Family car par excellence

Photo courtesy, Honda
The Odyssey 2018 inaugurates the fifth generation of the large vans Honda. Its V6 engine is now mated to a gearbox with 9 or 10 reports.

Jacques Welcome

Sunday, January 7, 2018 20:47

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Sunday, January 7, 2018 20:47

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Over the past twenty years, the Honda Odyssey remains a favorite of buyers of vans because of the interior of the car highly versatile. Version 2018, which ushers in a new generation, does not default to this reputation.

The Honda Odyssey offers a redesign for 2018. A family vehicle par excellence, its manufacturer offers a new version of inaugurating its fifth generation with some cosmetic changes and technical innovations.

The regulars will notice that the profile of the vehicle remains familiar. The changes are a clever evolution of the style of the previous model, the origins of which date back to 2010. The designers at Honda have preserved the indentation from the beltline, described as ” lightning “, which has become the new signature of the Odyssey in recent years. This time, however, they have cleverly integrated the rails of the side doors sliding to the architecture of the vehicle, so that they seem non-existent. Compared to the previous model, also, the sides of the body have a more sculpted.

For its part, the shield front end retains a shape down with a short hood. Its grille however shutters closing force intended to optimize the fuel consumption at cruising speed. This statement of the constructor, it must be the word for it, since the mass of the vehicle, or 2 t, remains essentially the same, as the consumer, at least if we rely on the ratings published by natural Resources Canada.

The design of this front-end part makes it even more obvious the concept of the “flying wing” that was introduced with the Odyssey earlier. This visual effect comes from the large moldings and chrome that dominate the grille and overlook the new optical blocks, whose appearance is aligned to this ” wing “. In the case of the Touring version, the most expensive of the range, these optical blocks are equipped with new LED spotlights are very powerful.

Fans of this van will also be noticed that the dimensions of the alloy wheels have changed. All models except the Touring models now have 18-inch wheels instead of 17, while the latter is adorned with 19-inch wheels rather than 18. It is very elegant, certainly, but these new dimensions lead to additional costs when it comes time to buy tires, winter, the price of the latter being directly related to their size. This change also has an impact on the turning radius of the vehicle, which goes from 5.6 to 6.1 m. This detail reminds us that the Odyssey, which is as long as a Chevrolet Tahoe (5 m), is not an example of maneuverability, a feature even more evident when it is necessary to park this van in a cramped space.

Assembly at the factory Honda in Lincoln, Alabama, the Odyssey 2018 therefore retains dimensions very close to those of the model it replaces. The body has an elongated of only 8 mm, whereas its width and height have increased respectively by 20 and 30 mm. The wheelbase of 3 m remains unchanged, but the guard on the ground (148 mm) was decreased to 3 mm, which facilitates a little more about the boarding, a quality of long standing of this van.

AS POPULAR AS EVER

Third model of van, the most sold in a niche market in decline, the Odyssey is just around the corner (in order) the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Toyota Sienna on the canadian chart sales. The Chrysler Pacifica and the Kia Sedona follow respectively the fourth and fifth ranks.

The 2018 model still has a V6 3.5 L that drives the front wheels (Honda does not offer awd, as does Toyota for the Sienna). The Odyssey uses this type of engine since the launch of its second generation, in 1998. For this new release, however, this V6 adopts a higher compression ratio and direct injection system, which replaces a system that is multi-touch. The driver from engine upgraded 32 hp additional and a couple slightly increased (+12 lb-ft) ; gains that are difficult to identify since the Odyssey 2018 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7 s, and dust, as its predecessor. Suffice it to note, however, that it does so with a high degree of flexibility, quality provided by the two transmissions offered by the manufacturer. The Odyssey Touring model we tested, has inaugurated a new automatic transmission 10 reports, while other versions of the range share box 9 utilities reports Honda Pilot and Acura MDX.

It is interesting to note that this engine also makes use of two systems used to reduce its power consumption. The first is a drive engine, which allows it to operate with only two or three cylinders when the vehicle is travelling at a medium speed or high constant ; a system that works particularly transparently. The second is a device to stop-start at idle, which, however, is reserved for the high-range Touring ; a device which becomes inoperative by the low temperature.

