New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
09-08-2004, 11:00 AM
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DAAAANG & OHDAANG
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New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Anyone with friends or family members who may be interested, please feel free to contact me. Matt Lamb with Hall Honda in Va Beach (757-431-4300). Of course theres alittle somethin somethin for you if you refer them to me. Thanks.
pics at bottom of page
THE 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY IS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED
Not to worry. In traditional Honda fashion, no grass is growing beneath the Odyssey’s tires. For 2005, the Honda Odyssey is completely redesigned, and though the result is not as groundbreaking as the iconic 1999 model, it is nonetheless poised to regain its position as the best minivan on the market today.
Honda offered us an opportunity to learn more about the 2005 Honda Odyssey in Birmingham, Ala., near the assembly plant that is poised to build up to 160,000 minivans annually. Because most minivan occupants ride rather than drive, that’s how we spent the majority of our time with the new Odyssey. But whether we occupied the driver’s seat, the second-row bucket seat, or the third-row bench, we came away quite impressed with the redesigned Honda Odyssey.
SAFETY SELLS
For example, Honda is dedicating significant resources to making its products as safe as possible, and the 2005 Odyssey is the first vehicle to reflect the company’s commitment to protecting not only vehicle occupants but those in other cars as well as pedestrians. The new Odyssey was redesigned with this goal in mind, and the result is a comprehensive standard safety package on all models as well as a new Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure.
ACE refers to the design of the 2005 Honda Odyssey’s forward frame elements, new upper and lower structural members engineered to spread crash energy over a larger area for absorption and disperse the energy away from the cabin. New gussets located in the lower corners of the engine bay at the firewall intend to reduce passenger compartment intrusion during a crash. Honda expects this new design to better protect the 2005 Odyssey’s occupants while making the new minivan more compatible with smaller vehicles in an accident. Furthermore, the new Odyssey’s hood and front fenders are designed to crumple if impacted by a pedestrian’s head in an effort to protect those outside of the van.
STANDARD SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND STABILITY CONTROL
Inside the 2005 Honda Odyssey, a full complement of airbags and safety technologies come standard to protect passengers. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags are combined with standard side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor for all three rows. To help keep a rollover accident from occurring, every 2005 Honda Odyssey is equipped with a standard Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system, which includes both traction control and stability control. Also standard is a four-wheel-disc ABS with brake assist technology to bring the new Odyssey to a stop as quickly as possible.
MODEL MIX
As before, Honda will offer the new Odyssey in LX and EX trim levels. A leather package is available on the EX, and a new Touring edition is a fully equipped luxury van with all the bells and whistles. At press time, Honda could only offer estimated prices for each Odyssey model.
In addition to the comprehensive safety package found on every 2005 Honda Odyssey, the LX also includes P235/65 tires mounted to 16-inch wheels, power windows for the first two rows of seats, power door locks with remote keyless entry, cruise control, a CD player, a 60/40 split-folding “magic” third-row seat, an in-floor storage bin, and a smart maintenance indicator. On the Odyssey LX, the exterior trim is black rather than body color and the wheel covers are plastic, making it easy to identify as the entry-level model. Pricing is estimated to start at about $25,000, and Honda says that about 10 percent of all Odysseys sold will be the LX model.
The 2005 Honda Odyssey EX adds a handy Lazy Susan to the underfloor storage bin, alloy wheels, body color trim, eight-passenger seating, power sliding side doors, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, second-row sunshades, and a parabolic conversation mirror that allows the driver to see each of the Odyssey’s rear seating positions. This popular model is likely to cost about $27,500, and the sales mix is estimated by Honda to be 25 percent of total volume.
A leather package turns the Odyssey EX into the Odyssey EX-L. Advanced engine technology that generates better fuel economy is standard on this model, along with special noise-suppression technology, triple-zone climate control, and a power sunroof that lacks one-touch open and close control. Oddly, the leather package does not include a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Options for the Odyssey EX-L include a DVD entertainment system with integrated remote control and wireless headphones with personal surround sound; and a DVD navigation system with XM satellite radio, voice-recognition control, integrated Zagat restaurant surveys, and a reversing camera. The Odyssey EX-L starts around $29,000 and runs to about $34,000 with everything, and Honda believes that half of all Odyssey buyers will choose the EX-L.
