Here It Is. The 2018 Honda Odyssey

It’s finally here! The 2018 Honda Odyssey just made its global debut at the 2017 North American International Auto Show. And by the looks of it, it’s going to continue the sales success its predecessors established.

Whether you’re a fan of the minivan or not, there’s no denying that the Honda Odyssey revolutionized family. Prior to the Odyssey, boxy designs with outdated interiors and clumsy characters defined minivans. Honda set out to bring families into modern times, and the minivan segment was reborn. And it’s now been redefined. 

The 2018 Odyssey claims to be sophisticated and family-friendly. It features a plethora of technology options ranging from comfort, entertainment, and of course — safety. On the outside, the signature flying wing grille brings the Odyssey up to standards with the rest of the Honda lineup. While the profile design queues sculpt the minivan, and makes it look smaller, and “sportier.” The rear, which I believe it least favorable angle, features LED taillights and and an all-new tailgate with foot activation.

“This new Odyssey raises the stakes for family-friendly packaging, performance and technology in the minivan segment.” Said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of American Honda Motor Co. “In all aspects of its design, the new Odyssey is made to keep every member of the family happy, no matter the seating position, no matter the destination.”

New Features

Speaking of keeping the family happy, new features like Magic Slide seats, Cabin Control, and Cabin Watch, will aid during daily commuting and road trips alike.

• CabinWatch. Using a camera, CabinWatch lets the driver and front passenger keep tabs on passengers both day and night via the 8-inch Display Audio screen.
• CabinTalk. Enables the driver to talk to second – and third-row passengers though the second-and third-row speakers and rear entertainment system headphones.
• CabinControl. Using a downloadable app, users can use a smart phone to control the rear entertainment system, rear cabin heat and air conditioning, and send destinations to the embedded Honda navigation system.
• Magic Slide seats. Second row seat that easily reconfigures for optimal passenger comfort. Seats can slide to adjust to people and cargo necessities on-the-fly.

As it’s to be expected, Honda Sensing will be standard on trims which Honda expects will represent 95% of sales. As a result, these will most likely be Touring and above. In addition, LED headlights, heated and ventilated front seats, three-zone climate control and HondaVac will all be available in featured packages or as stand alone options.

Drivetrain 

The all-new minivan will be powered by a 3.5 liter, direct-injected i-VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management. Output is said to be 280 horsepower, which is up 32 horses from previous generations. In addition, 9 speed automatic and, for upper grades an all-new, Honda-developed 10-speed automatic will be available.

With strong competition from Toyota, and Chrysler’s new Pacifica, it looks like Honda is ready for a fight. We will bring you more from Honda at the North American International Auto Show, so stay tuned.

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