- minivan 132,297
- 8,423 overpriced
- Springfield, IL
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- autoshopper.com
2005 honda odyssey review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. All-new minivan vies for head of the class. introductionwhen honda introduced the second-generation odyssey minivan in 1999 it was immediately considered the best minivan on the market. Instead of resting on its laurels, honda has listened to its customers by adopting many of their suggested changes in its third generation odyssey. A host of improvements should help put it back at the top of an ever-improving class. among them: improved car-like ride and handling, a more powerful and fuel efficient 255-horsepower v6 engine, and a clever seating system that can accommodate up to eight passengers. A new body structure is designed to improve safety, and the odyssey comes standard with side curtain airbags, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes. lineupthe 2005 honda odyssey lineup now includes three models. All include the full complement of safety features such as curtain side airbags for all three rows of seats, anti-lock brakes, and vehicle stability assist with traction control. the lx 24,995) is the base model with manual sliding side doors, manual driver seat controls and manual air conditioning. It does come standard with power door locks with remote keyless entry, front and side power windows and 60/40 split fold-down rear seats. The air conditioning system includes an air-filtration system. the ex 27,995) adds power sliding doors, alloy wheels, tri-zone climate control, a stowable second-row plusone seat, in-dash cd changer, steering wheel audio controls, power driver seat controls and other items. Upon closer examination though it easy to see that it has a more refined look. It looks more masculine, according to those who apply gender attributes to automobiles. honda says the odyssey has a sporty euro sedan look. The hood is much more sculptured with curves that lead naturally back to the windshield and help emphasize the bigger fender flares. Unlike other manufacturers, honda has not hidden the sliding door channels at the base of the window but left them partially obscured by a crease that runs the length of the vehicle. talking of length, the new odyssey has the same overall length and height as the previous model but has gained an extra inch in girth. Somehow honda has managed to increase the interior length available for cargo and passengers by two inches without increasing the overall exterior length. It has given the extra couple of inches to passengers in the third row of seats. all models come with two sliding doors, manually operated on the lx and electrically operated on all other models. The power windows in each of the side doors can be opened in the same fashion as in a car. A video shown by honda demonstrates how little damage a civic received when hit head-on by a new odyssey. At the same time the main body has been made much more rigid for better handling. Honda also claims the odyssey has the lowest drag coefficient of any minivan for better fuel economy and high-speed stability. interiorwho'd ever think of putting a lazy susan in a minivan? No, it's not for serving food, but for adding an incredibly useful hidden storage area. The previous odyssey had a storage well under the floor of the front seats for the spare tire. Honda engineers have moved it to a location in the rear. Instead of removing the round space under the floor where the spare used to reside they've turned it into a hidden storage compartment with a rotating compartmentalized bin. There's a small access panel in the floor between the two front seats for front passengers to get access and another bigger one in front of the center row seats for access. So whatever stuff is stowed in the lazy susan, front or middle row passengers can turn it for access. Ingenious! flexibility in seating arrangements is a key attribute in any minivan and honda has further enhanced the odyssey's many seating configurations. There's room for eight people with the optional plusone seat that fits between the two captain's chairs in the second row. If it's not needed as a seat it can be turned into a table or stowed in the floor instead of the lazy susan bin. If the plusone seat is not being used, the right-hand seat can be slid across to allow easier access to the third-row seats. the third-row 'magic seat' is split 60/40 and folds down into the well provided for it much more easily than before, and the headrests do not need to be removed before folding. the optional voice-activated dvd navigation system has been extensively updated and now includes zagat restaurant data. The large 8-inch monitor is well positioned high up in the dashboard. The voice-activation system responds to 637 commands and is smart enough to understand different accents and find locations without any need for input other than by voice. Apart from navigation, the system can also be used to operate the radio and climate controls. Unlike other voice systems we've experienced, this one seemed to work effectively. the available dvd entertainment system features a large 9-inch widescreen display that folds out of the ceiling. The wireless headsets turn on and off automatically as the ear pads are rotated. there's a host of other small touches that have gone into upgrading the interior. From a driver's standpoint, changes include the gearshift lever, which is still mounted on the dashboard, but has been realigned so it has an easier longitudinal motion instead of vertical. The driver's seat has been redesigned so it holds the driver more firmly and is positioned in a more car-like setting. We had the opportunity to drive the odyssey for several laps around a race track and found it was pretty stable. It would be no contest with a bmw sports sedan, but it was surprisingly chuckable. That is, it was possible to drive hard into a sharp corner and feel the tires start to slip but without any drama. We could not feel much body roll and the odyssey in front of us looked remarkably stable for a tall vehicle. perhaps the only disappointing aspect of driving the odyssey was on smooth highways where there is still some on-center steering slack. It was no worse than in a chrysler town & country, however, and many people will not notice as it's a common trait of many large cars and most suvs. during a test drive along country roads near the honda factory in alabama, we found the odyssey offered a perfectly pleasant ride. It was neither too firm nor too soft. All in all, it's an ideal vehicle for a long-distance drive. The brakes worked fine and other than the sloppy on-center feel the steering was great for driving through corners more briskly than one would expect in a minivan. What's more, the turning radius is the tightest of any minivan, making it an easy to make u-turns and maneuver in parking lots. straight-line acceleration is good with a 0 to 60 mph time about one second quicker than other minivans, according to honda. Despite having 255 horsepower going through the front wheels the van is almost totally devoid of any torque steer. every odyssey includes vehicle stability assist that works in conjunction with the drive-by-wire accelerator and abs to modulate the brakes while managing the throttle and ignition. If the vehicle starts to lose grip on a tight turn on a slippery surface, the system automatically slows the engine and gently applies brakes to stop the vehicle from skidding out of control. In a test on a soaking skid pad we found the system works well. Fortunately it only works in emergency situations so it's not distracting during normal spirited driving. It can also be turned off. overall, the odyssey belies its size and handles like a premium sedan. It's not as good as a decent european sports sedan but it's certainly better than an suv. The vast majority of owners will find the odyssey's handling and ride is pleasant for long drives as well as around town. road noise was a fairly common complaint thrown at the older odyssey. Honda admits as much but claims.
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