The Japanese auto companies are not all that smart. It took them about a decade and a failed attempt or two to realize that large pick-ups, minivans, and SUVs were hot and get competitive products to market. For example, both the Toyota T100 and original Honda Odyssey were well off the mark. But these companies tend to be very good at learning from their mistakes. The second generation of each of these products is stellar. Each threatens to hurt the Detroit auto makers where they can least afford to be hurt. Once plant capacity is expanded to meet demand, maybe hurt them badly. In this review I’ll cover the second-generation Honda Odyssey.

Update: For 2002 Honda freshed the Odyssey, and significantly altered its character in the process. My review (click link to read) of a 2003 Odyssey evaluates the results.

Few companies learn from their mistakes better than Honda. The original Odyssey minivan had some good features, most notably very car-like handling and a third row seat that magically disappeared into the floor. The importance of the latter cannot be stressed too much. It eliminated the need to remove a bulky seat in order to expand cargo room to the floor. The problem with the original Odyssey was that it was much smaller than other minivans. Its compact size helped make it a HUGE success in Japan, but it hurt sales a great deal in the American market. People who bought this van tended to love it, but most quickly wrote it off because they wanted far more space in a minivan.

Well, this is no longer a problem. When developing the second generation Odyssey, Honda kept the good things from the original one--most notably that convenient seat--and changed everything else. Most importantly, they greatly increased the size of the vehicle. The current Odyssey is almost exactly the same size as the extended wheelbase Chrysler minivans. Since the Chrysler vans were introduced about the same time Honda was deciding the size for the current Odyssey, this is surely no coincidence.

Reliability

People often email me asking about the reliability of the cars and trucks they are considering. Existing sources of reliability information just aren't helpful enough.

In response, my website, truedelta.com, will more clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an Odyssey rather than something else by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). Those who help provide the data--which will require just a few minutes a year--will earn free access to the site's reliability information. To encourage participation, this access will otherwise cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

Styling and accommodations

This size translates into a very roomy interior. Front and second row passengers have plenty of room. The third row seat is smaller, probably to enable it to fold into the floor, and there's less legroom back there (in contrast to the Chrysler), but most adults will still fit. Cargo room is a bit less than in the Chryslers, again probably because of the disappearing seat, but there is still a huge amount of room inside this van for people and cargo. If you need more room, you’d better be ready to live with the compromises inherent in a Ford Excursion or full-size van.

Much has been made of the versatility of the Odyssey’s interior, and rightly so. There’s that disappearing seat. I have no doubt that in the future every minivan will have this feature. The second major innovation, a second row seat that slides sideways to form either a bench or two captains chairs, is a bit less useful, but innovative nonetheless. Finally, the EX comes standard with the dual power sliding doors available on just about every minivan these days.

I might speak more positively about the second row, but these seats just don’t make good captain’s chairs. Actually, I have issues with all of the seats in the Odyssey. Aesthetically, they have the overstuffed velour look found in Chryslers built in the 1980s. How did these seats ever emerge from a Honda design studio? In terms of comfort the seats, especially those in the second and third rows, are simply too lacking in contour. If anything they feel firmer and higher in the center than towards the edges. Like an inverse bucket. In my book, proper captain’s chairs have supportive side bolsters. Like those in the current Chrysler vans, for instance. Why didn’t Honda provide these? Well, one reason is the need for a flat seat to pull of the “now it’s a bench, now it’s a pair of captain’s chairs!” feature. The other reason is that side bolsters wouldn’t work with the overstuffed aesthetic. I hate the styling and feel of the seats, and would gladly trade the ability to form a bench in the second row for a pair of decent buckets. No real loss with the second, really. Why would anyone want a bench when they can have captain’s? So a child can lie down and sleep, perhaps? But that’s a very unsafe practice. So I can’t see a legit use for a bench. I’ll say it once more: restyle the seats.

