[ HOT ] DETROIT AUTO SHOW HONDA ODYSSEY 2018
Channel: Auto Today
Date: 2017-01-12

[ HOT ]  DETROIT AUTO SHOW HONDA ODYSSEY 2018Despite the trend of families increasingly forsaking minivans in favor of three-row crossover SUVs, the minivan market is still sizable. So, at Honda, the Odyssey continues to be important, and it has been fully redesigned for 2018. For families sticking it out with minivans, the 2018 Odyssey promises more convenience, more versatility, and—most of all—more technology.

From the outside, the latest Odyssey doesn’t make much of a break from its predecessor. The current generation’s stepped beltline reappears, although it’s now further embellished with a downswept crease. Another hockey-stick-shaped character line appears on the lower body sides—a styling flourish that’s fast becoming a cliché. There also are new LED head- and taillights, and the grille now more closely resembles that of the Pilot and other recent Hondas.

Under the skin, the 2018 Odyssey rides on a new architecture shared with the Pilot and the Ridgeline pickup. A 3.5-liter V-6 remains the only engine offering, although output increases from 248 to 280 horsepower. The previous six-speed automatic has been jettisoned in favor of a nine-speed unit (as seen in the Pilot), while upper trim levels get a new, Honda-designed 10-speed automatic that makes its debut here. The additional ratios, combined with a claimed weight reduction of nearly 100 pounds, should nudge fuel economy in a positive direction, although EPA ratings are not yet available.

Sit Anywhere

Previous versions of the Odyssey had a removable center section for the second-row seats, which allowed seating for three or separated chairs for two. The new Odyssey takes that versatility several steps beyond. First, the middle section can be positioned farther forward, to put a little one strapped into that spot within easier snot-wiping reach for Mom and Dad. With the center section removed, the outboard seats can be snugged up together, both sliding toward the center. That allows easier access to the third row, particularly with child seats in place, which prevent the seats from being able to fold and slide out of the way. For even better third-row access, either of the outboard seats can move over into the middle position, and the side-to-side positioning happens in increments. Honda’s trademark term for this multi-position second row is Magic Slide seats, and they’re standard on all models.

Cabin Fever

The new Odyssey also debuts several technologies for keeping tabs on and communicating with passengers in the rear two rows. The most intriguing is CabinWatch, in which an infrared camera—enabling the system to work both in darkness or daylight—located in the overhead rear-seat-entertainment system can provide the driver and front-seat passenger with a view of the goings-on in back. The image from the camera is projected on the dashboard’s central display screen, and pinch-and-zoom capability allows one to zero in on an individual rear-seat rider.

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