Honda Odyssey News

We collectively bought more than 82,000 vehicles last month, close enough to a 7 per cent rise over January 2007.Looking at it another way, contracts on 213 vehicles were signed for each of the 25 selling days in the month. That's a record over last year, which in itself was a record over 2006.Toyota remains king of the sales heap and the big movers were the small, medium and SUV sectors. Sales of large cars continued to plummet, which must be a worry to Ford as it prepares to launch its new Falcon.Mitsubishi, which is pulling out of manufacturing here, finished a distant sixth in the sales race, with Honda and Mazda both outselling the former car giant. So, according the industry statistician facts, who were the winners?Toyota's Yaris dominated the cheap and cheerful light market, with the Mazda2 and Honda Jazz also popular with buyers.The hotly contested small car market continues to be a bloody battleground. Toyota's Corolla was streets ahead of its opposition but the real fight was for the crumbs, with the Mazda3, Ford Focus and Honda Civic all doing well.The mid-sized market, which has been quiet, is picking up pace as buyers downsize. Most went for the Toyota Camry ahead of the Mazda6, with Subaru's Liberty a distant third.The large car market was a disaster for the local players. The Commodore was the best seller but it, along with the Falcon, Mitsubishi 380, Honda Accord and Hyundai Grandeur, lost ground.The star performer was Toyota's Aurion, which outsold the Falcon.Of the rest of the new car fleet, Honda's Odyssey beat the cheaper Kia Carnival in the people mover market, while the big surprise was in the SUV sector where Honda's CR-V outsold the Subaru Forester, Toyota's RAV 4 and recently launched Nissan X-Trail.The sales stats throw up some interesting facts and figures.Private buyers are taking a big liking to diesel engines (sales are up 82 per cent but still a low volume), while vehicles running on LPG are out of favour (down 64 per cent). Hybrid models enjoyed 11 per cent growth.And just to show how global the industry has become, last month we bought vehicles made in 23 countries. While most cars still come from Japan, there were models from the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. 

The NRMA Insurance reversing visibility index shows 12 vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla and Holden Commodore, fail to receive any stars in testing.The test, established because of the deaths of 17 children killed by reversing cars in driveways, measures how well a driver can see out of the back of the vehicle.Of the 12 vehicles with a zero rating, five fit into the small-to-medium segment.The result has prompted the NRMA to call on manufacturers to consider installing reversing camera technology in all cars, not just bigger vehicles.“Without a camera, blind space can range from 3m to 15m,” NRMA Insurance road safety manager Pam Leicester said.“That's a large range for children to be hidden from a driver's view.” With an average of one child run over in their own driveway every week, Ms Leicester said it was time to start focusing on improving visibility in all models.“There has been a focus on four-wheel-drives and reversing but as our results show, that's an issue for all types of vehicles right down to small cars,” Ms Leicester said.“This is a real concern because many of these vehicles have hazardous reversing blind areas, usually caused by high rear window lines and boots.”Vehicles that received a zero rating included the Holden Commodore (Epica and Viva), the Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi's Lancer and 380, Toyota's Corolla, Prado and RAV4, the Honda Civic and the Odyssey, as well as the Hummer H3.Overall, however, the results have improved from last year with more manufacturers adopting reversing cameras.This is especially the case in the four-wheel-drive and luxury segments. Only five vehicles offered reversing cameras either standard or as an option last year.The technology was available on 15 vehicles this year. They gained either a 4 1/2 or 5-star rating.Ms Leicester said they were particularly impressed with the new Toyota Kluger, which has a reversing camera as standard on all models.The top performers given a five-star rating were the BMW X5, Ford Territory, Honda Legend, Lexus GS430, IS250 and LS460, and the Toyota Kluger; all offering a camera as standard or as an option.“We encourage all manufacturers to start thinking about putting reverse cameras in their vehicles,” Ms Leicester said.“At the time of manufacture, it's a very small cost.”Ms Leicester said after-market reversing cameras also could improve visibility and were available for between $200 and $300. How they rated NRMA insurance reversing visibility indexBest: BMW x5, Ford Territory, Honda, Legend, Lexus GS430, Lexus IS250, Lexus LS460, Toyota KlugerWorst: Holden Commodore, Honda Civic, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Prado, Toyota Corolla 

