New Honda Odyssey minivan has 'magic slide' seats
DETROIT -- Honda is aiming to recapture its leadership in the minivan segment with an new version of its Odyssey that was revealed Monday at the North American International Auto Show here.
Stuffed with new technology and features, the sportier 2018 Odyssey includes a new "Magic Slide" second-row seat that makes it easier to reconfigure the seats for child seats, and provides easy access to the third row or for two passengers.
The minivan also has a new camera and a display screen to help parents keep an eye on their kids in back rows and talk to them, new audio touchscreen and a new rear entertainment system with streaming video.
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The new design, features and technology are aimed at helping Honda fend off increasingly tough competition from the new Chrysler Pacifica miivan as well as popular midsize SUVs and crossovers that are also designed to serve families.
Sales of minivans in the U.S. have declined from 1.37 million in 2000 to 553,506 last year, but the number of competitors has also dropped, leaving a sizable market for the companies that still make minivans.
“This new Odyssey raises the stakes for family-friendly packaging, performance and technology in the minivan segment,” John Mendel, Honda's executive vice president of America said in a statement. “In all aspects of its design, the new Odyssey is made to keep every member of the family happy, no matter the seating position, no matter the destination.”
Honda hails the new Odyssey’s design as sporty, and the minivan does look lower and wider than its predecessor, despite being almost exactly the same size and is also less angular.
There’s no evidence that sporty looks drive minivan buyers to the dealership, but the Odyssey is one of Honda’s core models, and the second best-selling minivan in the United States. The top-selling minivan is the Toyota Sienna, with 127,791 sold last year in the U.S.
But the biggest question facing the new Odyssey how it will stack up against 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, introduced last year.
Last year sales of the Odyssey fell 5.4% to 120,846. A comparison with Chrysler's Pacifica is difficult, since the new nameplate wasn't on sale for a full year. In December, Odyssey outsold Pacifica in the U.S. by a scant 128 units as both models topped 10,000.
The Pacifica has been praised for its styling, design and new technology and it's sales have been rising for several consecutive months.
The Odyssey's front is reminiscent of Honda’s CR-V and Pilot SUVs, with a wide, narrow grille and wraparound headlights. LED fog and headlights are available. The C-shaped taillights mirror those of the Civic compact car.
Power comes from a new 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 280 horsepower, up 32 horsepower from 2017.
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