However, according to the ratings published by natural Resources Canada, only the Touring version is vaguely encouraged by this hardware and its gearbox. Its average consumption is one-tenth of a litre inferior to that of the other versions of the range, which displayed the same average rating as Odyssey 2017. All these technical changes are worth it ?

INTERIOR DESIGN VERSATILE

2018 Honda Odyssey

Photo courtesy, Honda

The look was very modern, the dashboard is particularly loaded. The manufacturer provides, in addition, a connectivity and entertainment device more sophisticated.

At the very least, the new Odyssey retains the versatility that was assigned already ; a quality which explains the popularity sustained it has since the onset of the first Odyssey, in 1995. The wheelbase is very long for its chassis gives it a roominess impressive. The front seats, and power plants provide a comfort of the prince, to their occupants, while the rear seat, like most vehicles with a 7 and 8-seater, is more suited to young children due to the clearance limited to the level of the feet and legs. A new design of the central headquarters, known as Magic Slide, makes it easier, however, access to those rear seats.

The trunk, by the way, is gargantuan. When you fold the seats two rows back, about 4000 L of useful volume, a rating comparable to that of its rivals, but far superior to what any utility also bulky. Even a Chevrolet Suburban can do better !

2018 Honda Odyssey

Photo courtesy, Honda

The trunk is gargantuan. In addition, all versions except the LX entry-level range, have a vacuum cleaner built-in HondaVAC !

When the two sections of the rear bench seat are in place, a cavity arranged in the rear part of the floor allows it to carry an impressive amount of luggage. It is in this space that the two sections of the bench shrivel without effort to give a flat floor that it is possible to clean without difficulty, since all versions except the LX entry-level range, are equipped with a vacuum cleaner HondaVac in-car series. Original !

Honda Odyssey

Base price

• 34 890 $ (LX) ; 38 090 $ (EX) ; 39 590 $ (EX RES) ; 44 590 $ (EX-L RES) ; 44 590 $ (EX-L Navi) ; 50 290 $ (Touring).

Transport and preparation

• 1915 $

Powertrain

• V6 SOHC, 3.5 L, 280 hp at 6000 rpm, 262 lb-ft at 4700 rpm. Automatic transmission 9 reports (LX, EX, EX-RES and EX-L RES) or 10 reports (Touring). Front-wheel drive.

Features

• Four-wheel independent Suspension. Disc brakes to all four wheels. Anti-lock braking system series. Tires : P235/60R18 (LX, EX, EX-RES and EX-L RES) or P235/55R19 (Touring).

Ratings

• Wheelbase : 3000 mm ; length : 5161 mm ; width : 2345 mm ; height : 1767 mm. Weight : 2004-2086 kg. Towing capacity : 1360 kg (LX, EX, EX-RES and EX-L RES) or 1587 kg (Touring). Volume of fuel tank : 74 liters. Trunk Volume : 929-4103 L. average fuel Consumption test (winter) : 12.5 L/100 km.

Competition

• Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, Kia Sedona, Toyota Sienna

Strengths

• Comfortable interior and versatile
• High level of soundproofing
• Fun-to-drive

Weak Points

• High consumption
• Front bucket seats offer a little support
• Braking system-assisted improved

Return of the Insight

Honda Insight Prototype

Photo courtesy, Honda

Prototype of the Honda Insight 2019.

The prototype of a new generation of Honda Insight will be unveiled in a world premiere at the auto Show in Detroit on January 15.

It is the precursor of a new model series-vintage 2019, which will be on sale this summer. This compact sedan five-seater will have dimensions close to those of a Civic and it will be powered by a hybrid powertrain (gasoline/electric) low consumption of fuel.

This is the hybrid i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive “) to Honda, that pairs a 4-cylinder gasoline engine of low cubic capacity and two electric motors. The first serves as a drive motor, while the second plays the role of a generator to produce electricity.

As Honda did for the Accord hybrid, and the new Clarity plug-in hybrid, the new Insight will be a high-end model compared to the Civic.

The Insight 2019 will be assembled at the factory Honda in Greensburg, Indiana, which already produces the Civic and CR-V.

It is the successor to two previous generations of compact hybrid of the same name. The first Insight, a two-seater aerodynamic body, appeared in 1999, while the second, a 5-doors look more common, was sold in Canada from 2009 to 2013.