Honda Odyssey Future Models

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Comments

  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    I would love to have bought a Lexus instead, Spartanmann. Unfortunately it doesn't fit my family's needs right now. I have two boys under age four, a wife who doesn't know how to travel light, and plenty of road trips in my future. Just because I need a minivan doesn't mean it has to be a stripper. Why must the words 'minivan' and ' luxury' be mutually exclusive? I'm going to be spending a lot of time in this car for the next four or five years, and I will enjoy and appreciate the Lexus-like features on my Sienna.
  • lok888lok888 Member Posts: 1,788
    spartanmann - I have to agree with you only for the primary use of minivan. Time has changed. Consumers are demanding more on minivan these days. Auto markers have to satisfied their customer needs with countless innovation and technology
  • tsxtsx Member Posts: 32
    back again guys... with some final news on the new ody!

    Honda will be doing press confrence in July '04 to debut it's all-new Odyssey (U.S. Model)
    All the info will be available online at that time. Don't expect anything to be released in N.A. anytime before - because it can affect it's current '04 Model sales.

    The reason they didin't release anything in the NY AutoShow because the 2004 Odyssey is due to last it's full year unlike what Toyota did with it's Sienna with early model year debut.
    The current odyssey has lost it's share to the new Sienna but Sales numbers are still higher than the other competition which includes the new Quest from Nissan, the restyled Mazda MPV and Kia Sedona.

    Until then you will only hear predictions...
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    Hey, man, if you don't like certain things on a minivan or any vehicle, that's your deal.
    Don't call it irrelevant or impractical or whatever. Minivans don't HAVE TO HAVE sliding doors, 60/40 Split, tow-away-seats, or a lot of things either.
    Heck, you don't even need a minivan. Just take your family on a bus. How's that?

    Fact is, I have the money and I can spend on whatever the heck I want just because I can or feel like it. If I want woodtrim and gated shifter, that's my deal. If you want a cheapo stripped down box on wheel, that's your deal.

    My vehicles, whether it's a sedan, SUV, or minivan must be luxurious. That's the way I like it.
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    And another thing, I ALREADY have a Lexus LS400. SO there. The minivan is for family use, but it doesn't have to be rough riding, loud, stripped-down, plain-Jane, cheap piece of crap with aftermarkets.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Are plastic wood and a gated shifter luxurious?
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    Ever seen a column shifter on a Lexus?
  • lok888lok888 Member Posts: 1,788
    People say this a way how the auto makers increase their profits. Many manufacturers do offer several trims and options on one model. You don't necessary get the top of the line model. But sometime we have to pay for the convenience. It is a personal choice. It is your choice to how to spend your money.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    "Ever seen a column shifter on a Lexus? "

    Rolls Royce manages to maintain a modicum of luxury in their column shifted vehicles.

    Luxury is not about checking items off of a list, it is more about the quality of the items themselves.

    Putting plastic wood in a car adds no more to luxury than putting a turbo decal on adds to performance.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    I doubt the Bentley Continental GT has a column shifter.
    Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac DTS-- all have (or have had) gated shifts.

    Plus, gated shifts are just more convenient. Honda had better drop its antiquated column shift layout on the new Odyssey, as it blocks the view of the dash.

    Plastic or not, the 'wood' looks nice. You have to spend upwards of $50K these days to get an interior that surrounds you with the real thing.
  • dannodanno Member Posts: 114
    Thanks for popping in ... but there really is not any news in your post. Is there?
  • tsxtsx Member Posts: 32
    yes and no....

    No there isn't any real news towards the information about the '05 Odyssey.
    In a way there is some... as you won't find anything until July when the Official info will be released until we can only assume everything on the ody.
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    I think the Sienna has a better interior, but the exterior is controversial. If the Odyssey brightened up the "sea of gray" look, then it wouldn't be so bad. But if I were in the market for a new minivan right now, I'd DEFINITELY buy a Toyota Sienna.
  • laundryguylaundryguy Member Posts: 89
    Easy to keep clean - period. I would never buy another tan interior having watched the mud get driven in from relentless camping and fishing trips and picking up kids in muddy soccer, football, and baseball cleats. To me, a light colored interior is a major negative, particularly in the family hauler. I you are a city slicker and never set foot on anything but a poured piece of concrete or a piece of black top - maybe light tan may be an option.

