2014 Honda Odssey

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By Steve Kursar-

The 2014 Honda Odyssey just keeps getting better. The good engineers and designers at Honda have brought out the latest version of their very popular minivan and have made it even better and more helpful to moms and dads everywhere. There’s a reason why the Odyssey is the best-selling minivan: It’s perfect around town, as well as ideal for road trips. There’s nothing that the Honda Odyssey can’t do.

The first Honda Odyssey found its way onto American highways back in 1994. It wasn’t the first minivan (Chrysler introduced their Caravan over a decade earlier) but it caught on with the American public with its reliability and versatility. Minivans seemed to be everywhere as families migrated from station wagons and large SUVs to the more fuel efficient minivans. As a result, several automakers stopping making minivans in favor of crossovers.

But luckily for us, Honda stuck with the Odyssey, and now, we’re living through the fourth generation of their minivan. It’s grown considerably, about two feet since the first ones, but it’s also become more welcoming to growing families. For instance, you can opt for a large, no make that giant, screen DVD coupled with a sound system that makes you feel as if you’re at the local multiplex.

With a base MSRP of $28,825, every Honda Odyssey is powered by a 248 hp, 3.5 liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. EPA estimated fuel economy is 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, about the same as we used to get in family sedans. The Odyssey can accelerate from zero to 60 in less than eight seconds, which is awfully quick considering the size of the vehicle and the engine.

Did I mention that you can get the Odyssey equipped with almost anything you and the kids would want in a minivan? For instance, that wide-screen DVD can handle both a movie and a video game at the same time. How about a built-in powerful vacuum? The HondaVAC includes a replaceable filter and canister bag with nozzle accessories all neatly tucked in the driver’s side of the rear cargo area. Quick cleanups are now a snap no matter the location with an integrated hose that reaches into every corner of the Odyssey’s cabin.

If you need the room and the utilitarian qualities of a minivan, take a look at the 2014 Honda Odyssey. But be careful once you take it for a test drive because you may get hooked. Just relax, you’ll love it.

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.