    2014 Honda Odyssey Touring. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Jonathan Yarkony
Although a shrinking segment, minivans are still a key part of the automotive landscape, and the Honda Odyssey remains one of the best, staying at the front of the pack through constant improvement and helpful, family-friendly features.
For 2014, the headline grabber is the built-in vacuum included with the top Touring trim, but other notable additions are Honda’s clever LaneWatch passenger-side blind-spot camera and the upgrade to six-speed automatic transmission across the board to go along with refreshed styling and a host of other features. This trim arrives at a cost of $45,050 (down more than $2K compared to 2013 Odyssey Touring models) and all trims are charged $1,695 and $100 A/C Tax, though the Odyssey experience can start for as little as $29,990 with the LX trim.
The vacuum is a novelty, but it’s a shame it is available only on the top Touring trim as it would be a popular option if priced competitively with household vacuums. Then again, if pricing of built-in nav systems compared to handheld devices is a rule of thumb to go by, this vacuum would likely cost as much as a sunroof or that nav option, and I have a hard time seeing many families opting to buy a built-in van vacuum for over a grand. If you do fork over almost $50K for a rolling living room, you will have a cinch keeping it clean of dust and suckable detritus. Not much you can do about juicier and softer stains with this vacuum – it’s not a steam cleaner after all.
Anyhow, the hose is reasonably long and just reaches the front row, though the front footwells require constant pulling effort or it slinkys back to the rear compartment. Suction is also only moderate, and the two attachments seem a bit sad compared to any but the most basic Dustbuster attachments. It’s also a bag vac, so you won’t have to mess with emptying canisters, but it’s a small bag that might fill up quickly if you tend to experience large messes.
Conveniently, there’s a handy transportation unit attached to this living room with a built-in vac, and it is powered by Honda’s venerable 3.5L V6 making 248 hp at 5,700 rpm and 250 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. It’s more than sufficient for this 2,090 kg porker, picking up the heft and confidently, reassuringly getting it up to speed even with a full load of passengers, the six-speed transmission swapping cogs calmly and efficiently. It’s a smooth experience if you’re driving within the limits of the vehicle. On the flip side, the V6 can shut down half its cylinders in order to sip even more efficiently when cruising lightly on the highway, a task at which the big Honda excels.
The new transmission and cylinder deactivation are enough to earn the Odyssey best-in-class efficiency, the EPA setting expectations around 10.7 L/100 km (Sienna and Quest are next best at 11.2), and indeed the trip computer showed that in its last 5,000+ km, the Odyssey was returning 10.5 L/100 km. With some unnecessary idling and A/C running full blast on photo day (it runs so quietly I forgot it was even on) in addition to my usual rush-hour commuting and weekend highway runs, my average was 11.3, easily beating more cramped three-row SUVs, even with the disadvantage of that slip-up. Plus, us big city folk have little need for AWD or ground clearance, even if we do make an annual pilgrimage to the cottage or campgrounds.
It’s a large heavy vehicle, but they’ve balanced that with a refined suspension that carries its weight competently, excelling at absorbing bumps and remaining stable in turns. However, even a week behind the wheel wasn’t enough to adjust to how large minivans have become – every turn and maneuver in tight quarters felt like a battleship preparing to position its cannons, or the weight of the back end pulling like it was on a different orbit.
   2014 Honda Odyssey Touring HondaVAC. Click image to enlarge |
It is the longest of the minivans, but only by a couple millimetres over the Grand Caravan and by less than a 100 mm over the Sienna. It’s also the widest of the bunch, yielding cargo capacity of over 1,000 L in the trunk (trailing only the Sienna) and 4,205 L of total potential volume, but for that I imagine you’d have to remove the second-row seats. This does not require a wrench or tools, just massive brute strength, and even the skinny little middle seat was heavy enough to make it a challenge to extract from between the other two seats.
    2014 Honda Odyssey Touring cargo area configurations. Click image to enlarge |
The Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler T&C Stow n’ Go second rows tumble relatively quickly into their sub-floor wells, and the Nissan Quest offers more limited space, but conveniently flat without any Herculean chair-wrestling feats required.