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria has just completed its annual cost of ownership survey of a range of current models.The survey looks at total running cost and is based on vehicles travelling 15,000km a year, which is the Australian average.It factors in the cost of a typical car loan, depreciation, registration, club membership, comprehensive insurance plus servicing, fuel and tyre costs.Fuel costs were calculated on an unleaded petrol pump price of $1.26 a litre, $1.31 for diesel and 47c for LPG.Fuel prices have risen significantly since the survey was finished so true running costs will be even higher.The survey results show the cheapest car costs about $6000 a year to run, compared to $18,500 for the most expensive.The most affordable car was Hyundai's Getz at $116.54 a week, followed by Holden's Barina ($120.85) and the Toyota Yaris ($125.88).Go up a size and Toyota's Corolla was the winner at $154.49, followed by the Ford Focus ($156.49) and Holden Astra ($158.12).The medium class sector was won by Toyota's Camry at $193.05, followed by the Mazda6 at $197.85, and Honda Accord Euro ($218.07).Large cars are, as expected, more expensive to run but, surprisingly not that much more.The best was Mitsubishi's 380 at $200.44, so it is cheaper than the Honda Accord. Toyota's Aurion was next best ($217.60), followed by Ford's Falcon ($229.13).For large families, the Kia Carnival people mover at $216.68 beat the Honda Odyssey ($228) and Toyota Tarago ($267.61).Diesel and hybrid cars were cheaper to run but don't forget diesel cars initially cost more and replacement batteries for hybrids are hellishly expensive and have a short lifespan.The cheapest was the Honda Civic hybrid at $175.29, beating the Toyota Prius at $200.63. A VW Golf diesel was better than the Prius on the wallet at $187.93.A Ford Falcon running on LPG cost $211.43 a week, while the dual-fuel Commodore came in at $225.10.The popular compact SUV market was headed by Honda's CRV at $203.86, followed by Nissan's Xtrail ($207.36) and Subaru's Forester ($208.52).Medium SUVs had the Holden Captiva out in front at $225.16, followed by the Ford Territory ($234.47) and Toyota Prado ($286.16).At the expensive end of the running cost spreadsheet were the big four-wheel-drives.The cheapest was Nissan's Patrol at $269.53, while the Toyota LandCruiser cost $357.51 a week.

Motoring journalist and safety advocate Clive Matthew-Wilson said importers of European cars had “completely lost the plot in the past decade”.“They are more concerned with style over substance,” the New Zealand-based author of The Dog & Lemon Guide said.“Stripping out safety features to keep costs down helps the manufacturers sell more cars as it makes them cheaper, but the end result is that ordinary people die,” he said.“What also worries me is Australians are reading international crash test reports where the safety features were included.”Matthew-Wilson, who successfully lobbied the New Zealand Government to make unsafe old seatbelts unlawful, said he was “probably not on car companies' Christmas card list”.He said stripping out curtain airbags was of particular concern as they were known to save lives in crashes with poles and trees.“An airbag at the factory probably costs about $25. If they can get away with it they do.”He said cars imported into Australia had fewer standard safety features than those imported into New Zealand.“The Barina (imported from Korea) has ABS standard in New Zealand, but in Australia it does not come with ABS, but costs about the same price,” he said. “In New Zealand, importers are competing with second-hand Japanese imports with all the safety features. In Australia they do not have the same competition.“It's a cozy arrangement between the car companies to leave safety devices off to cut costs.”GM Holden national media relations manager John Lindsay said the markets and pricing structure were different between Australian and New Zealand markets.“The Barina in NZ starts at a higher specification which we believe is required to compete in that specific market and this is reflected in a higher entry-level price,” he said.Matthew-Wilson said electronic stability control was a crucial safety device available in most new European cars.However, in Australia, only the top models had ESC fitted.“Airbags and electronic stability control are considered luxury features and are usually only included in a package with mag wheels.”Matthew-Wilson said top-of-the-range imported cars had a substantial array of safety features, but we were being overcharged for them.He said Asian cars often featured more safety features and were near the top of consumer satisfaction surveys on reliability while European cars were near the bottom.The latest British customer satisfaction survey has awarded Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota, the top rank for the seventh consecutive year.“English cars are the worst of the worst, but most of them are not truly English any more, they are German,” he said.Matthew-Wilson is also concerned about the poor standard of seatbelts in second-hand Australian cars.He wants the Australian Government to legislate for the replacement of unsafe seatbelts.