New for 2005 is the Odyssey Touring, which adds power adjustable pedals, a power tailgate, a 360-watt premium audio system, automatic headlights, parking sensors, a second-row removable center console, a Michelin PAX System run-flat tire system with tire pressure monitors, a driver memory seat, a programmable multi-information display, special interior trim, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 115-volt AC power outlet, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and unique alloy wheels. Optional on the Touring are entertainment and navigation systems. Fully equipped, the 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring will be about $38,000, and Honda plans to sell this version to 15 percent of buyers.
HARDWARE UPGRADES
Honda set several goals for the redesigned 2005 Odyssey. In addition to class-leading safety, the company wanted its new minivan to offer better performance and handling, improved fuel-efficiency and emissions, upgraded comfort levels and added utility, and expressive styling inside and out.
MORE POWERFUL AND EFFICIENT ENGINE
With more power and torque for 2005, the new Honda Odyssey accelerates more quickly than ever. Under the hood of the LX and EX resides a 3.5-liter SOHC V6 engine with variable valve timing and lift electronic control (VTEC), generating 255 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm. Power flows to the front wheels through a new five-speed automatic transmission with direct shift control, getting to the ground more quickly thanks to a new drive-by-wire throttle. This engine runs on regular unleaded fuel, and meets stringent Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards in California and New England. Because the all-wheel-drive slice of the minivan sales pie chart is extremely thin, Honda has decided to forego four driven wheels, leaving the Toyota Sienna and new minivans coming soon from Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn to capture those buyers.
SLICK NEW VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Uplevel Odyssey EX-L and Touring models get this same motor, but with an iVTEC (i = intelligent) Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system that shuts down three of the engine’s six cylinders to conserve fuel when cruising at a steady rate of speed or when decelerating. With this engine, the Odyssey is expected to achieve a 20-mpg city and a 28-mpg highway fuel efficiency rating from the EPA. Included with this engine is an Active Noise Control (ANC) technology that works in concert with the audio system to quell unwanted interior noise from the VCM and other sources, allowing the technology to work transparently to the Odyssey’s occupants. All 2005 Honda Odysseys have a larger fuel tank this year, giving the vehicle greater travel range than before.
IMPROVED HANDLING AND RESPONSIVENESS
In addition to powertrain improvements, Honda wanted the redesigned Odyssey to offer a sportier driving experience coupled with a ride quality approaching that of a luxury sedan. New from the ground up, the 2005 Honda Odyssey’s chassis and body structure provide substantial improvements in torsional and bending rigidity, which translates to more responsive handling and reductions in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The redesigned MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension has been tuned to reduce dive and squat as well as provide better wheel control over the bumpy stuff. Because the rear suspension is mounted to a floating subframe, road vibration is more isolated from the cabin. Honda also firmed up the steering to provide better on-center feel and more linear response as the driver twirls the wheel.
INTERIOR DESIGN
While power and performance are important features in any vehicle, they’re generally considered “nice-to-haves” when it comes to minivans. What really counts is what’s on the inside, since people and cargo hauling are the primary uses for such a vehicle. Here, the new 2005 Honda Odyssey does not disappoint, though the fit-and-finish of the early production examples we drove left something to be desired.
SECOND-ROW SEATS DON’T FOLD INTO THE FLOOR
Right up front, we’ll tell you that the Odyssey’s second-row seats must be folded, unlatched, and hoisted through the sliding side doors to maximize interior space, and they aren’t light. Once yanked out and stored in the garage, the Odyssey can carry as much as 147.4 cubic feet of cargo. This sharply contrasts with the Chrysler Town & Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Nissan Quest, all of which have second-row seats that flip and fold into the floor. Honda decided it was more important to provide up to ten inches of fore/aft seat track travel along with an easy-entry feature to make access to the third-row simpler, but we’d remind shoppers that the Quest’s second-row seats do offer adjustment to add or decrease legroom. However, the Quest has no underfloor storage, like the Honda, the Chrysler, and the Dodge.
