Thursday 16 June 2016

Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey is a minivan manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda
since 1994.

The Odyssey had originally been conceived and engineered in Japan, in the wake of the country's economic crisis of the 1990s – which in turn imposed severe constraints on the vehicle's size and overall concept, dictating the minivan's manufacture in an existing facility with minimal modification. The result was a smaller minivan, in the Compact MPV class, that was well received in the Japanese domestic market and less well received in North Americ. The first generation Odyssey was marketed in Europe as the Shuttle.

Subsequent generations diverged to reflect market variations, and Honda built a plant in Lincoln, Alabama, incorporating the ability to manufacture larger models. Since model year 1999, Honda has marketed a larger (large MPV-class) Odyssey in North America and a smaller Odyssey in Japan and other markets. Honda also offered the larger North American Odyssey in Japan as the Honda LaGreat beginning in June 1999 through 2005. Both versions of the Odyssey were sold in Japan at Honda Clio dealership locations.

The North American fourth generation Odyssey was officially released on sale on September 30, 2010 for the 2011 model year.

Honda presented the 2011 Odyssey Concept in early 2010 at the Chicago Auto Show and officially on June 17; with a larger, wider body, a lower roofline and revised styling.

Compared to its predecessor, the fourth generation Honda Odyssey is 0.8 in (20 mm) longer, 2.1 in (53 mm) wider and 0.4 in (10 mm) - 0.6 in (15 mm) lower. Available trim levels initially included the LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite, and as of the 2016 model year also the SE.

The redesigned Odyssey features options including 12-speaker 650 watt audio system (Touring Elite), a voice-controlled satellite GPS and DVD navigation system with XM NavTraffic (Touring and above, available EX-L), an external HDMI input (Touring Elite), a larger 16.2-inch (410 mm) split-screen rear-seat DVD entertainment system (Touring Elite), a "cool box" chilled by the air conditioning (EX-L and above), a stowable 3rd row 60/40 split bench seat, a removable first row center console (EX and above), and a new steering wheel via updates.

The 2011 Odyssey includes projector headlamps or HID xenon low-beam headlamps (Touring Elite), standard 17-inch wheels, 18-inch alloy wheels (Touring and above), and 6-speed automatic transmission (Touring and above). All trims come standard with a backup camera, with higher trims offering a tri-angle rearview camera. The body is constructed using 59% high strength steel, ranging from 390-1,500 MPa yield strength.

At its debut, the Odyssey won the Japan Car of the Year Award (Special Category) and the RJC New Car of the Year Award. By September 1997, the Odyssey had sold more than 300,000 units, becoming Honda’s fastest-selling new car and breaking the Civic’s record. The Odyssey was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1995. At the Odyssey's European launch, where it was marketed as the Shuttle, British ex-Grand Prix driver Jonathan Palmer described its handling as equal of any "executive sedan".

In a 1995 owner survey, 98% of the respondents rated the Odyssey's handling as above average, 50.3 percent rating engine power to be good — and 25 percent wanted a more powerful engine. A later review of the first generation Odyssey summarized the minivan's market reception:

The Odyssey was misplaced in the minivan market, which favors a huge, comfortable amount of interior space and versatility

The Odyssey has received numerous awards since its inception, winning both Car and Driver's "5 Best Trucks" and Consumer Reports' "Top Pick Minivan" several times.

In the middle of 2012, Honda Cars North America began exporting the new Odyssey minivan to the Philippines. This model is powered by the 3.5 L V6 engine. Export of the Odyssey to that market ceased after the introduction of the international fifth-generation Odyssey in that market. Previously, a North American version of the second generation Odyssey was sold in Japan as the LaGreat. The US-built Odyssey for the Philippine market was sent to end in 2015, replaced it with a Japan-made model.

The Odyssey manufactured at HMA in Alabama has also been exported to Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea.

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