    Chrome accents = luxury? Have you looked at major appliances ever? Chromed up end caps and door handles went hand in hand with disco in the 1970's. IMHO anything with chrome plating looks dated. I realize this is cars and not washing machines. Graceful ergonomical functional quality styling should be what luxury is all about.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    There are more people who want "Value" than sheer sumpteous luxury. The Odyssey EX-L-NAV with dealer added RES has sufficient luxury for 99.9 % of the American consumers.
         Honda can sell every Odyssey produced without adding a seemingly endless list of overpriced gimmicks.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    i think you have it right.

    if a craftsman is known by his tools, his toolbox does not have one of those silly hammers with all sorts of storage in the handle, telescoping head, bent grip, yada yada. it's design is simple. it's purpose is to drive nails...

    like a good tool, the honda appealed to my engineering senses: simplicity, form, function and value.

    and the driving experience communicated something familiar to what i experience in the accord i drive.

    if you have to have a stylish portable "living room", other manufacturers will gladly provide that for your ownership pleasure.
  • spartanmannspartanmann Member Posts: 197
    Funny how people extrapolate incorrectly from a simple comment. Let me try again. When you consider all of the major functions a minivan needs to accomplish, the idea that someone would pick one over the other because it has some fake wood trim and a gated shifter is hilarious. Critizing a vehicle because they didn't put in the fake wood trim is also hilarious. It would be equally funny to me if someone said they compared a Ferrari and Porsche and picked one over the other because of the ease of accessing the spare tire.

    On the other hand there is absolutely nothing wrong with paying 35K or more to get fake wood trim and a "luxury interior" if that's what you want to do with your money.

    I have no idea where you comments on stripped down vehicles come from. All of the minivans can be purchased nicely equipped, with quality interiors for less than 30K.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    The Odyssey doesn't appear to be sufficiently luxurious enough for the buyers that choose higher-end versions of Town & Country or Sienna.

    Seems big discounts and additional factory-to-dealer 'marketing support' are the only reasons Honda is selling every Odyssey produced right now.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    The Odyssey is sheer simplicity- The big black dials and absence of a gated shifter in my version of the Odyssey simply speaks to me that Honda is no non-sense, value minded, and accomodates the consumers that don't want a rolling living room on wheels. All I want is leather seats and the Navigation system, and I'm set.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    How much 'value' do you think there will be in an '05 Odyssey with a $1,000 to $3,000 dealer mark-up?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,495
    I don't think there will be dealer mark-ups like that on the new Ody. Granted, the current great deals will go away, and MSRP might rule the day at first (a la the Sienna). BUt, there is just too much competition and capacity to support that kind of pricing.

    When the '99s came out, they sort of had the market niche to themselves. Now, Toyota is too strong a competitor, which is good news for fans of either make.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I don't think you'd find dealer mark ups in the 05 version. There's simply too much competition. Chrysler, Toyota and Nissan will be selling vans to people who otherwise would have bought Odysseys if dealers didn't mark up the price.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    Perhaps, but it's hilarious to go back to the 'prices paid' board and read posts from a few years ago.

    If, indeed, Honda dealers will be facing enough pressure from tougher competition to keep mark-ups off '05 Ody prices, Honda the company had better make sure there is a more adequate supply than last time. Paying MSRP is one thing, but being asked to wait 3-6 months for the privilege when there are more alternatives than before could be a deal breaker-- even for Honda die-hards.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    But some people would not wait 3 to 5 months and pay MSRP when they could get a 1999 Chrysler minivan with a nice discount.
        I have one acquaintance who wanted a 1999 Odyssey but got a 1999 Grand Voyager and liked it so well he got a new 2002 Grand Caravan when there were no 2002 Odysseys available for purchase when he decided to get another minivan.
        Some Americans just don't have the patience to wait for the best.
  • dannodanno Member Posts: 114
    This is pulled from a post at "odyclub.com".
    News is the "lazy-susan" info. The rest has been covered here already. I guess what we all want is an actual photo. A followup post to this post states dash mounted shifter from a consumer group preview on an unnamed minivan.

    "My father-in-law sells Honda vehicles and is usually in the top 3 each month. He told me this weekend that Honda has told the salesmen the following:

    1. new body style (duh!)
    2. 250 HP engine (10hp increase)
    3. power windows in sliding doors.
    4. DVD and NAVI to be available in a "Limited Edition" ody.
    5. split rear seat (3rd row) that still stows away.
    6. lazy susan type of thing in floor of middle seats for storage of movies, cds, etc.
    7. New paint colors.

    All I have for now."
  • rosey4rosey4 Member Posts: 42
    Any news of whether the new Odyssey will built to reduce the road and wind noise?
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Any word on seating for three in the middle row.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,495
    Looks like the 8th person has to sit in the lazy susan.

    Good news about the roll down windows in the sliding doors though. My kids would really appreciate that.