“This is of real concern because some older style seatbelts stretch like rubber bands in an accident. They are as bad as no seatbelt at all,” he said.  Differing safety features   (Australia and New Zealand markets)All Honda Odyssey (imported from Japan) versions have dual front and side airbags but in New Zealand head curtain airbags are also standard and in Australia they are only fitted to the luxury model.Current Honda Civic models (imported from Thailand) have six airbags on all models in New Zealand, but in Australia they have a cheap version (VTi) with two, a moderate version with four (VTi-L) and others with six.Mitsubishi L200 Triton (imported from Thailand) has ABS standard on all models in NZ, but in Australia it is an option on most models and standard on expensive models.Hyundai Tucson (imported from Korea) has dual front, side and head curtain airbags on all models in NZ. In Australia they have dual front airbags standard, but dual side and head curtain airbags available on Elite and City models. Electronic stability control is standard on all NZ models, but it is not available in Australia.Holden Viva (imported from Korea) in New Zealand has ABS standard and in Australian it's standard on the wagon and an optional extra with alloy wheels on others.(Source: The Dog & Lemon Guide)Clive Matthew-Wilson on these statistics "They are not however 100 per cent accurate simply because many car manufacturers and dealers make it very difficult to find out what safety features are on their cars, even if you go to official websites or call the actual dealers, you are quite often put through to someone who simply doesn't know much about the product they are selling. Also it's worth noting that the week after we ask (a manufacturer) about safety features...they may have a new load in with a different configuration."

Little wonder, then, that Kia's Carnival, at $29,990, has proved to be such a hit: it offers considerable value for money for anyone willing to make a few sacrifices to save$10,000.Kia is now taking aim at a slightly more affluent sector of the market with its new, more powerful and larger Grand Carnival, priced from $36,990.The Korean giant plans to sell both the old, sub-$30,000 Carnival and the new model side by side for the foreseeable future as it attempts to increase its market share.The people-mover segment is fast becoming one of the most competitive in the vehicle industry, and makers have even tried to sex up their image.Most successful has been Honda's new-generation Odyssey, which is far more car-like in both appearance and dynamics than its predecessor.Ford has come up with a winner by offering soft-roaders such as the Territory with an optional third row of seats.With a bewildering array of choices in the market, Sunday CARSguide looks at five vehicles for the masses. Chrysler VoyagerPRICE: $55,990 to $71,990GOOD: Space, and lots of it. The 3.3-litre V6 offers a handy 128kW of power. The Stow 'n' Go option allows you a wide variety of seating and cargo options, and sliding rear doors make for easy access.BAD: All that interior space makes for a very big exterior. The Voyager feels a lot like a delivery van, and has an interior reminiscent of the early 1990s. When behind the wheel, you can't help feeling you're heading off to the local Dunkin' Donuts shop somewhere in middle America.VERDICT: This is one for the "size really matters" crowd. Extra size and power can't prevent the Voyager feeling distinctly old-school. It's also expensive. Speaking of old school, did I mention the column shift? Mitsubishi GrandisPrice: From $39,990GOOD: The Grandis has excellent interior space. functionality and style. Its tip-and-tilt seating system is one of the easiest and most useful around. Priced from $39,990, it also offers reasonable value for money.BAD: The somewhat aggressive exterior styling may not be to everyone's liking. Its height means it can't quite match the Honda Odyssey for on-road dynamics and feel.The 2.4-litre four puts out 121kW and has to work hard with a full load. Some dashboard controls are fiddly and set too far away.VERDICT: If you don't mind the looks, you should definitely test-drive the Grandis; it's a genuine rival to the Odyssey, and at a competitive price. Honda OdysseyPrice: $38,790 to $45,290GOOD: The most car-like MPV, the Odyssey has great on-road dynamics. Its interior and exterior build quality is superb.BAD: The Honda is not alone among modern cars in having the emergency brake on the floor, but it's an annoyance — even if it does allow extra space for the centre console. The test Odyssey had an acute case of reflected glare on the dashboard.VERDICT: A quality product that is quite rightly considered the leader in the people-mover stakes. The Odyssey's 2.4-litre, in-line four makes the most of its 118kW and is reasonably frugal, but fitting the 140kW engine from the outstanding Accord Euro would make things even better. The rear seats are best suited to pre-teens. Ford TerritoryPrice: $39,490 to $56,320GOOD: The new ZF six-speed transmission fitted in the AWD version of the Territory is a huge leap forward for Ford. Its AWD system is one of the best, and the Territory proved sure-footed during a three-hour trip along the freeway from Sydney to Newcastle in a torrential downpour.The Territory can go places the other four in this comparison can't,, but it's not a fair dinkum off-roader.BAD: The six-speed tranny and AWD are expensive options, as is the third row of seats.The four-litre, six-cylinder motor delivers a healthy 190kW, but driven with enthusiasm, it gulps down considerably more juice than Ford's claimed 12.2 litres per 100km for the RWD and 12.8 for the AWD.Again, the third row of seats is strictly for pre-teens. Interior fit and finish are good by local standards, but can't match the Japanese.VERDICT: Most versatile of the five, but you pay handsomely for AWD anda six-speed gearbox. Though not the best vehicle for transporting seven people, the Territory wins points for its across-the-board potential and would suit a family of four or five who need two extra seats on occasion. Kia Grand CarnivalPrice: From $36,990GOOD: It's obvious why the base-model Kia, at $29,000, is Australia's best-selling people mover. For $7000 more, you can now get what is effectively a completely different vehicle.Interior and exterior remain bland, although the Grand Carnival wins points for the functionality of its eight seats. An enormous rear luggage space is achieved by placing the spare wheel under the centre of the vehicle. The sliding rear doors are generally easier to access than those on the Odyssey, the Grandis or the Territory.A big improvement is the new 3.8-litre V6, which increases power from 132kW to 184 and torque from 220Nm to 343.BAD: Engine problems with the earlier base model dented the Kia's reputation and hurt re-sale values. This will have flow-on effects to the Grand Carnival, despite it being a different vehicle.It's still clearly built to a price, with dynamics and general feel below that of the other vehicles in this test; in particular, the steering felt indirect. The new engine has loads more power, but you pay at the bowser, with Kia claiming a best-scenario fuel consumption of 12.8 litres/100km. Like the Odyssey, the Kia has a foot emergency brake.VERDICT: Money talks, and the Grand Carnival is a bargain buy that will garner healthy sales. The Odyssey and Grandis are better vehicles overall, but the Kia scores points for size and power. The winner ...HONDA'S Odyssey remains the one to beat. Although the Grandis runs a close second, the Odyssey outsells it by almost six to one. The Territory is a genuine option if you want to get a little way off the beaten track. The Grand Carnival is good value despite the price increase, and the Voyager is for those who really value their personal space.Most prices quoted in this story exclude dealer delivery and statutory prices

Sales soared and Toyota went all the way with a chisel-nosed Tarago that was the class act of the field.Every big brand had some sort of people mover for drivers with more than four in the family. Some called them, unkindly, Catholic vans.But they were mostly just converted delivery vans with three rows of seats, built to a price and with little concern for safety, comfort or equipment. A head-on crash meant the driver's legs would be first on the scene.People movers have never really recovered from the backlash against those evil originals, and the rise and rise of four-wheel-drives has also made life tough.Some people just don't want to be seen in a boring, boxy people mover, even if the newest of the breed are morphing into crossover cars that do more with less.The latest Mitsubishi Grandis and the Honda Odyssey point to the future. They're shorter and smoother but still pack lots of positions and choices into the cabin.They could spark a revival, particularly if petrol prices put real pressure on hulking seven-seat four-wheel-drives, but the current sales figures don't suggest that will happen soon.Kia sold 461 of its class-leading Carnivals in July to take its year-to-date total to 3199, but that was nearly half the total number of people movers, only 8579 going on to Australian roads in the first seven months. In contrast, big sixes totalled 103,677.People movers still fill a role, particularly if you really need to carry a lot of people for more than a sprint to the shops.Most carry seven in reasonable comfort. Among the official people movers, only the Volkswagen Kombi is rated as a nine-seater. The pricey Toyota Tarago and VW Caravelle seat eight.Still, people movers have come a long way on safety, comfort, refinement and equipment, and the benchmark Honda Odyssey is set for a huge sales rise very soon.A PEOPLE mover is no longer a box on wheels, nor is it an embarrassment to its occupants.The new Ford Territory is hot, and happily carries seven people if fitted with the rear seat. A Holden Crewman combines work-and-play duties, and the Toyota Kluger is a seven-seat family van disguised as