2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite - Four Seasons Update - April 2011
By Jennifer Misaros
Photography by A. J. Mueller, Matt Tierney
Miles to date: 3089
Months in service: 1
In its first month, the Honda Odyssey has already managed to accumulate more than 3000 miles. In fact, within a week of arriving, the Odyssey was off for a trip down to Alabama with an Automobile Magazine alumnus. "The V-6 is super smooth," he reported, "and we've averaged about 25 mpg." This may not seem like an impressive number until you consider that our fully equipped Odyssey weighs about 4500 pounds before adding people and gear. The only negative feedback from the trip south was regarding the Honda's vulnerability to cross winds, perhaps not too surprising given the van's large, flat sides.
But those same tall sides and limo-like length make for an abundance of room inside, and copy editor Rusty Blackwell was the first to test the Odyssey's comfort and versatility for people hauling. Anticipating a large group of passengers, he took the Honda Odyssey to a family function and found a butt for nearly every seat. "Two people were very comfortable in the third row, which was simple to access, and two more were able to sit in the middle row, even with a baby seat installed behind the driver. Those in the front seats obviously had no complaints, either, and there was still plenty of room in the deep, wide cargo area for a stroller and other random items."
Getting people and stuff in and out of the Odyssey proved to be a bit frustrating for the Blackwell clan, though. "For nearly $45 grand, I'd expect to have smart-key access so I could always leave the key in my pocket, rather than fishing it out to lock and unlock the doors. When you're on the go with kids, it's would be helpful to be able to just grab the driver's door handle and have it unlock." Blackwell was also surprised that the rear hatch door doesn't power open when the handle is pulled but acknowledged that the hydraulic approach is likely preferable to a slower opening motor-driven hatch. Art director Matt Tierney concurred but added that the power close button, while useful, would be more convenient if it were mounted low on the inside of the cargo area instead of up high on the hatch door where shorter people have to stretch to reach it.
These quibbles aside, with the summer road trip season right around the corner, the Odyssey will undoubtedly be in high demand. Check back each month for updates to see where it's off to next.
2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
Base price (with dest.) $44,030
As tested $44,613
OVERVIEW
Body style 4-door minivan
Accommodation 8 passenger
Construction Unibody construction
POWERTRAIN
Engine 24-valve SOHC in-line V-6Displacement 3.5 liters (3471 cu in)
Power 248 hp @ 5700 rpm
Torque 250 lb-ft @ 4800
Transmission type 6-speed automatic
Drive Front-wheel
EPA Fuel Economy 19/28/22 (city/hwy/combined)
CHASSIS
Steering Electrically assisted
Lock-to-lock 3.5
Turning circle 36.7 ft
Suspension, front Strut-type, coil springs
Suspension, rear Multilink, coil springs
Brakes f/r Power-assisted vented disc brakes; ABS
Wheels 18-inch aluminum alloy
Tires Michelin Primacy MXv4 all-season
Tire size 235/60 R18
MEASUREMENTS
Headroom f/m/r 38.3/38.8/38.0 in
Legroom f/m/r 40.9/40.9/42.4 in
Shoulder room f/m/r 64.4/63.5/60.9 in
Wheelbase 99.6 in
Track f/r 68.1/68.2 in
L x W x H 202.9 x 68.4 x 79.2 in
Passenger capacity 170.1 cu ft
Cargo capacity 38.4/93.1/148.5 cu ft (behind third/middle/first row)
Weight 4560 lb
Weight dist. f/r 56/44%
Fuel capacity 21.0 gal
Est. fuel range 588 miles
Fuel grade 87 octane (regular unleaded)
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
3.5L V-6 engine
6-speed automatic transmission
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
Traction control system (TCS)
Electronic brake force distribution (EBD)
4-wheel Antilock Braking (ABS)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Blind-spot Information System (BSI)
Front and rear parking sensors
650-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with 12-speakers and subwoofer
MP3/Auxiliary jack
USB audio interface
MP3 CD-ROM playback capability
Navigation with voice recognition and multi-view rear camera
16.2" DVD rear entertainment system w/ HDMI and wireless headsets
XM Satellite radio
Bluetooth
Hard disk drive
115-volt power outlet
12-volt power outlets
Multi-function steering wheel
Tilt/telescope steering column
Tri-zone automatic climate control
10-way power driver's seat with memory
4-way power passenger seat
Heated front seats
60/40 split 3rd-row seat that folds into floor
Multi-function 2nd-row center seat
Power windows, locks
Second- and third-row sunshades
Exterior temperature gauge
Power moonroof, with tilt
18-inch allow wheels
Dual power sliding doors
Power tailgate
Auto-leveling HID headlights
Heated power-door mirrors
OPTIONS
Roof rails, $210
Cross bars, $373
Credit: Automobile Magazine (www.automobilemag.com)
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