    Hope they decide to offer a mooonroof too. If not, they will be the only ones not to.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    I think a lot of people feel that woodtrim, leather, moonroof, and gated shifter "represent" luxury in a vehicle. I prefer real woodtrim like in Lexus, but synthetic is better than nothing to me.
    It's all about what you desire. Some people hate woodtrim and gated shifter. Some people love them. I guess my Lexus has woodtrim and gated shifter and so I have grown to love them. Sure just becase a $380K Mercedes Maybach has woodtrim and gated shifter, doesn't mean you HAVE to HAVE woodtrim and gated shifter to be LUXURY. You could have 24K gold instead of woodtrim and your column shifter could be made of diamonds and 24K gold:-)
    But to a lot people, woodtrim and gated shifter are things they expect to see in a luxury vehicle.
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    You wrote: "When you consider all of the major functions a minivan needs to accomplish, the idea that someone would pick one over the other because it has some fake wood trim and a gated shifter is hilarious".

    So you would buy a hot pink color Odyssey with purple and green interior cloth? Color has nothing to do with "all of the major functions a minivan needs to accomplish".

    The point is, not everyone thinks like you and feels the same as you, just like they don't think like me and feel the same as I. Some people prefer certain things like woodtrim and gated shifter and moonroof. A lot of us don't buy a minivan or any vehicles just because they can accomplish certain physical/mechanical needs. We DESIRE other things and feel that they are worth the extra money.
    But perhaps I took it the wrong way. I don't think you meant it in a offensive way. So, that's cool.
    Okay, my wife thinks it's hilarious too that I like woodtrim and gated shifter. But c'mon man, she's woman :-) I thought guys would understand things like woodtrim and gated shifter.
    Just like NAV and DVDs, they are all expensive toys-to-boys. If I'm going to drive a darn minivan, it better have all my toys-for-boys.
    Know what I'm saying?
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    I thought exactly the same before. But you know how life is. Once you already have something, you won't stop there. You want something more. Pretty soon, it's the Laser Cruise Control. It's the front and back sonar sensors. When will it end? Never! So my philosophy is you are better off getting the top-dog minivan with "everything". Then you won't be regretting anything later--that is until 10 years later when they add better NAVs, better Laser Cruise, messagers, Intelligent Climate Control, Adaptive Lighting, and other things you see in a Lexus LS430 and more.

    The question is, what is the price difference between the Sienna Limited and the Odyssey you are thinking about buying? Less than $10K?
    Also consider that Toyota mark their vehicles up more than Honda, so if you can buy a Sienna at invoice, the price difference is even smaller.
    But to me, the small (but significant) price difference is worth my money for the next 10 years.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    ..."Once you already have something, you won't stop there."
         Chrysler has offered separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger for many years. Manually controlled in lower priced and Automatically controlled in higher priced minivans.
         Toyota finally offered Automatically controlled in higher priced 2004 Sienna. Will Honda offer the feature in 2005? It did not appear on the list by danno.

         That lazy susan thing is probably the most advanced engineering concept yet to appear in a minivan.
  • dannodanno Member Posts: 114
    Again - quoted from Odyclub.con thread. The 2005 Ody definitely won't be the "Elysion". This new seems to be larger than current model. Sorry Rosey.. no news on ride/noise improvements.

    "No, from what I remember the car was very spacious inside. The prototype was bigger than the current model. I also think that it looked terrific. And yes it had roll down windows in the sliding doors. If they improve the mileage with 10 more horsepower, and improve the ride and sound it will be a slam dunk. There is only so much you can do with ride verses handling. I would vote for handling over a cushy smooth ride. The second seat in the floor would not be a high consideration for me. I hardly have a need for that. I would be happy to be able to just pivot them forward against the front seats when needed.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    if recent posts are indicative, according to some in the Toyota forum, they leave the laser cruise off...why i wonder?

    because it's behavior is inconsistent / unpredictable perhaps? maybe it actually cognitively loads you (as driver) more to use it and rely on it => because you spend mental energy explaining it's behavior to yourself...
        is it still working?
        why did it slow the car there?
        what is the reflection off now?
        those trees up there?
        corner comming up...be prepared to spend more mental energy...

    no value for this engineer. exactly the opposite...negative value!

    or take when people start smacking their lift gates against their garage doors because they have the power gate option...same thing. smack it once or twice...then you'll use it rarely! spending mental energy? yup - did I pull my car into the garage far enough so when the button gets pushed...we don't smack it again?

    auto dimming interior lights that don't behave the way the dealer and owner manual explained it...

