2012 Honda Odyssey Reviews

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used 2009-2013Honda Odyssey.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?Honda's Odyssey needs no introduction. It's the people mover you want when you don't want a people mover, courtesy of the fact it drives more like a car than any of its competitors.How much?Odyssey comes in two flavours. The Luxury as its name suggests is the more expensive of the two at $44,920 (but with sales the way they are we reckon you could probably bargain them down).What are competitors?Noteable competitors include the Kia Carnival, Chrysler's Grand Voyager, Hyundai iMax and of course the Toyota Tarago. Apart from the very van like iMax, they are all more expensive.What's under the bonnet?A 2.4-litre four cylinder petrol engine with 132kW of power and 218Nm of torque. It's hooked up to a five-speed automatic with paddle shifts.How does it go?Not bad. Lacks low down torque, but the tranny does a good job of harnessing the engine's output. Of course the more people you have aboard, the bigger dent it is going to put in this.Is it economical?Takes standard unleaded. With a 60-litre tank fuel consumption is rated at 8.9 litres/100km (we were getting 9.0).Is it green?Not bad. Scores 3.5 out 5 stars from the Govt's Green Vehicle Guide (Prius sets the benchmark with 5).Is it safe?Fitted with front, side and curtain airbags Odyssey scores four out of five stars for safety. Not bad but not as safe as it could be and more importantly should be.Is it comfortable?Comfort is one of the car's fortes. It's like a loungeroom in there.What's it like to drive?Snack to drive. The reversing camera is a bonus not just in terms of safety but also for making parking easier. At 4.8 metres however you have to be aware of its length and factor this into your cornering calculations.Is it value for money?Odyssey comes with a satellite navigation featuring USB connectivity with iPod integration, Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming, live traffic updates, SD card map updates, rear reversing camera and a DVD player as standard.Would we buy one?It would be very tempting if we were in the market for a seven-seater. It does what it does very well and is going to he heaps cheaper to run than a four wheel drive wagon  but lacks luggage space when all seven seats are in use. Wish they'd stop fooling with the styling which now carries too many embellishments. 

Honda Odyssey is a practical vehicle that makes a lot more sense than the large SUVs that also seat seven. Odyssey doesn’t give its owner the feeling they can conquer the Simpson Desert, nor does it give a – completely inaccurate -- sense of being invincible. What it does offer is a smooth, quiet ride, good interior space and the sort of engineering with which the Japanese company has been associated for decades.DESIGNLower than some station wagons, the Odyssey has slim head- and tail-lights, a stylish grille and a longer than normal bonnet for this class. The roof tapers mildly down at the back to improve aerodynamics and therefore reduce fuel consumption.Odyssey’s interior is almost futuristic in its shape, with a sweeping-wave dash and instruments that sit in no fewer than four layers. The latter seems a bit over the top to us, but in this class where understatement tends to be the norm that’s perhaps no bad thing. A pleasing feature of the Honda Odyssey body is relatively slim A-pillars to give a better and safer view to the front-side, particularly on twisting roads.Large, spacious cabins are the whole reason for buying any people mover. Sit three tall adults behind one another Honda Odyssey and all have good legroom. However, those in the rearmost seat may be tight for headroom. Try it for yourself if teenagers may be riding back there.The secret to the interior space in this low-slung Honda is its low floor. Access to the rearmost seats is never easy in a vehicle of this type, but Honda does it better than most, with back doors that go as far backwards as possible, virtually touching the wheelarches, to create decent space.FIT-OUT AND EQUIPMENTThe latest Odyssey, the subject of this week’s road test, has a touch-screen satellite navigation system with live traffic updates, as well as integrated Bluetooth and steering wheel mounted audio controls. A reversing camera is a very useful safety feature for anyone, no-one more so than the family driver at whom this vehicle is aimed.All seven seats have lap/sash safety belts. Front, side and curtain airbags protect occupants in every row of seating. Boot space is quite good, but the amount of luggage space suffers if all seats are in use. This isn’t unusual in this class and SUVs can suffer more than most due to the need for an extra differential and driveshaft under the boot area.ENGINE AND MECHANICALPower comes from a four-cylinder 2.4-litre engine producing 132 kW of power and 218 Nm of torque. Engine performance is adequate rather than exciting, which is acceptable for a family wagon. If you're going to be carrying a lot of people, and driving in hilly areas you may find the Odyssey struggles at times.The V6 engine once offered in older generation Odyssey’s is no longer available as very few buyers were interested in paying the significant extra cost.The four-cylinder engine has been revised in the latest Odyssey and we found typical fuel consumption to be reasonably low. Expect to use about seven to eight litres per hundred kilometres in easy driving, and around eight to ten litres in suburban running. This number is likely to climb significantly if you use your Odyssey with a big load and/or in hilly conditions because of the engine’s relatively small size.DRIVINGRide comfort is almost car-like as a result of the low centre of gravity. On smooth to moderate roads we were most impressed by the quietness of the ride. Obviously the designers have put considerable emphasis on this important aspect of the latest iteration of the Odyssey. It’s almost limo-like to ride in.Road and tyre noise on coarse-chip was pleasingly low, meaning this family people mover can be used on rough backroads during weekends or holiday trips without overly tiring the occupants.HONDA ODYSSEYMODEL RANGEOdyssey 2.4-litre: $37,100 (automatic)Odyssey Luxury 2.4-litre: $44,920 (automatic)FEATURESABS Brakes: Standard in both modelsAutomatic Transmission: Standard in both modelsCruise Control: Standard in both modelsDual Front Airbags: Standard in both modelsFront Side Airbags: Standard in both modelsElectronic Stability Program: Standard in both modelsRear Parking Sensors: Standard in both modelsReversing Camera: Standard in LuxuryUSB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in both modelsBluetooth: Standard in both modelsSteering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in both modelsENGINE:Capacity: 2.354 litresConfiguration: Four cylinders in lineHead Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinderCompression Ratio: 10.5:1Maximum Power: 132 kW @ 6500 rpmMaximum Torque: 218 Nm @ 4500 rpmDRIVELINE:Driven Wheels: FrontManual Transmission: Not offeredAutomatic Transmission: Five-speedFinal Drive Ratio: 4.437:1DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:Length: 4810 mmWheelbase: 2830 mmWidth: 1800 mmHeight: 1545 mmTurning Circle: 10.8 metresKerb Mass: 1645 kgFuel Tank Capacity: 60 litresBoot Capacity: 259 litres (708 litres with rear seats lowered)Towing Ability: 450 kg (1000 kg with braked trailer)SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:Front Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, coils springsRear Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, coils springsFront Brakes: Ventilated discRear Brakes: DiscFUEL CONSUMPTION:Type: Petrol 91RONCombined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 8.9 L/100kmGREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:Greenhouse Rating: 6/10Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10STANDARD WARRANTY:Three years/100,000 km