Posted on Jun 29, 2018 in
AUTO REVIEW
absolutely! AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –
The 2018 Honda Odyssey is the cream of the crop of minivans. It’s about as roomy as any vehicle can get, it’s available with built-in entertainment that will enthrall anyone under the age of 100, and it drives like a dream. It’s also about as stylish as a minivan can be. But yes, it is a minivan, But, if you need the transportation capabilities of a small bus, the new Odyssey provides that without breaking a sweat.
Minivans are those vehicles that most suburban moms drive because they make transporting a growing family about as easy as it gets. Unfortunately, this segment of car design is unfairly stigmatized for no good reason. The vehicles often share the same platforms as family sedans so they drive smoothly, handle well and have decent fuel economy. Compare that with large SUVs, which share platforms with trucks and along with their rougher ride and hideous gas mileage. Minivans, unfortunately, will never be known for their coolness factor.
The 2018 Honda Odyssey is the fifth generation of the minivan that is perennially one of the top sellers in the US. It’s grown in size since the initial generation and continues to deliver what families need: room, comfort and safety. Honda may be a Japanese car company, but the Odyssey is all-American, designed in and built here in the USA.
All Odysseys get the same 280 hp, 3.5 liter V6 engine. However, the base LX trim, with a starting MSRP of $30,090, has a 9-speed transmission, which delivers EPA estimated fuel economy numbers of 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. That’s a lot better than any full size SUV on the road today. Higher trims get a class-exclusive 10-speed transmission that delivers even better responsiveness and performance.
Most Odysseys feature the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assist technologies as standard equipment that includes Collision Mitigation Braking and Lane Keeping Assist. These features help keep passengers safe when the driver can be easily distracted by a van load of kids. One available option is CabinTalk, an in-car public address system that enables the driver to speak to second and third-row passengers through the available rear entertainment system headphones, thereby eliminating the “turn-around and shout” method of communication.
If you’re starting to grow a family and need more room in the family vehicle, the Honda Odyssey is worth a serious look.