Update: In an email someone pointed out the value of a second row bench: third row access is easier with this configuration. As for two buckets, better for separating the kids.

While they’re restyling the seats, Honda might think of making leather available in the Odyssey. Every competitor I can think of offers leather. Maybe minivan buyers today don’t want a vehicle without it, partly for the more luxurious feel but mostly because leather is much easier to clean than velour. Why doesn’t Honda offer factory leather? As with the overstuffed décor, I haven’t a clue here. At least this is a fairly easy shortcoming to fix. Many Honda dealers have relationships with local auto upholsters that can and quite often do replace all that velour with leather, for a price not too far above what factory leather would have cost.

Update: For 2002 you can finally get leather in an Odyssey. It makes for a much more attractive interior. Easier to clean, too.

Actually, in the Odyssey even nice leather couldn’t quite lend a luxurious feel to the van. This vehicle was clearly designed with utility in mind. The look of the dash is all about utility. All the controls are very well located and easy to use, but there’s very little style here. Think Civic, just larger. Much larger.

The exterior styling is much the same. No nifty “hidden” door tracks here. Just clean, boxy, angular styling. About as stylish as the 2001 Civic. Which is to say, as with the interior, not much style at all. This isn't a minivan that will appeal aesthetically to people who need a minivan but really, really don't want one. Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not saying the Odyssey is ugly. It isn’t. It’s just in that vast middle ground between ugly and beautiful occupied by good appliances everywhere.

On the road

The “Civic, just larger” theme continues on the road. I was quite surprised by what the Odyssey was like to drive. That same day I’d driven a Ford Windstar and Plymouth Voyager, and the Odyssey felt nothing like those vans. To begin with, from the driver’s seat the Odyssey feels much smaller than it is. For such a large vehicle, it handles very nimbly. Not like a sports car, but almost like, well, a Honda sedan. The engine also helps. It’s quite responsive, and it sounds much more similar to other Honda engines than to the lower, throatier sixes in the domestic competition. Words, at least my words, can’t quite capture the sensation. Let’s just say that my immediate impression was that Honda did everything possible to make the Odyssey sound and feel much more like a Civic than any other minivan.

The flipside of these sensations is they lend the Odyssey the feel of a utilitarian vehicle rather than of a near-luxury vehicle. Isn’t utility what minivans are about anyway? Maybe so, but many minivan buyers also desire the fluid moves, silent ride, and overall feeling of substance found in near-luxury sedans. These buyers will be much happier in a Chrysler Town & Country than in an Odyssey. The Odyssey rides well, but in the tightly controlled, uncushioned manner of other Hondas. In addition, road noise is considerably higher than in the new Chryslers.

Other strong points

The Odyssey is selling very well. Waiting lists are months long, and you can forget about getting one for less than sticker. The reasons go beyond the aspects I’ve already mentioned. They also include expected reliability and resale values. Domestic minivans do not have good reputations in these areas. In contrast, Honda’s rep in both is stellar. The Odyssey maintains this tradition with regard to resale values. Used Odysseys will low miles sell for nearly as much as new ones—a function of people who cannot wait.

I have some concerns about reliability. Actually, one concern, and with the EX only. Those power sliding doors tend to have some problems on every van that offers them. Dirt builds up in the track, placing more and more stress on the cables and motor. There are a couple of solutions to this. Either don’t get the EX, or keep that track clear of debris.

Finally, despite the high level of demand and the overall level of competence of the Odyssey, Honda has priced it very reasonably. You’ll have to pay sticker, or even a little more, but you’ll still only spend about as much as you would for the competition.

Last words

I continue to strongly dislike those seats, but can see why the waiting list is so long for the Odyssey. This van offers a great deal of utility and very car-like handling. If you’ve bought and loved Hondas in the past and need a minivan, this is your minivan. As long as you don’t expect a minivan to be stylish or luxurious, you will be very satisfied. And when it comes time to sell it, you’ll get more of your money back, perhaps much more, than with any of the competition.