HONDA ODYSSEY

The 'Honda Odyssey' is a minivan / large MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1995.

Contents

North American Market

First generation (1995-1998)

Second generation (1999-2004)

Third generation (2005-present)

Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) and International Market

First Generation (1995-1998)

Second Generation (1999-2004)

Third generation (2005-present)

External links

North American Market

First generation (1995-1998)

The Odyssey was introduced in 1995 with four swing-open doors as on most sedans rather than the conventional sliding door design. The basic vehicle was shared between the Japanese and North American markets. The Odyssey was also the first minivan to have a flat-folding third row seat. Built on the Accord platform and using a 4-cylinder engine like the Accord's, many critics thought the interior was too small for a minivan, and the engine underpowered despite a switch to a more powerful 2.3L VTEC engine in 1998. Consumers agreed and the first generation Odyssey was not a sales success.

The first generation Odyssey came in two trim levels LX and upscale EX. The LX could fit seven with two front buckets, a three-seat middle bench, and a 2-seat third row bench. The EX came with two second row captain's chairs.
The Odyssey was rebadged as the Isuzu Oasis, which is now discontinued. This unusual sharing of vehicles resulted from a lack of SUVs in Honda's lineup. Isuzu got from Honda the Odyssey and renamed it the Oasis. Honda got from Isuzu the Rodeo and renamed it the Passport. Acura got the Trooper and renamed it the SLX. The Odyssey and Oasis were used in New York City as taxi cabs.
The Odyssey was ''Wheels'' magazine's Car of the Year for 1995.

Second generation (1999-2004)

The second generation Odyssey was introduced as a 1999 model. It adopted the traditional American minivan format, with sliding rear doors instead of hinged ones and changed from a four to a six cylinder engine. It also had two sliding doors standard, something many vans did not offer. The Odyssey kept the fold into the floor rear seat, an innovation soon copied by nearly every other minivan manufacturer since. The redesign significantly increased sales. This van continued to receive upgrades, such as offering both VHS and DVD-based i-VES systems, a Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, introduced in 2000, which was a first for any minivan, and the increase in power from 210 to 240 horsepower in 2002. Also added for 2002 was a five-speed automatic transmission, side airbags, and rear disc brakes. The Odyssey remained unchanged for 2003 and 2004, before being replaced with the third-generation model.
Many owners reported transmission problems with their second generation Odyssey's, and Honda ended up replacing transmissions for free in many cases. The 4-speed automatic transmission in 1999 to 2001 models had very serious problems with transmission durability. The manufacturer responded to problems with the 4 speed in 1999-2001 models by extending the warranty on the transmission to 7 years or 100,000 miles. A class action settlement extends coverage to 109,000 miles and 93 months for some '99-01 Odysseys. [1] The five-speed automatic was supposed to fix this, but general reliability of the transmission was not improved until 2004. The 5 speed introduced in 2002 suffered early wear out and failure of the transmission's third clutch pack. This causes large amounts of clutch debris to migrate through the transmission and block flow of transmission fluid causing slipping, poor or no shifts or sudden downshifts from 5th gear to 2nd gear. Under some conditions the second gear could overheat and break causing the transmission to lock. An oil jet was added to lubricate this gear but does not solve the third clutch problem. [2] Addition of a transmission cooler with the towing package does not clearly help with transmission reliability but is required for any towing or the warranty will be void. The optional at extra cost towing package includes coolers for power steering and transmission. Car enthusiasts have noted that the factory transmission cooler has less cooling capacity than aftermarket units.
The 2004 model was the only second generation Odyssey model year to receive reliability ratings of five out of five according to Automotive Information Systems.

Third generation (2005-present)

