Honda Odyssey, 2011: Innovative redesign for best-selling minivan

The Honda Odyssey, the country’s best-selling minivan, has been redesigned for 2011 and features greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style, higher fuel economy and more than 50 standard and available features.The redesign has been added across all available models – the Odyssey LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and the new Touring Elite — with the manufacturer’s suggested retail price ranging from $27,800 (Odyssey LX) to $43,250 (Odyssey Touring Elite).

“The all-new Odyssey is set to once again redefine the minivan segment as the ultimate family vehicle,” said Erik Berkman, vice president of Corporate Planning and Logistics for American Honda. “Never before has so much space, functionality and comfort been combined with this much style, technology and fuel economy.”

Significant enhancements to the interior include a new “3-mode” second-row seat design to enhance center passengers’ comfort (Odyssey EX and above). The 2011 Odyssey is equipped with a total of five LATCH attachment points (four in the Odyssey LX), the most of any vehicle currently available on the market.

The one-motion, 60/40 split 3rd-row Magic Seat®, one of the Odyssey’s original concepts and most versatile features, is positioned for more legroom and is even easier to operate for 2011.

The introduction of a tapered cabin and a signature “lightning bolt” belt line. The lightning bolt belt line improves the outward view for third-row passengers. The body’s enhanced aerodynamic shape with engineering improvements throughout the vehicle contribute to a class-leading EPA highway fuel-economy rating of 28 mpg on Odyssey Touring models, an improvement of 3 mpg compared to the same 2010 model and the most for any eight-passenger minivan (seven passengers Odyssey LX).

A more powerful and efficient 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp (+4 hp over 2010) while delivering an EPA-estimated city/highway/combined fuel economy of 19/28/22 mpg on Odyssey Touring models (18/27/21 mpg on Odyssey LX, EX and EX-L models). For enhanced driving refinement on Odyssey Touring models, a six-speed automatic transmission debuts as a standard feature. All other models receive the five-speed automatic transmission.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an “intelligent” Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper, integration of FM traffic data on navigation models and much more. The available cool box includes a front bag hook, available flip-up trash bag ring.

Standard safety equipment includes: Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure is a Honda-exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal collisions. Additional standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), commonly referred to as electronic stability control; anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist; three-row side-curtain airbags with a rollover sensor; driver’s and front passenger’s side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; and active front seat head restraints.

Soure: PR Newswire