IMPROVED “MAGIC” THIRD-ROW SEAT
Honda, the pioneer of the “magic” third-row seat, has improved upon the formula. In the 2005 Odyssey, the bench is a 60/40 split folding design that can be operated with one hand if need be. Plus, the headrests don’t need to be removed before dropping the seat into the floor for storage.
CARGO CARRYING CAPABILITY
With the seat lowered, the Odyssey can swallow 91.1 cubic feet of cargo. With the seat raised, cargo space measures 38.4 cubic feet. The huge well is perfect for groceries, and now Honda provides grocery bag hooks on the base of the third-row seat. A 12-volt outlet can power accessories, a cargo net holds loose items in place, and there’s a storage cubby along the right side of the well. Deftly tucked into the left body panel is a temporary spare tire, which frees up space under the floor between the first and second rows for a standard storage well.
COMFORT IN THE THIRD-ROW SEATS
Third-row comfort is dramatically increased, thanks in large part to the redesigned seat and three additional inches of legroom. Adults can ride in the back-back for extended periods of time, even with their legs crossed. Three cupholders and magazine pockets are provided for rearmost passengers, and storage bins are located on each side. Our Odyssey EX-L also included overhead air vents and map lights for both the third and second rows.
COMFORT IN THE SECOND-ROW SEATS
Most passengers will ride in the second-row bucket seats, which can slide together to form a bench seat. The seats are a bit flat and low, but there’s plenty of legroom and foot space under the front chairs is generous. Buyers of the EX and EX-L receive the handy PlusOne removable seat that can be placed between the second-row buckets to accommodate an extra passenger, can be folded in half to serve as a center tray between the seats, or removed and stored in the underfloor compartment when not in use. This lightweight PlusOne seat, installed with the second-row seats moved all the way forward, is also a great place to put an infant – in the center of the vehicle and within easy reach of Mom and Dad in the front seats. Instead of the PlusOne seat, the Odyssey Touring is equipped with a gigantic center console that can be removed to create a flat load floor when necessary.
Automatic locking retractor (ALR) seatbelts are installed in both rear rows to make child seat installation more secure, and the tether strap anchors on the second-row seats are mounted to the seat base for easy fore/aft movement. All Odysseys except the LX come equipped with handy window screens that can be pulled up to shield children from Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun. But because a small quarter window is necessitated by the installation of standard roll-down windows in the sliding doors, the shades will still allow some of Mr. Golden Sun’s rays to shine down on Junior. Bottle holders are molded into the door panels, and handles on the front seatbacks make getting out of the new Honda Odyssey easier. One interesting feature that we think is going to come in quite handy for many families: zippered mesh storage pockets on the front seatbacks.
COMFORT IN THE FRONT SEATS
We have one main complaint about front seat comfort, and that’s the hard plastic upper door panels where we tend to rest elbows during longer drives. This area should be soft and pliable, especially inside a vehicle so obviously suited to cross-country travel as the 2005 Honda Odyssey. We also can’t figure out why the Odyssey EX-L has a urethane steering wheel rim. One might reasonably expect that the volume-selling model with leather seats would have a leather-wrapped steering wheel, but that is not the case. Only the Touring gets cowhide stretched around the tiller, and that’s far more pleasing to grip than what the EX-L offers. That said, we couldn’t otherwise fault front seat comfort based upon our brief drive in Alabama. The leather on both samples we drove was heavily grained and a bit stiff, but nonetheless comfortable. We did ride in a standard EX and found the cloth upholstery plush and pleasing to the touch.
QUALITY CONTROLS
Interior materials, if not assembled with the utmost care, are at least rich in appearance, and Honda wisely chose a mesh headliner that lends the 2005 Odyssey an upscale appearance. All of the controls operate with a feeling of solidity and refinement, and the folding center tray is deeper than it used to be with four truly useful cupholders that don’t allow drinks to dump all over the floor with slightest direction change (like the previous Odyssey). Honda provides a dual glovebox arrangement with separate doors, and generously sized door bins in addition to the center storage tray. Twin cupholders also deploy from the dashboard. In case you’re keeping score, the 2005 Honda Odyssey contains 11 spots to stow beverages.