    AWD and those runflats you can't find, or few can mount, or that cost alot.

    yada yada.

    in some cases simple IS better, and for some <<like me>> MORE valuable.

    and you know the KISS principle... it applies to human factors as well.

    and isn't that "top-dawg" mini going to weigh more - hence poorer gas mileage? but your fake trim is safe; it won't add much weight.

    saw a jaguar yesterday with lots o wood trim? real? fake? i couldn't tell. looked very very cheesy though.

    to each his or her own.
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    You have some very good points.
    Thanks.
    I have to admit that some features are good for bragging "rights" and questionable for practicality. Mosts features/options are pretty much toys-for-boys.
    My first car was all about practicality and none of that fancy danty gizzmos. But over the years, my taste has changed. It has now come to the fun-factor stage. But it could change again and again at any time. That's the funny thing in life.
    Of course, I fully realize that I won't use many of the features offered. I don't even use the moonroof in my Lexus. I never use that power lumbar. I hardly even use the CD player or radio. I don't even spend that much time in any vehicle. But I like the NAV a lot.
    I guess I could spend that extra money on one of those LCD or DPL TVs instead of on a car.
    Okay, your points well taken.
    But I may still want all those features that I never use :-)
    Why?
    Because I'm nuts:-)
  • rosey4rosey4 Member Posts: 42
    I have heard the new Odyssey will blow the competition away. With 10 more horsepower, and with the ability to shift from 6 cylinders to 3 cylinders will make the new Odyssey interesting, not to mention getting better gas mileage.

    If the new Odyssey will be more spacious than the current model, than that will make it more spacious than the Sienna, and the Quest.

    Will the new Odyssey have an automatic tailgate?

    Having driven the new Sienna recently, I was very impressed with the fact that it was very quiet, very comfortable, and very quick and responsive. Having said that, I still like Odyssey, and wouldn't consider any other minivan on the market. However, I really want to see Honda engineer this new one with much better wind and noise improvement, such as the Sienna, and the Quest. Even Honda makes those noticeable improvements, then you're right, the new Odyssey will be a slam dunk.
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    Honda certainly knows its product and its target market: Plain cars (other than the S2000) with black-only dashboards for people who consider and expect an automobile to be nothing more than a useful, reliable appliance.

    Some of us prefer their cars with a bit more character, fun, and soul. (Again, I'd be proud to own an S2000).
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    I'm with you there.
    I want my vehicles to look good on the outside and especially on the inside.
    I want chrome and a nice Lexus-like grille.
    I want nice woodtrim and leather on the inside including steering wheel and gated shifter.
    Basically, I want a Lexus minivan.
    If Lexus offered such a vehicle, I would own one.
    Too bad for us they don't offer.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    for something simple, that gets the job done. For the toys, just the NAV, Moonroof and leather please. Oh yeah, I'm not paying more than $29,999 before taxes. In other words, I want an Odyssey EX.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    jachan2: the prices paid forum suggests people are getting '04 EX-Ls for less than I paid for my '03 LX... ;(

    andrewtran71 - we understand each other...i know where you're comming from. this is for the other tech zealots out there. but seriously, that jag faux (?) wood trim looked sooooo ugly!

    to heywood1's point - i think you are are right. Honda knows how to make a very good appliance. if you need to sex it up though, there's always aftermarket - or there's the Acura.

    but sexing up a mini-van? come on. i think the target market responding to the manufacturers pushing this questionable stuff is sort of conflicted.

    in the end, i suspect consumers want to get in the car and go everytime (dependability). they are rushed and busy so it better be natural, simple and direct - maybe even essential - otherwise it doesn't get used (no value). consumers dont want to be on a first name basis with the service department reps unless they are lonely, masochistic or both (so it has to be reliable). when and if they sell their car, they will hopefully recognize and appreciate a decent resell value.

    all the other stuff is just...stuff...

    i think by keeping the Honda trim variation down to N=3 or 4, not only does Honda improve their build, they improve their availability and also their sales...people know what they offer.

    i for one think that Toyota went a bit overboard on all the different offerings (some of which appear to be difficult to locate). if you need a matrix to represent the vehicle combinations, there's probably too many combos.

    andrewtran71 - one day I suspect you'll notice your appreciation of the simple returning in force.
  • ac00lraac00lra Member Posts: 69
    After reading this thread for a while, I feel compell to chime in. Hope I don't offend anyone. Although I kinda enjoy the funny wishlist and comparision to Lexus stuffs, I find it kinda pointless. The wood trim stuffs can be installed at the dealer or even third party. They probably can do woodtrim on a baby stroller, too, if you're into those. :-)

    I personally think the Lexus looks are a bit cheesy and an obvious/blatant Mercedes wanabee. But like a few people here have said that everyone entitled to their own opinion. I think we should get back to discussing the technology behind the new Odyssey such as VCM. I'm completely fascinated by that due to the fact that others have failed but Honda felt they can pull it off. And this lazy Susan thing, what exactly is a lazy Susan? I'm not sure. All the Susan I know are pretty active and hard-working. :)
  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    Probably.
    Who knows in life?
    Two years ago, I would have never guessed I'd be talking about minivans now!

