Honda: Crowd pleaser

The new Honda Odyssey seems to cater more for the passengers than it does for the driver. Photo / Supplied

Honda's latest Odyssey is an instant love-it or hate-it proposition. Either you see the swoopy cabin styling as funkily Starship Enterprise - or as irredeemably naff.

Naff, and too focused on everyone but the driver. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

This fourth-generation follows the same long, lean, low-slung format that allows Honda to pitch it as a super-wagon rather than a traditional MPV. It's broad, too, and that combination of wide track and low height imparts a pleasing on-road stability. Mind you, the handling's still comfort-oriented. It's compliant enough, but there's moderate roll and brisk drivers may as well relax, for Odyssey doesn't encourage a keen approach to the wheel - or to the throttle for that matter.

My hilly, semi-rural commute netted a 11.8l/100km thirst. That's well above the claimed 9.3 and almost double the 6.7 Honda alleges for an Auckland to Taupo run in this $56,000 top-spec L.

Remember that run is virtually all motorway, so not a realistic comparison with daily driving.

Presumably despite a 13 per cent boost in power the 2.4-litre four and this transmission - both filched from the lighter Accord Euro - are working hard to punt this 1665kg car around. Otherwise the Odyssey's practical format works rather well. The engine proved keen enough for a car like this, although the auto was slow to change on demanding uphills. But then it isn't a sports car, it's a family hauler.

Hence the ride, which is comfortably plush and impressively compliant, albeit rolling more than I'd like through bends, which corrupts the handling a tad if you're pressing on.

My advice would be to take it easy and relish the ride.

Enjoy the way you can tuck so many kids back there, too.

The spacious third row is easy to access via the tip-fold-slide second row, or folds under the boot floor at the touch of a button.

The centre pew is a wide armrest or narrow seat, but kids should have few complaints; there are even cubbies for each row, and the back of the car gets its own air-con zone.

Up front there are two spacious pews with adequate side support, and a less-useful-than-it-looks central storage tray that folds away so you can easily reach the kids behind you.

Our top-spec test car had heated leather seats and an electrically operated sun roof, too.

Odyssey feels spacious, it feels a little special - but the ergonomics aren't good. The temperature controls are a minor stretch but worse, it initially arrived without steering wheel-mounted controls for the radio, which was a hefty reach away.

HONDA ODYSSEY L

We like
Useful seats-boot arrangement; safe, almost car-like handling.

We don't like
Poor driver ergonomics; odd wiper pattern distracts.

Powertrain
2.4-litre dohc i-VTEC, 133kW at 6500rpm, 218Nm at 4300rpm.

Performance
0-100km/h not available, 9.2l/100km 91 octane.

Safety
Vehicle stability assist, ABS brakes, six airbags.

What it's got
17-inch alloys, climate control air, leather seats, sun roof, parking sensors front and rear, six-disc CD.

Vital stats
4810mm long, boot volume 245/708/1056 litres, 65-litre tank.