The stereo sits nice and high in the center stack, with three control knobs and simple arrays of well-marked and clearly legible buttons. The automatic climate control system in our EX-L and Touring sample models features toggle switches for temperature control; interesting, but a bit fussy. The gearshift is located on the center stack, but does not hinder control operation. To open the sunroof, reach down onto the lower left portion of the dashboard, rather than overhead, to find the controls.
OPTIONAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Options are limited to a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system, each available on the Odyssey EX-L and the Odyssey Touring. The navigation system is DVD-based, and features voice-recognition technology that controls stereo, climate and navigation system functions. A reversing camera that displays what’s behind the Odyssey is included with the navigation system, and Food Network junkies will appreciate the new Zagat survey data for restaurants. With the navigation system, the 2005 Honda Odyssey comes wired for XM satellite radio.
OPTIONAL DVD ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
Odyssey buyers who select the optional onboard babysitter…umm, DVD entertainment system…will be overjoyed to learn that the viewing screen is now nine inches in width. It also includes an integrated remote control and wireless headsets with personal surround sound. Pump the volume through the Touring’s 360-watt audio system, and you might as well be sitting in a movie theater. All that’s missing is a microwave for Mr. Reddenbacher.
pics at bottom of page
THE 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY IS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED
Not to worry. In traditional Honda fashion, no grass is growing beneath the Odyssey’s tires. For 2005, the Honda Odyssey is completely redesigned, and though the result is not as groundbreaking as the iconic 1999 model, it is nonetheless poised to regain its position as the best minivan on the market today.
Honda offered us an opportunity to learn more about the 2005 Honda Odyssey in Birmingham, Ala., near the assembly plant that is poised to build up to 160,000 minivans annually. Because most minivan occupants ride rather than drive, that’s how we spent the majority of our time with the new Odyssey. But whether we occupied the driver’s seat, the second-row bucket seat, or the third-row bench, we came away quite impressed with the redesigned Honda Odyssey.
SAFETY SELLS
For example, Honda is dedicating significant resources to making its products as safe as possible, and the 2005 Odyssey is the first vehicle to reflect the company’s commitment to protecting not only vehicle occupants but those in other cars as well as pedestrians. The new Odyssey was redesigned with this goal in mind, and the result is a comprehensive standard safety package on all models as well as a new Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure.
ACE refers to the design of the 2005 Honda Odyssey’s forward frame elements, new upper and lower structural members engineered to spread crash energy over a larger area for absorption and disperse the energy away from the cabin. New gussets located in the lower corners of the engine bay at the firewall intend to reduce passenger compartment intrusion during a crash. Honda expects this new design to better protect the 2005 Odyssey’s occupants while making the new minivan more compatible with smaller vehicles in an accident. Furthermore, the new Odyssey’s hood and front fenders are designed to crumple if impacted by a pedestrian’s head in an effort to protect those outside of the van.
STANDARD SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND STABILITY CONTROL
Inside the 2005 Honda Odyssey, a full complement of airbags and safety technologies come standard to protect passengers. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags are combined with standard side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor for all three rows. To help keep a rollover accident from occurring, every 2005 Honda Odyssey is equipped with a standard Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system, which includes both traction control and stability control. Also standard is a four-wheel-disc ABS with brake assist technology to bring the new Odyssey to a stop as quickly as possible.
MODEL MIX
As before, Honda will offer the new Odyssey in LX and EX trim levels. A leather package is available on the EX, and a new Touring edition is a fully equipped luxury van with all the bells and whistles. At press time, Honda could only offer estimated prices for each Odyssey model.
In addition to the comprehensive safety package found on every 2005 Honda Odyssey, the LX also includes P235/65 tires mounted to 16-inch wheels, power windows for the first two rows of seats, power door locks with remote keyless entry, cruise control, a CD player, a 60/40 split-folding “magic” third-row seat, an in-floor storage bin, and a smart maintenance indicator. On the Odyssey LX, the exterior trim is black rather than body color and the wheel covers are plastic, making it easy to identify as the entry-level model. Pricing is estimated to start at about $25,000, and Honda says that about 10 percent of all Odysseys sold will be the LX model.
