Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey, 2011 car review

Has it really been nearly two decades since the Honda Odyssey debuted? In fact, it was 1994 and the 2011 version is newly designed as the fourth generation of the increasingly popular family van. Unlike some minor changes throughout its tenure, Odyssey’s redesign is drastic. Unveiled as a concept at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, the public debut was later in the year. It showcased a larger, wider body, lower roofline, and a more sleek and modern appearance. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The five-door Touring Elite, one of five available trim levels, has the most “bells and whistles” and, of course, is the most expensive. It’s the model I had for a week. With the Touring model it offers

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Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Ford get best used cars honors

Hyundai keeps reaping praise. Edmunds.com, the respected California-based automotive web site, has selected two Hyundai models on its list of the top-15 recommended used cars since 2004. Hyundai, Ford, Honda and Toyota all had two models on the list, with the Hyundai Elantra selected as the best used sub-compact and the Hyundai Azera chosen as the best used large sedan. “With used car prices still soaring, it’s important for consumers to have expert guidance to get the best value,” said Scott Oldham, editor in chief of Edmunds.com. “By taking into consideration a range of factors from consumer ratings to NHTSA crash safety tests, to True Cost to Own metrics, these cars are the most attractive options in the used car

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Honda extends airbag recall in six models dating to 2001

Honda is again expanding a recall for faulty airbags, with the issue now involving more than 1.7 million Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V and to Acura models dating to 2001. The Japanese manufacturer reports the airbags can inflate with too much force, causing a casing break and a risk of injury or death. Honda says it is aware of 12 incidents, including 11 injuries and one death. The latest addition to the recall includes 833,000 vehicles among the following styles: Accord (2001-02), Civic (2001-02), Odyssey (2002), CR-V (2002-03), Acura 3.2 TL (2002-03) and Acura CL (2003). The original Honda recall in 2008 included 3,940 of its 2001 and 2002 models. Honda expanded the recall to about 443,000 vehicles in July 2009

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Honda, Lexus get top best resale honors in new study

Vehicles manufactured by Honda, particularly the Accord sedan, CR-V crossover, Civic compact and Odyssey minivan, retain their value better than any other brand, according to a new study by Edmunds.com. The renowned automotive assessment website announced the result of its study five months after rival Kelley Blue Book named Subaru the top non-luxury brand and BMW the best luxury brand. “A lot of consumers just see (Honda) as a value-oriented brand that has good resale (value) and a good history of reliability,” said Danny Zhou, senior analyst for Edmunds.com. Edmunds calls the new evaluation, the Best Retained Value Awards. The authors used past resale prices to estimate the prices 2011 models when they are resold in five years. Honda retains

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Mazda3 2011 awarded IIHS top safety pick rating

The 2011 Mazda 3 sedan/hatchback, after earning the top rating of good for roof strength in rollover crashes, qualifies as a Top Safety Pick among small cars by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mazda3, which previously earned good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection, is the manufacturer’s first car designated as a Top Safety Pick since the Institute made the criteria more strict by including a requirement for a good rating in the roof strength test. Two tests were conducted in order to rate the 4-door sedan and hatchback versions. The sedan’s roof withstood a force equal to 5.32 times the car’s weight. The hatchback’s roof withstood a force equal to 5.09 times its weight.

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Kia Optima joins elite club with top NHSTA safety rating

The 2011 Kia Optima has just joined an exclusive automotive fraternity. It’s the first Korean car and among only 13 vehicles awarded in 2011 a five-star rating under the recently revamped crash safety testing system conducted the National Highway Transportation Safety Administation (NHSTA). The midsize Optima, redesigned for 2011, achieved an overall five-star rating after attaining five stars in each of the ratings categories. Earlier this year, the Optima was a recipient of a “Top Safety Pick” award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The additional 12 vehicles earning five-star NHTSA ratings for 2011: Acura MDX, BMW 5 Series, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, GMC Sierra, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Volvo XC60 and

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Kia Optima tops BMW, Honda, Chevy, Nissan for Cars.com Best of 2011 award

Kia, the once not-so touted cousin of the equally once not-so lauded Hyundai, has joined its midsize brethren in the honors line. Cars.com has given the Kia Optima its “Best of 2011” award. The editors of the web site cited the Optima’s outstanding fuel economy overall driving. Hyundai, which owns Kia, has received its share of honors for its Sonata and other vehicles in the Korean manufacturer’s lineup. The editors of Cars.com said: “With its value, sharp packaging, outstanding fuel efficiency and lofty features, the Optima gives all family-car shoppers a shot at something far more compelling than the segment represents.” The BMW 5 Series, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Volt (recently named North American Car of the Year), Honda Odyssey and

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Toyota Sienna 2011 car review

