Odyssey sets out on new journey

By DAVID LINKLATER

To answer a question on the cover of Fat Boy Slim's latest album - if you're number one, why try harder? Because there's always someone bigger or better coming along behind you.

Just ask Honda. Its Odyssey people-mover has widely been regarded as offering the best balance between interior space and dynamic grace since its launch in 1994.

Some have been bigger. Some have been faster. But, arguably, none have quite managed the Honda's combination of talents. Or its superb build quality.

Nothing stands still, of course. Enter the all-new Odyssey, the first major change for the model in its six-year history. In place of the old 2.2-litre model in six and seven-seat forms, there's now a 2.3-litre four with room for seven and a 3.0-litre V6 variant with seating for six.

The big news is the price: despite a specification that includes dual airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic force distribution, climate control air conditioning with separate cooling for the rear-seat passengers, automatic transmission and alloy wheels, the new Odyssey opens at just $42,000 for the 2.3 and rises to $47,500 for the V6.

Impressive indeed. But the money matters may overshadow the Odyssey's other trump card; a smooth and sophisticated driving experience that's a tangible leap over its already impressive predecessor.

Both VTEC engines are new. The 2.3-litre four makes 110kW at 5800rpm and 206Nm at 5000rpm, while the 3.0-litre V6 produces 154kW at 5800rpm and 270Nm at 5000rpm. Both engines are flexible and full of energy when required. The V6 is particularly smooth, and shrugged off a four-adult load over steep backroads during our press launch test drive.

But what really opens the Odyssey's performance up for keen drivers is the "Sportshift" function for the automatic gearbox. Gone is the old model's gangly column change.

In its place is a stubby looking lever mounted high on the dash board, just an albow-stretch away from the steering wheel. The automatic gearbox offers

slick gear changes in Drive, but flick the lever across to the right and you also get semi-automatic sequential shifting. Tap the lever forwards to shift up a gear, backwards to change down.

A sporty MPV? The quick changes and positive lever action of the new gearbox certainly give that impression. The V6 is sportier than the four, though. The entry level car has a four-speed gearbox, but the V6 uses Honda's first-ever five-speeder.

The new Odyssey is longer and slightly wider than the previous model, but it's also 10mm lower and has wider tracks.

Double wishbone suspension is still used all round, but the company says that much-improved body rigidity has allowed it to increase spring rates by a staggering 30-40 per cent. It also says that suspension roll angles have decreased by 35 per cent and high-speed stability is up by 40 per cent.

Body control is superb and there's little of the wallowing effect you often get with big vehicles over an undulating road.

So much for the driver. What about the passengers? They're well looked after, too. Like the previous car, the new model's rearmost seats fold neatly away into a well in the luggage compartment, although now you can do it without removing the headrests.

The middle row pews - a bench in the 2.3 and two captain's chairs in the V6 - are fixed to the floor, but sit on 330mm runners and feature folding squabs, so that they can be moved forwards for rear-row access or sandwiched flat against the front seatbacks for maximum load-carrying capacity.