The 2005 Honda Odyssey EX adds a handy Lazy Susan to the underfloor storage bin, alloy wheels, body color trim, eight-passenger seating, power sliding side doors, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, second-row sunshades, and a parabolic conversation mirror that allows the driver to see each of the Odyssey’s rear seating positions. This popular model is likely to cost about $27,500, and the sales mix is estimated by Honda to be 25 percent of total volume.
A leather package turns the Odyssey EX into the Odyssey EX-L. Advanced engine technology that generates better fuel economy is standard on this model, along with special noise-suppression technology, triple-zone climate control, and a power sunroof that lacks one-touch open and close control. Oddly, the leather package does not include a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Options for the Odyssey EX-L include a DVD entertainment system with integrated remote control and wireless headphones with personal surround sound; and a DVD navigation system with XM satellite radio, voice-recognition control, integrated Zagat restaurant surveys, and a reversing camera. The Odyssey EX-L starts around $29,000 and runs to about $34,000 with everything, and Honda believes that half of all Odyssey buyers will choose the EX-L.
New for 2005 is the Odyssey Touring, which adds power adjustable pedals, a power tailgate, a 360-watt premium audio system, automatic headlights, parking sensors, a second-row removable center console, a Michelin PAX System run-flat tire system with tire pressure monitors, a driver memory seat, a programmable multi-information display, special interior trim, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 115-volt AC power outlet, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and unique alloy wheels. Optional on the Touring are entertainment and navigation systems. Fully equipped, the 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring will be about $38,000, and Honda plans to sell this version to 15 percent of buyers.
HARDWARE UPGRADES
Honda set several goals for the redesigned 2005 Odyssey. In addition to class-leading safety, the company wanted its new minivan to offer better performance and handling, improved fuel-efficiency and emissions, upgraded comfort levels and added utility, and expressive styling inside and out.
MORE POWERFUL AND EFFICIENT ENGINE
With more power and torque for 2005, the new Honda Odyssey accelerates more quickly than ever. Under the hood of the LX and EX resides a 3.5-liter SOHC V6 engine with variable valve timing and lift electronic control (VTEC), generating 255 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm. Power flows to the front wheels through a new five-speed automatic transmission with direct shift control, getting to the ground more quickly thanks to a new drive-by-wire throttle. This engine runs on regular unleaded fuel, and meets stringent Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards in California and New England. Because the all-wheel-drive slice of the minivan sales pie chart is extremely thin, Honda has decided to forego four driven wheels, leaving the Toyota Sienna and new minivans coming soon from Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn to capture those buyers.
SLICK NEW VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Uplevel Odyssey EX-L and Touring models get this same motor, but with an iVTEC (i = intelligent) Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system that shuts down three of the engine’s six cylinders to conserve fuel when cruising at a steady rate of speed or when decelerating. With this engine, the Odyssey is expected to achieve a 20-mpg city and a 28-mpg highway fuel efficiency rating from the EPA. Included with this engine is an Active Noise Control (ANC) technology that works in concert with the audio system to quell unwanted interior noise from the VCM and other sources, allowing the technology to work transparently to the Odyssey’s occupants. All 2005 Honda Odysseys have a larger fuel tank this year, giving the vehicle greater travel range than before.
IMPROVED HANDLING AND RESPONSIVENESS
In addition to powertrain improvements, Honda wanted the redesigned Odyssey to offer a sportier driving experience coupled with a ride quality approaching that of a luxury sedan. New from the ground up, the 2005 Honda Odyssey’s chassis and body structure provide substantial improvements in torsional and bending rigidity, which translates to more responsive handling and reductions in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The redesigned MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension has been tuned to reduce dive and squat as well as provide better wheel control over the bumpy stuff. Because the rear suspension is mounted to a floating subframe, road vibration is more isolated from the cabin. Honda also firmed up the steering to provide better on-center feel and more linear response as the driver twirls the wheel.
