey Li
Full length: 4 800 mm.
Full width: 1 800 mm.
Complete height: 1 545 mm.
Wheel base: 2 830 mm.
Machine weight: 1630 kg.
Drive: front.
Engine: a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with a vertical cylinder arrangement, the DOHC gas distribution mechanism, the developed capacity of 127 kW (173 hp) at 6,000 rpm, the largest torque 222 nm (22.6kgg- m) at 4,300 rpm.
Transmission: Bestensky.
Machine price: 3 million 380 thousand yen ($ 38 160).