Honda revamps Odyssey people carrier for 2021

HONDA Australia has welcomed in the New Year by revealing and detailing its updated new Odyssey wagon-come-people mover which not only sees the usual array of cosmetic, equipment and safety upgrades but a revamped line-up too.

Once again made up of just two variants, the updated Odyssey range opens from $44,250 plus on-road costs for the Vi L7, marking an entry-price increase of more than $5000 compared to the previous model.

It is a similar story with the higher-specced Vi LX7 which costs $2410 more than the VTi-L it replaces ($51,150 vs $48,740).

For the extra outlay customers are treated to a heap more standard equipment, especially on the base model which now comes with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, heated front seats, leather upholstery, keyless entry and push-button start, redesigned steering wheel, 7.0-inch driver’s display, captain’s chairs in the second row, power sliding rear doors and LED head- and foglights.

That captain’s chair second row may boost comfort and up the luxury feel however it does obvious reduce the Odyssey’s carrying capacity from eight to seven which could ultimately bring the big wagon into competition with some of Australia’s most popular SUVs while simultaneously losing ground – or passengers – on the Kia Carnival.

The second-row seats themselves do however feature adjustable armrests, recline and long-slide functionality.

Safety on the Vi L7 has also been drastically stepped up thanks to the addition of the Honda Sensing safety and driver-assist suite, which in this case consists of forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, lane keep assist system, road departure mitigation system and adaptive cruise control.

Rear cross-traffic alert and a blind spot information system have also been added to the mix, joining established features like brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, emergency stop signal, hill start assist, traction control, vehicle stability assist and tyre deflation warning.

Building on the Vi L7’s already generous spec, the Vi LX7 adds a hands-free power tailgate with kick sensor, gesture control power sliding doors, driver memory seats and second-row ambient footwell lighting.

When it comes to model differentiation, it should not prove difficult to spot the new model out on the road or alongside its predecessor thanks to a completely redesigned front end headlined by the new LED head- and foglight arrangement lifted straight off the Accord sedan, not the mention to the new hexagonal grille and protruding underbite style front bumper.

It is a similar story at the back where we find a redesigned rear apron featuring sharper contours and some chrome reflectors while new 17-inch alloy wheels change things up along the side.

One thing that has not changed on the new model is the powertrain which has been carried over as is from the previous model with power still coming courtesy of the familiar 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which sends all of its 129kW/225Nm to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

According to Honda Australia product, customer and communications general manager Robert Thorp, the MY21 Odyssey offers “more comfort, convenience and innovative technology features than ever before”.

“Odyssey has been the undisputed leader in the people mover private market for nine consecutive years,” he said.

“When it came time to purchase a new vehicle to transport their family, since 2012 more private buyers have chosen the Honda Odyssey than any other people mover.”

According to last month’s round of VFacts data, Honda shifted 1091 Odysseys in 2020, accounting for a solid 16.1 per cent of the sub-$60,000 people mover segment behind the aforementioned Kia Carnival (3650/53.9%).

2021 Honda Odyssey pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs