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  The Honda Odyssey is a really relaxing drive and has all the sort of family-friendly stuff you need. Photo Gallery

It's just been renewed with a commitment to quality family travel in a van that drives most like a high-roof station wagon.

It's the sort of car that more Australian families should be considering, despite the overwhelming popularity of hulking seven-seater SUVs. The 2009 Odyssey is relatively stylish for a family van, comfy and safe, and very good value.

Changes

The Odyssey has just been through the makeover machine and emerged with a new body, more safety, better performance and economy, and a tight price. It is, in short, just what you would expect.

But Honda says the Odyssey is all-new and that is wrong. The 'top hat' bodywork is new for '09 and there is a lot of other new stuff, but the mechanical platform at the base of the car is the same as it was before the update.

That's only a minor criticism these days, since even Volkswagen did a similar 'top hat' tweak for the latest Golf, but it shows that Honda is not using the same take-no-prisoners approach to new models which used to set it apart from the Japanese pack. But at least the Odyssey is still made in Japan.

Models and pricing

These days there are two Odyssey models, the basic car at $43,990 — a price which is not far above the family-favourite Kia Carnival and well under the fully-loaded Chrysler Grand Voyager — and the Luxury model with leather and the rest of the fruit at $49,990. But there is something missing: any sort of parking aid, either a camera or radar, and that's a reflection of the carryover electric system in the car.

Still Honda has plenty to trumpet for a car which has been an award winner since the original Odyssey in 1994. The basic idea is still good and the size is right for family use in 2009.

Drivetrain

Looking at the upgrade work, the 132kW engine promises more go with a five-speed auto and the safety pack of front-side-head airbags and ESP stability control is what is needed these days.

Even so, there is tough competition in the people mover class and SUVs totally dominate the family car scene so that means you also need to judge the Odyssey against the Toyota Kluger, Ford Territory and a bunch of other high riders.

Driving

It is good to slide back into the Odyssey. My previous favourite in the people mover family is the Citroen Picasso, but mostly because of the innovative design work and equipment in the car, and I wanted to see how the Honda stacked up against the French machine and also the top selling Kia Carnival and Chrysler's giant Grand Voyager. Basically, it wins.

It's hard to feel the extra go promised by Honda, particularly with a load on board, and I really didn't want to check the improved safety equipment, but the Odyssey is a really relaxing drive and has all the sort of family-friendly stuff you need. It's a seven seater that's more like a car than a giant boring bus, but with plenty of flexiblity.

The dash has the latest Honda look — giant circular dial with blue lighting — but the sound system betrays the age of the hidden stuff. We expect better on the entertainment front and the lack of any rear-view camera — Honda says dealers can sell you a radar parking system — is a major mistake in 2009.

The Odyssey feels nicely compliant in the suspension, the five-speed auto works smoothy, and the engine is good on the highway and solid — not sensational — around town.

The seating position in the front is good and I like the fold-down central table area, which clears space for a walk-through, although it could do with better cupholders. The leather trim in the test car is also compliant and gives a quality look and feel.

The test car did well in a variety of roles, from single to multi-purpose trips and even a bunch of heavyweight shopping expeditions. There was very little to complain about.

The Odyssey has also been the subject of one reader's search in the past week, including shopping it against the obvious people mover rivals.

"I was most impressed, and it was top of my list, however the wife was not happy with boot space and ease of getting the kids in the very back. As she will be the main driver the Wife wins," says Ronnie.

It's easy to see her points. It's good to have convention hinged doors instead of the barn-style sliders on most family vans, but that means folding the middle bench and creating enough space to get a person through to the very back is not as easy as operating the system in a Voyager.

And the luggage space in the very tail is tight-ish, although Honda has a brilliant electric fold-up system for the third-row seat. It zips down into a recess and that leaves plenty of space for bikes or Bunnings, provided you only have five onboard.

The Odyssey is not new, but it's newish and didn't really need much changing in any case. Now, if they could just give us a reversing camera...

Honda Odyssey Luxury

Price: $49,990

Engine: 2.4-litre four cylinder VTEC

Power: 132kW/6500revs

Torque: 218Nm/4500revs

Transmission: five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive

Verdict: 78/100

Rivals:

Chrysler Grand Voyager (from $57,990): 75/100

Dodge Journey (from $36,990): 70/100

Kia Grand Carnival (from $39,390): 74/100

Mitsubishi Grandis (from $41,590): 72/100