an all-wheel-drive.Families want a vehicle that sits between traditional passenger car and hulking bush basher, and carmakers are rushing to fill the void.In coming years we can expect a rush of crossover vehicles that will blur the lines between traditional market segments.The Territory is already doing the job of an old-fashioned Falcon, albeit one dressed up in a macho body with a high-rider seating position, a classy finish and plenty of equipment and versatility. Luggage space is tight with the third row of seats up, and access to those seats could be easier, but it is a winner with families.The Crewman, the Cross8 in particular, is aimed at part-time parents who want family wheels with a bit of excitement. The upright back seat isn't all that comfortable, but the person making the buying decision – and using a Crewman for work – will be sitting up front.1. Honda OdysseyLowdown: Attractive body and Honda quality boosted by a top-value price.Verdict: The smooth new Honda shows how people movers should be done.Plus: Refined, classy, good looking.Minus: Not a huge amount of space.Rating: 18/20THE newest member of the Honda family is more quality stuff from the company that gave us the pace-setting Accord Euro. It comes with only seven seats, but that's no real handicap because the 2.4-litre engine has 118kW of power and impressive response. Letdowns are suspension that thumps over bumps, child-seat anchor points in the ceiling block the rear view, and loss of the V6. But to cap the action and really rattle its rivals, prices open at $38,790 and the fully loaded luxury model is $45,290.2. Chrysler VoyagerLowdown: The incredible hulk of the people-mover class is the one to buy if you have a big family and equally large budget.Verdict: An American "minivan" that's great for heavyweight hauling.Plus: Roomy and versatile, with V6 power.Minus: Costly, and not the best right-hand-drive conversion.Rating: 17/20THE American carmaker says this is the Rolls-Royce of people movers. There's space for seven with innovative roll-out rear seats and armrests in the front. The 3.3-litre V6 is punchy, if a little thirsty. Also available in a long-wheelbase model and all-wheel-drive. Prices start at $53,490 (SE model), step up to $59,090 for the long-wheelbase machine and go all the way to $78,590 for the fully loaded four-wheel-drive.3. Holden ZafiraLowdown: The innovative Holden was developed in Europe for three-row family work and Opel's original has been smartly tweaked for Australian sales.Verdict: Not the biggest of the bunch, but a good drive for smaller families.Plus: A good drive with impressive quality.Minus: Poor space in the tail, second-row bench has to slide forward for access to back seats.Rating: 16/20THE Zafira is close in concept to the now-dead Mitsubishi Nimbus, with a compact body that has Tardis-style third-row seating. It has excellent suspension tuning and good punch from its 2.2-litre four. The price is pretty nice, too, at $32,890, and the TV commercial with a youngster sketching on a baby is one of our favourites.MITSUBISHI GRANDISRating: 16/20Price: $43,990Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderSMOOTH lines, nicely built and well equipped, but hit hard when the Odyssey arrived. Definitely worth a look for those dollars.MAZDA MPVRating: 15/20Price: $50,665Engine: 3.0-litre V6THE multi-purpose vehicle has been left behind by the zoom-zoom models in the Mazda family. Quality is impressive and it drives nicely, but few people seem to want a Mazda people mover.TOYOTA AVENSISRating: 15/20Price: $43,100Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderNICE to drive with good access for kids in back, but minimal luggage space with third row up. Too costly for what it is, and shows Toyota doesn't really care about people movers in 2004.TOYOTA TARAGORating: 15/20Price: from $52,460Engine: 2.4-litre fourTHE faded former champion. Still has a great name. Desperately needs a V6 engine to justify prices that go up to $72,620.VOLKSWAGEN CARAVELLERating: 15/20Price: From $59,990Engine: 2.8-litre V6BOTH Volkswagens are in a run-out situation, with no turbodiesels left. The new turbodiesel T5 could be the pick for long-distance families.HYUNDAI TRAJETRating: 15/20Price: From $32,990Engine: 2.7-litre V6ONE of the newer models in the Hyundai family, and punchy with its V6 motivation. The price is good but it shapes as a big-box deal for people who are more worried about practicality than quality.VOLKSWAGEN KOMBIRating: 14/20Price: $39,990Engine: 2.5-litre four cylinderTHE Kombi has a great name and drives better than you'd expect, with austere but quality finishing. Not as flashy as some.KIA CARNIVALRating: 14/20Price: $29,990Engine: 2.5-litre V6THE easy sales leader but doing it on value. Is much like its Hyundai twin but with a little more equipment and a price that makes it a real winner.MERCEDES-BENZ VITOArriving early next yearPrice: TBAEngines: TBATHE Vito people mover will be available in two models, with the upmarket version getting leather seats and all the fruit. Worth a look.