Honda's Odyssey is unquestionably the best minivan on the market today - safe, functional, attractive and reliable. Capacity at the assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, is restricted to 60,000 units for 1999. About four times that number of people want to buy the van. This results in a market climate that allows the dealer to charge the consumer more than the sticker price. At least Woodland Hills Honda gives the customer something for the extra cash.
Many dealers simply charge extra without adding any value to the equation.
We would have preferred the latter, quite frankly. The pinstripes, bug guard and fender trim are essentially useless and foul otherwise crisp lines. The cargo tray and mat interfere with the folding third-row seat, complicating an otherwise simple operation. We even asked that the dealer remove the bug guard from the front of our test vehicle prior to delivery, but the response was that it was affixed to the hood using an adhesive that could ruin the paint if removed. Odyssey intenders will be pleased to learn that Honda plans to boost factory output to 120,000 units next year, and has been rumored to be searching for a North-American site on which to build a new assembly plant.