INTERIOR DESIGN
While power and performance are important features in any vehicle, they’re generally considered “nice-to-haves” when it comes to minivans. What really counts is what’s on the inside, since people and cargo hauling are the primary uses for such a vehicle. Here, the new 2005 Honda Odyssey does not disappoint, though the fit-and-finish of the early production examples we drove left something to be desired.
SECOND-ROW SEATS DON’T FOLD INTO THE FLOOR
Right up front, we’ll tell you that the Odyssey’s second-row seats must be folded, unlatched, and hoisted through the sliding side doors to maximize interior space, and they aren’t light. Once yanked out and stored in the garage, the Odyssey can carry as much as 147.4 cubic feet of cargo. This sharply contrasts with the Chrysler Town & Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Nissan Quest, all of which have second-row seats that flip and fold into the floor. Honda decided it was more important to provide up to ten inches of fore/aft seat track travel along with an easy-entry feature to make access to the third-row simpler, but we’d remind shoppers that the Quest’s second-row seats do offer adjustment to add or decrease legroom. However, the Quest has no underfloor storage, like the Honda, the Chrysler, and the Dodge.
IMPROVED “MAGIC” THIRD-ROW SEAT
Honda, the pioneer of the “magic” third-row seat, has improved upon the formula. In the 2005 Odyssey, the bench is a 60/40 split folding design that can be operated with one hand if need be. Plus, the headrests don’t need to be removed before dropping the seat into the floor for storage.
CARGO CARRYING CAPABILITY
With the seat lowered, the Odyssey can swallow 91.1 cubic feet of cargo. With the seat raised, cargo space measures 38.4 cubic feet. The huge well is perfect for groceries, and now Honda provides grocery bag hooks on the base of the third-row seat. A 12-volt outlet can power accessories, a cargo net holds loose items in place, and there’s a storage cubby along the right side of the well. Deftly tucked into the left body panel is a temporary spare tire, which frees up space under the floor between the first and second rows for a standard storage well.
COMFORT IN THE THIRD-ROW SEATS
Third-row comfort is dramatically increased, thanks in large part to the redesigned seat and three additional inches of legroom. Adults can ride in the back-back for extended periods of time, even with their legs crossed. Three cupholders and magazine pockets are provided for rearmost passengers, and storage bins are located on each side. Our Odyssey EX-L also included overhead air vents and map lights for both the third and second rows.
COMFORT IN THE SECOND-ROW SEATS
Most passengers will ride in the second-row bucket seats, which can slide together to form a bench seat. The seats are a bit flat and low, but there’s plenty of legroom and foot space under the front chairs is generous. Buyers of the EX and EX-L receive the handy PlusOne removable seat that can be placed between the second-row buckets to accommodate an extra passenger, can be folded in half to serve as a center tray between the seats, or removed and stored in the underfloor compartment when not in use. This lightweight PlusOne seat, installed with the second-row seats moved all the way forward, is also a great place to put an infant – in the center of the vehicle and within easy reach of Mom and Dad in the front seats. Instead of the PlusOne seat, the Odyssey Touring is equipped with a gigantic center console that can be removed to create a flat load floor when necessary.
Automatic locking retractor (ALR) seatbelts are installed in both rear rows to make child seat installation more secure, and the tether strap anchors on the second-row seats are mounted to the seat base for easy fore/aft movement. All Odysseys except the LX come equipped with handy window screens that can be pulled up to shield children from Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun. But because a small quarter window is necessitated by the installation of standard roll-down windows in the sliding doors, the shades will still allow some of Mr. Golden Sun’s rays to shine down on Junior. Bottle holders are molded into the door panels, and handles on the front seatbacks make getting out of the new Honda Odyssey easier. One interesting feature that we think is going to come in quite handy for many families: zippered mesh storage pockets on the front seatbacks.
