Over the past 30 years, the minivan has gone from pioneering marvel to an unflattering
stereotype of suburban life and back to cool all over again.
For us moms who have become agents, travelling secretaries and managers for our kids having
a Swiss Army Knife-type of vehicle is a godsend.
And with the new Honda Odyssey Touring Elite there are enough tools to keep the entire
family organized, comfortable and clean.
What do you get when you mix kids, cars and 3-rows of seats?
Usually a huge mess.
So Honda has partnered with Shop-Vac to bring you in-car cleaning.
It comes standard on this $45,000, range-topping model but it'll let you bypass those overpriced
suckers at the self-serve car wash and for neat freaks, you'll be able to give the Odyssey
a quick touch-up before taking the moms out to lunch.
The long hose is easy to recoil and stretches to every nook and cranny and there are attachments.
The motor is strong, too.
And when you're done, there's a replaceable filter and canister bag.
And it'll operate for up to 8 minutes after the engine is shut off.
The Odyssey seats 8 with a third row that disappears into the floor when not needed;
something Honda calls Magic Seat.
Even when it's upright, there's a deep well of cargo volume.
And when the need is for carrying more people, accessing that area is accomplished with a
lever that tilts and slides the second row seat all in one motion; so easy a kid can
do it.
The 2nd row seats slide and recline but there's no magic in getting them to disappear; these
have to be hauled away to the garage.
So you're out to dinner and little Johnny didn't finish his kids meal.
What do you do with the doggie bag?
Well now, you can keep it safe and sound in the cool box.
A wide, deep cubby to keep anything chilled, it's a nice feature.
Honda has updated the instrumentation and electronic controls for 2014 too, but this
dual screen infotainment system is a colossal fail -- a rare instance of Japan taking misguided
tech cues from the Germans.
It's my biggest issue with an otherwise excellent minivan.
New safety features like forward collision warning, lane departure warning and a true
blind spot monitor are here, too while the driver's side mirror gives you a broader view.
I also love that the wipers and headlights are linked to stay compliant in states like
New York where it's mandated.
The new keyless entry and bush button start is a welcome addition, too.
To matters that are of less concern to shoppers in this segment; the Odyssey has new front
and rear end styling and for what it's worth drives like no other minivan on the market.
A 248-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and 6-speed auto provide the motion but it's the Odyssey's
ability to handle curvy country travels that really made an impression.
There are cars that would be jealous of the Odyssey's tuned drivability...an absolute
pleasure for whoever gets this seat.
Gas mileage is rated at 19mpg city/28mpg highway thanks in part to the engine's Variable Cylinder
Management.
But enough from me...let's hear from an expert.
(Maddie soundbite)
A luxury minivan with all the bells and whistles...and a vacuum isn't priced for every driveway...this
one stickers for $45,280.
And I'm a little uncomfortable driving around in a van with Elite written on the tailgate,
but to all the lucky families who can, this Odyssey is pretty darn sweet.