Honda introduced the third-generation Odyssey for the 2005 model year. It grew in width and weight but retained the previous generation's length and interior space. It could be purchased with both navigation and rear entertainment systems, and the VHS-based i-VES system was dropped. There are four trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring, a new model for the Odyssey lineup, incorporating features such as run-flat tires and power tailgate only on the Touring model. Some notable features of the redesign were dual glove boxes and an in-floor Lazy Susan storage compartment, located where the spare tire went in the previous generation. It has a dashboard-mounted shifter, instead of a column-mounted shifter in the previous generations. The second row bucket seats do not fold into the floor. An optional at extra cost 'Plus-One' jump seat was added on both EX trims for use with an eighth passenger. Engine power was increased to 255 (re rated to 244 by the new SAE guidelines, and used in 2006+model descriptions) and EX-L and Touring models received Honda's VCM, or Variable Cylinder Management system. This enabled this van to receive EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/28 for the 2005 model year.(18/26 for non VCM equipped LX and EX models.) However, most drivers mileage is lower. These numbers were re-rated in 2007 using the EPA's new system, bringing numbers to 17/24 for VCM equipped models, and 16/23 for non VCM equipped models. Acceleration was slightly slower.
Honda introduced the ACE body engineering which was later used on the eighth generation Civic, included side-curtain airbags and vehicle stability in all models, and added a host of other features, such as integrated sunshades in the rear doors, windows that roll down in the second row, and the third row 'Magic Seat' was changed from a straight bench design to a split 60/40 design to allow for easier folding. The headrests could now be left in place when tumbling the rear seat.
Only the Touring model was equipped with run flat Pax tires that are designed to run 125 miles with no air pressure. Pax consists of a unique tire with different rim diameters on the inside compared to the outside, a support ring which is a hard ring that is mounted on the proprietary Pax only wheel, and the wheel itself. When flat, Pax runs on the inner support ring lubricated by special gel. It also included TPMS even before tire pressure measuring systems were required by the government. Pax run flats wear faster than other Odyssey original tires by design and ride harder due to the lower profile which reduces the distance from the outside of the tire to the support ring when flat. Pax tires cost $900-$1200 for a set of four or $1600 for 4 snow tires. Pax requires special equipment and training to mount and do wheel alignment which many shops do not have. A proprietary gel pack is needed for mounting or overheating when running flat will occur. Some dealers and very few tire stores are able to mount or repair Pax. This makes prices high and availability reduced. Replacement or repair, especially on weekends and holidays is limited. The only Pax tires for Odyssey Touring are Michelin Energy LX4 or Michelin X-Ice snow tires. No other Odyssey Touring tire choices exist now despite being on the market since late 2004.
This Odyssey has not had the rampant transmission problems of the last generation, and 2005-2006 overall reliability has been average according to Consumer Reports. Crash test ratings have been five star in every test but the 2005 had a safety concern. "During the side impact test, the driver door became unlatched and opened. A door opening during a side impact crash increases the likelihood of occupant ejection." http://www.safercar.gov/Cars/3100.html . Odyssey has won a spot on Car and Driver's 5Best trucks for the past three years, as well as a host of other awards. The Odyssey is due for a 2008 mid-model change, with the possibility of the Michelin-PAX run-flat system becoming optional on the Touring model, among other minor updates.

Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) and International Market

First Generation (1995-1998)

The first generation JDM(Japanese Domestic Market) Odyssey is the same as the North American version.

Second Generation (1999-2004)

In 2000, a new, larger "second generation" Odyssey appeared in Japan and Australia. However, this new Odyssey was actually a major upgrade of the first generation Odyssey, and not a completely new model. As a result, its overall shape and appearance were similar to the first generation Odyssey. Still, it was 85 mm longer and 10 mm wider than the previous model. The base model continued with a 2.3 L 4-cylinder engine, but the most major addition was an optional 3.0 L VTEC V6 engine producing 201 hp (154 kW). The 2000 Odyssey was the first Honda to receive a 5-speed automatic transmission, which also featured another first - a manual shift (semi-automatic) mode. The interior was completely new. The old automatic column shifter was moved to a unique central position on the dash. Digital climate controls replaced the old manual controls, and were situated below the audio system controls. Luxurious woodgrain trim appeared on all models, while V6-L models received leather for the first time.
In January 2003, the Odyssey received a mild restyle. It received new, larger Honda emblems for the front and rear, clear-lens taillights (replacing amber), and a larger grille with 4 chrome strips instead of 3. Pricing was reduced by US$2,000 (US$24,490) for the 4-cylinder, and US$4,000 for the V6 (US$30,490).
In the Australian market, the new Odyssey proved more popular than its predecessor, at least initially. However, in 2002, sales hit an all-time low, and in 2003, sales of only 649 units were almost one-third that of 2000.

Third generation (2005-present)

The third generation Japanese-built Odyssey was the first full redesign of the Odyssey since its introduction in 1995. Going on sale in Japan in late 2003, and in Australia and many other countries in 2004, it continued with a 5-door body style, with a much sleeker, lower, and more car-like appearance. The new Odyssey came with the Honda K24 engine, a 2.4 L unit producing 158 hp (118 kW); this is the same engine used in the CR-V and Accord. The V6 engine was dropped completely. However, this has not stopped the new Odyssey from becoming a sales success. In Australia, the Odyssey achieved its best-ever sales year in 2005, and has outsold the Toyota Tarago for the first time.

External links

★ Official U.S. Site

★ YahooAutos-2007 Honda Odyssey

★ YahooAutos-2006 Honda Odyssey

★ In depth Information on the 2005+ Honda Odyssey

★ AutoGuideWiki.com