While some of the Odyssey’s cabin materials are clearly intended for robustness – think a fashionable Nike walking shoe, not a leather Ferragamo loafer – the Elite’s interior styling nonetheless impresses, particularly given the Odyssey’s form factor.īut at $48,940 as tested (up from $47,820 to start), it damn well better. As such, 2021 brings unique perforated leather and seat piping that looks appropriately chic. Honda says it designed the top-of-the-line Elite model less for traditional minivan customers and more for family folks trading in a premium car or SUV. With no children to my name, the Magic Slide instead got pressed into duty during an impromptu “drive-in” date, using the Elite’s standard Blu-Ray player for a viewing of Sleepless In Seattle. Honda even says the so-called Magic Slide feature even operates with baby seats installed on the LATCH anchors. Making up more ground are middle-row bucket seats that move from side to side in a few different configurations, including a center-oriented “buddy” mode, split captain’s chairs, and a left- or rightmost position that eases third-row access. Honda says it prioritized passenger comfort – sit in one of the Pacifica’s foldably slim middle seats and you’ll understand why the bulkier (and cushier) Odyssey perches don’t retreat into the floor.
I’m not known for my upper-body strength, so maybe someone else would have an easier time of it than I did, but if I regularly needed to go from passengers to cargo, the Pacifica’s Stow-N-Go seating would be my vibe. While the third-row seat stows simply, the same can’t be said of the second row – a revised folding mechanism for 2021 makes removing each of the middle-row seats easier, but the captain’s chairs are still rather unwieldy. I was legitimately surprised with its grip and handling verve on a spontaneous blast down a scenic route. The Odyssey is about as nimble as you’d expect of any vehicle wearing that squared-off H badge. A family of four or five would have all the room in the world if they needed it for a long trip. While we’re back there, cargo space behind the third row is incredible at 32.8 cubic feet, and stowing those chairs is a cinch thanks to the backward-flipping “Magic Seat” that stows in the deep cargo area for a flat rear load floor. That Sucks: Honda Runs Out Of Vacuum Cleaners For Odyssey Minivan Furthermore, Honda Sensing is also better than last year, thanks to a new radar sensor that offers a low-speed follow function with stop and go, pedestrian detection, and perceptibly better performance in a wider variety of driving situations. Much more importantly, the automaker added its Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assist technologies to all trims – even the $31,790 LX gets features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assistance, and lane departure warning.
Obvious changes include newly standard LED headlights on all models, along with a restyled grille, front bumper, and wheels. But the Odyssey’s age shouldn’t deter buyers, as Honda applied a conservative spate of improvements that help the not-so-minivan – seriously, it’s longer than a Chevy Tahoe – appeal to families looking for space, comfort, and efficiency. What’s New, Gumshoe?Ģ021 brings a facelift to the popular Honda minivan, which has been on sale since 2018 in its current form. All that in a vehicle that also offers a built-in vacuum. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying the spacious, comfortable, smooth, and light-on-its-feet Odyssey about 70 percent as much as any of those far sportier steeds.
For context, the day Honda dropped the Elite-trim minivan in my driveway, I had access to both my personal roadster, my boyfriend’s E90-generation 330i, and a Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (review coming soon). If that modern-day Family Truckster is the 2021 Odyssey, at least I won’t have to sacrifice too much driving fun for school-dropoff convenience.
0 kommentar(er)