Part of the reason for the weight of those second row chairs is the sheer comfort, thickly padded upholstery with outboard armrests that can recline and slide fore and aft for plenty of space and a comfortable seating position. That’s not all, folks. The outboard seats can also slide an inch or so outwards to allow greater space for a passenger in the middle seat (fine for even full-size adults like myself and even has its own set of LATCH anchors), extra room for access to the third row with the jump seat removed, or just greater distance between squabbling siblings. But wait, there’s more! Both sides can flip on their front hinge to allow access to rear even with ginormous kid seats installed, though the limited range of motion of the sliding door obstructs some of that opening. Speaking of children’s seats, the Odyssey is the prefect compromise height and tall door opening for my average height (5’10”) and my wife’s shorter stature (5’0″), making seat and child installation an easy and back-strain-free endeavour.
   2014 Honda Odyssey Touring third row seats, removable second row middle seat, cabin. Click image to enlarge |
Once ensconced in the third row, you’ll notice impressive headroom and legroom and even a few amenities – definitely not second-class citizens with USB plug on one side and VGA and 110V on the other, and double cupholders and vents on each side. However, the seats themselves are mounted close to the floor, pushing adult knees back up into your chest and low headrests show it is clearly intended for short people and kids.
The third row has a couple tricks of its own, too. Of course it easily flips down to stow away, but it’s a bit heavy to lift back up. Its party trick is that you can also keep the seats open and flip them back for a tailgating perch at the back of the van.
The parent’s room up front features two fully power adjustable lounge chairs that promise long-haul comfort. Light grey leather on our tester, showing over 23,000 km, was starting to show some pretty heavy transfer staining from the endless stream of denimed auto writers getting in and out. Within reach (though a bit of a long reach because the vehicle is fairly wide) is an endless array of car controls and entertainment features. The usual radio plus satellite radio, Bluetooth phone and audio, navigation, and more are accessed through the large touchscreen or the large knob beneath it, it has most of the same issues we complained about in the long-term Acura MDX. Heating and A/C are old-fashioned dials and buttons for the multi-zone auto climate control.
   2014 Honda Odyssey Touring map lights & cabin mirror, overhead display, passenger media input & power outlet. Click image to enlarge |
Centre storage console between front seats includes a couple cupholders, a wide tray and large covered bin that can even hide a camera bag or purse. This console can also be removed to allow for lumber runs, a ladder or skis with that second row middle seat removed as well. There is also a cooled compartment under the stereo and DVD slot that make for a teensy little mini-fridge. The second-row screen is extra wide and has the option to play split-screen content, but the DVD player only takes one DVD, so the other has to come from another source, like the HDMI or VGA inputs back in the third row. No matter, our boy seemed happy enough sitting through his sister’s My Little Pony marathon, and I’m not one to look a gift pony in the mouth.
The modern minivan is quite an amazing machine, truly a boon to families that are willing to focus on their needs and wants rather than the trends and fashion of the day. The driving experience is little worse than a typical SUV or crossover, and modern safety equipment (Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning being the two most recent additions) and structural improvements to the body helped it earn a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. Personally, I prefer the taller but usually firmer ride of some crossovers like the Hyundai Santa Fe XL or Ford Flex, but the Odyssey serves well either commuting to and from work or shuttling the kids to school or extra-curricular activities, and the interior space is such that it can easily grow with your kids into their teens or into a larger family. A minivan is the smart choice for most needs, and the Honda Odyssey is one of the best I’ve experienced to date, packing many of the most desirable features (I wouldn’t have minded cooled, ventilated seats in the hot week we had it). Although it’s an expensive machine when fully kitted out, the basic convenience and usability of the minivan, comfortable, spacious interior, composed yet comfortable ride and Honda’s efficient and well-balanced driving experience help it stand out in the segment.
Pricing: 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring
Base Price: $29,990
Base Price (Touring): $45,050
Options: None
Freight & PDI: $1,695
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $46,845
Competitors:
Chrysler Town & Country
Dodge Grand Caravan
Kia Sedona
Mazda5
Nissan Quest
Toyota Sienna
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