COMFORT IN THE FRONT SEATS
We have one main complaint about front seat comfort, and that’s the hard plastic upper door panels where we tend to rest elbows during longer drives. This area should be soft and pliable, especially inside a vehicle so obviously suited to cross-country travel as the 2005 Honda Odyssey. We also can’t figure out why the Odyssey EX-L has a urethane steering wheel rim. One might reasonably expect that the volume-selling model with leather seats would have a leather-wrapped steering wheel, but that is not the case. Only the Touring gets cowhide stretched around the tiller, and that’s far more pleasing to grip than what the EX-L offers. That said, we couldn’t otherwise fault front seat comfort based upon our brief drive in Alabama. The leather on both samples we drove was heavily grained and a bit stiff, but nonetheless comfortable. We did ride in a standard EX and found the cloth upholstery plush and pleasing to the touch.
QUALITY CONTROLS
Interior materials, if not assembled with the utmost care, are at least rich in appearance, and Honda wisely chose a mesh headliner that lends the 2005 Odyssey an upscale appearance. All of the controls operate with a feeling of solidity and refinement, and the folding center tray is deeper than it used to be with four truly useful cupholders that don’t allow drinks to dump all over the floor with slightest direction change (like the previous Odyssey). Honda provides a dual glovebox arrangement with separate doors, and generously sized door bins in addition to the center storage tray. Twin cupholders also deploy from the dashboard. In case you’re keeping score, the 2005 Honda Odyssey contains 11 spots to stow beverages.
The stereo sits nice and high in the center stack, with three control knobs and simple arrays of well-marked and clearly legible buttons. The automatic climate control system in our EX-L and Touring sample models features toggle switches for temperature control; interesting, but a bit fussy. The gearshift is located on the center stack, but does not hinder control operation. To open the sunroof, reach down onto the lower left portion of the dashboard, rather than overhead, to find the controls.
OPTIONAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Options are limited to a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system, each available on the Odyssey EX-L and the Odyssey Touring. The navigation system is DVD-based, and features voice-recognition technology that controls stereo, climate and navigation system functions. A reversing camera that displays what’s behind the Odyssey is included with the navigation system, and Food Network junkies will appreciate the new Zagat survey data for restaurants. With the navigation system, the 2005 Honda Odyssey comes wired for XM satellite radio.
OPTIONAL DVD ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
Odyssey buyers who select the optional onboard babysitter…umm, DVD entertainment system…will be overjoyed to learn that the viewing screen is now nine inches in width. It also includes an integrated remote control and wireless headsets with personal surround sound. Pump the volume through the Touring’s 360-watt audio system, and you might as well be sitting in a movie theater. All that’s missing is a microwave for Mr. Reddenbacher.
Last edited by MattnTheHATch; 09-08-2004 at 11:02 AM.
09-08-2004, 11:11 AM
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
That thing has been beaten by the ugly stick, no wait, the ugly tree. That thing is hideous, why is the only good looking car Honda makes is the S2K?
09-08-2004, 11:14 AM
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Originally Posted by Fat Nick
That thing has been beaten by the ugly stick, no wait, the ugly tree. That thing is hideous, why is the only good looking car Honda makes is the S2K?
09-08-2004, 11:17 AM
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Originally Posted by EEK
why are you still posting
09-08-2004, 11:23 AM
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Originally Posted by Honda-S2000
Anyone with friends or family members who may be interested, please feel free to contact me. Matt Lamb with Hall Honda in Va Beach (757-431-4300). Of course theres alittle somethin somethin for you if you refer them to me. Thanks.
09-08-2004, 11:38 AM
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DAAAANG & OHDAANG
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
i think this van looks great. by far the best looking minvan on the market. the odyssey is so far ahead of every other minivan, theres no comparison.
09-08-2004, 11:42 AM
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Originally Posted by Honda-S2000
i think this van looks great. by far the best looking minvan on the market. the odyssey is so far ahead of every other minivan, theres no comparison.
09-08-2004, 12:59 PM
#10
Srsly.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Kalamazoo
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Re: New 2005 Honda Odyssey US Release
Wowwie!!!111! I want one.
Does it have VTEC? If it does, I'll buy one tomorrow.
I mean, seriously.... Its a fucking mini-van. Is it supposed to be cool just because its a Honda?
Does it have VTEC? If it does, I'll buy one tomorrow.
I mean, seriously.... Its a fucking mini-van. Is it supposed to be cool just because its a Honda?