    But yeah, some woodtrims do look like crap, just like some chrome grilles look like crap.
    Just having something doesn't make it's good.
    You gotta have something good to make it good.
    For example, I think the front grilles of the Chryslers look terrible--like the new 300 something sedan? I bet it has more chrome than the Lexus LS430 or the new '05 Acura RL. But it looks much, much worse IMO than even the Sienna's front grille.
    I think the woodtrim in a $380K Maybach doesn't look as good as the woodrim in a $45K Lexus GX470 or the LS430.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,495
    I assume the lazy susan is some sort of turntable thing, but I can't envision how it would work in the van.

    As to the VCM, from what I have read the version that Chrysler just introduced (on the Hemi) works very well, to the extent that you can't tell it's there. Of course, long term durability is yet to be seen.

    Honda should't have a problem with VCM, since it isn't really all that much different than the VTECH stuff they have used for years.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • andrewtran71andrewtran71 Member Posts: 840
    Have you personally seen 3rd party and dealer-installed woodtrim?
    Check out the woodrim installed at the dealer on a Landcruiser and the woodtrim on the Lexus LX470.
    It's not even funny how bad the dealer/3rd party woodtrim looks compared to the factory Lexus woodtrim.
    But yeah, I can understand different opinions. My brother hates woodtrim, and so does my wife. I think a lot of woodtrims don't look good either. I think the woodtrim on the Lexus GX470 looks a lot better than the woodrim on the LX470 and LS430.
    But who cares if Lexus copied Mercedes? If you see something good, copy it and make it look even better.
    They all copy each other in the end.
    After the Lexus LS came out and stole a lot of sales from Mercedes, the Mercedes people copied the ideas of Lexus too.
    I have not seen any Mercedes at any price, including the $380K Maybach, with a better woodtrim than the Lexus GX and LS.
    In my opinion, nothing out there looks as good as the Lexus GX or LS on the interior.
    But yeah, that's my opinion.
    Some people will always think Mercedes look better no matter what. That's their opinion. We just differ, like you said.
    Oh, yeah, talk about technology all you want. I like that too. VCM. Hybrid. NAV. HP. Torque. dBA. Braking distance. Coefficient of Drag. Bring it on. We talk about everything here.
    Only problem is, we just can't talk about any of it because we don't know squat about the new Ody.
  • stevengordonstevengordon Member Posts: 130
    I thought Bamaboy was our Inside Man at Honda of Alabama. I read, many posts ago, that he drives the new Ody every day. He didn't mention the Lazy Susan...or did he and I just missed it?

    Anyhow, since he's familiar with the vehicle, then so-called facts like the Lazy Susan are just wishful fictions.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    no bad raps for susans from me.

    so the VCM strategy...how much might one realistically anticipate for improvements in fuel economy vs. non-VCM at legal HW speed?

    also - does the system do anything to switch one out of VCM when you ask for max fuel?

    lastly, there is some active noise or vibration cancellation associated with the technology...did the VTEC have that?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,495
    I'm sure that the car magazines will have articles about the technology once it finally arrives.

    Anyway, if Chrysler can figure out how to make it work, it can't be too hard!

    It does switch to full power mode on demand.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • spartanmannspartanmann Member Posts: 197
    Nothing wrong with getting all the toys on your vehicle, its just that most of the things you want are requirements for a luxury car, but are high priced add ons on a minivan. The large majority of minivan buyers are families on budgets, in fact their first one is usually a used one. Functionality is what's important to them, how much can it hold, how many can it seat, how much can it tow, what kind of mileage and reliability will it provide.

    Nothing wrong with you wanting it all, just remember you are the minority in buying the top of the line luxury trim. Of course Toyota hopes customers like you become the majority, because the higher the trim level, the higher their profit per vehicle. But if you have the money, I agree - spend it on what you want. You can't take it with you!
  • jmessjmess Member Posts: 677
    Any one notice that people who really can afford nice things spend little time on internet boards trying to justify their purchases to the rest of the world?
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