What's the difference?
Nearly every car brand has jumped well and truly onto the SUV bandwagon in 2021, offering models in small, medium and large varieties for buyers of all budgets and lifestyles.
Honda Australia is a notable exception here however, and while it has the HR-V and CR-V to satisfy small- and medium-crossover buyers, there is nothing for those after a large SUV that seats seven.
To try and fill that gap, Honda has updated its Odyssey people mover with fresh looks, more safety and new tech to not only compete against the Kia Carnival and Toyota Prius V, but also the likes of the Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-8 and Hyundai Santa Fe.
Can Honda’s Odyssey still cut it in a world that has gone SUV crazy? Let’s find out.
You know Picasso? He died a long time ago. And now the Picasso badge - which has adorned Citroen’s people-mover models internationally since way back in 1999 - is set to die, too.
As a result, the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso is set to be relabelled the Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer, following a new van naming convention set in Europe. It’s a shame, because Picasso is undoubtedly one of the better known nameplates that Citroen has… and let’s be honest, Citroen needs all the help it can get in Australia.
But before we see the name change, the company has made an addition to the current Grand C4 Picasso range: a new price-leader, the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso petrol, is now on sale - and it cuts the price of the seven-seat people mover by a huge $6000 compared to the diesel.
That amount of money will buy you a heck of a lot of petrol, so does the new base model version in the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso 2018 range make more sense than its expensive diesel sibling?
The Honda Odyssey isn’t a bad choice for those looking to ferry around a large gaggle of people, but its far from the best option.
The first two rows are great and are supremely comfortable for those four occupants, but third-row usage will depend on how much those passengers are susceptible to motion sickness.
However, the Odyssey’s biggest weakness might be its sluggish engine and mundane CVT, with rivals like the new Kia Carnival and even Toyota Prius V offering better performance and better economy, respectively.
Still, the Honda Odyssey, and people movers in general, remain a solid option for those that don’t want another SUV or value the practicality and space afforded.
The lack of third-row airbags and AEB could be enough for you to rule this version of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso out of contention as a family vehicle. We’d understand that.
But there are plenty of other reasons that it could be a contender on your people-mover shopping list. It’s a largely thoughtful car in a small and beautiful package… no matter what badge is stuck on the back of it.