The minivan is now sexy, hip and cool — at least that’s manufacturers want you to believe. It started with a new advertising campaign for the 2011 Toyota Sienna. Instead of screaming kids and exploding yogurt cartoons the new minivan is all about rapping parents and their posse of cool kids in their “swagger wagon.” So does the new Sienna live up to the cool, rock style its “swagger wagon” reputation? No. It’s still a front-wheel drive minivan with seating for an entire Cub Scout troop. But Toyota, like the rest of the automotive industry, has made the minivan more burly, more manly. It starts with the look and styling of the new generation of minivans. Toyota and Honda have

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Honda, Lexus, Chevrolet dominate Kiplinger's/Yahoo Cars of the Decade list

The Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Corvette couldn’t be more different. And likewise, there’s nothing similar between a BMW 3 Series and a Honda Odyssey. Unless, of course, Kiplinger’s magazine and Yahoo.com happen to be compiling a list of the cars of the decade. With a vast number of vehicles from which to choose in the past decade, how could the publications possible select the top-10 cars of the decade. The Prius, for example, was selected with the following description: “When the Prius made its U.S. debut in 2001, it barely registered a blip in the auto industry. But then the Hollywood green crowd adopted the little gas-electric hybrid as a symbol of saving the planet. “Ten years and two redesigns

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

“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

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GM, Nissan dominate North American best car nominees

The 18th annual awards are chosen by automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION Auto Shipping Quote–Car Financing–Car Insurance Quotes–Car Loans–Online Car Insurance–Rental Cars–Used Cars Twenty-seven new cars were eligible for the 2011 North American Car of the Year award and 14 have been selected as semi-finalists. The jurors did not vote on the trucks because there were only 14 on the original list. The North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year will be announced in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Audi A8 Buick Regal Chevrolet Cruze Chevrolet Volt Ford Fiesta Hyundai Sonata/2.0T/Hybrid Infiniti M37/56

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Ford Flex, 2010: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Acceleration (6) Yes, it’s a crossover and it doesn’t look particularly swift. But step on the accelerator, on a freeway ramp, for example, and the 3.5-liter, 262 horsepower V6 holds it owns. The only transmission available is a six-speed automatic. Braking/Steering/Handling (6) It’s hard to fault all-wheel drive systems, and having the feature in a van/SUV makes perfect sense. The AWD works smoothly. The Flex was always in control, particularly on the constant roller-coaster back roads of Missouri. A few times while approaching stoplights or stop signs at medium speeds, the brakes seemed soft and I had to apply harder pressure than anticipated to stop. Cargo Room (8) The second and third rows of seats lay flat when not  in

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Honda recalls more than 400,000 Odyssey and Element models

Honda will recall Odyssey and Element in the 2007-2008 model years to fix the vehicle stability assist modulators. Some of the modulators were assembled so that could allow air to enter, Honda detailed in a media release. The trapped air could cause the brake pedal to fall closer to the floor before the car stops, and in affected vehicles the problem tends to increase over time. Not all of the cars involved in the recall may have this issue, but Honda is including all units that could be affected. Honda said it will start contacting affected customers at the end of April, and it encouraged all owners to see an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification that their

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Honda Odyssey, 2011: Roman Mica's Rambling Review (video)

Power for the new Odyssey will come from Honda’s 3.5 liter V6 and expect 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Take a look at the video below to see if you agree that Honda has built a (dare we say it) sleek and sexy minivan. To view more of Roman Mica’s new car reviews and videos, visit: www.tflcar.com. Facts & Figures: 2011 Honda Odyssey Specification Details Engine 6-cylinder, 3.5L Transmission Automatic 5-spd Drivetrain Front-Wheel Drive Fuel Economy 18 city / 27 hwy / 21 combined mpg Fuel Type Regular Gasoline James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The

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Chicago Auto Show, 2010: New models, concept cars from Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Kia

The new Ford Edge, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Avalon, Silverado HD and of futuristic KIA Ray, were all also included. The show continues through Feb. 21. Check out Mica’s highlights from the Chicago Auto Show in the video below: James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver

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Honda recall: Nearly 400,000 Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V and Acura TL models may have faulty airbags

The newest recalls applies to 2001 and 2002 model-year Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V, and 2002 Acura TL vehicles. The move expands a recall first announced in November 2008 for less than 4,000 Accord and Civic sedans due to faulty airbag inflators. The initial recall was expanded in July 2009 to cover an additional 440,000 vehicles. The company said it was not aware of any new incidents after the airbag recall was first broadened in July 2009. “However, we have concluded that we cannot be completely certain that the driver’s airbag inflator in the vehicles being added to this recall at this time will perform as designed,” a Honda spokesperson said in a statement. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist

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