drive

WHEN THE Honda
Odyssey was first introduced
to the public Iate last year,
Honda Canada vice-presi-
dent Jim Millar was very
specific about why the new
Odyssey has more car-like
features than other mini-
vans.

“You can plot it on a chart: the
more car features mini-vans
offered, the more share of the mar-
Ret they devoured,” he said. °

Honda’s research indicates that
mini-van buyers want a vehicle that
drives like a car but offers the
space and utility of a van. Thus, the
Odyssey is built on a lengthened
’ Honda Accord platform, has four
conventional swing-out type doors,
a low step-in height and low roof
height. It's also narrower than most
mini-vans.

But unlike a car, it will seat six
or seven passengers in comfort and
has a considerable amount of cargo
space. :

While most mini-vans have a
single rear sliding-door on the right
side with a fixed window, the
Odyssey has two rear doors with
power-operated roll-down win-
dows, They’re-easier to open and
close than a sliding door, particu-

- larly. when.the vehicle is parked on
a hill, This is important for school-
.. age children who are often the ones
who have to open and close the
door when getting into the rear
seat. >. ;
In addition, two rear doors pro-

THE NEW Honda Odyssey mini-van Is smaller than most mini-vans but offers four doors, six or

Dry ell OLS SE

WHO TO CALL:

Auto Editor

Andrew McCredie

985-2131 (113)

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

seven passenger seating, and an economical four-cylinder engine. Check out the Odyssey at
Pacific Honda, 725 Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

vide access from both sides of the -
vehicle.

The Odyssey's seating arrange-
ments are unusually versatile. The
six-passenger Odyssey has two
front bucket seats, two centre buck-
ets, and a two-person rear bench
seat. The seven-passenger version
has a centre three-person 50/50
split bench.

Rear passengers enter the seven-
passenger model by pushing a lever
and folding over half of the centre-
split bench-seat. The centre seat
can't be removed from the van, but
it will fold up against the back of
the front seats.

The Odyssey’s unique third-row
bench-seat folds into the floor by
twisting two dials, leaving a flat,
carpeted loading floor.

By the way, all the seats, except
the centre position in the middle
bench, have head restraints. They
are removable to improve rear visi-

bility when no passengers are pre-
sent. The rear lift-up hatch door is
also surprisingly casy to Sift.

The Odyssey’s step-in height is
50 mm (two in.) lower than a
Dodge Caravan making entrance
and exit easier and more graceful.
particularly for women wearing
skirts. The interior is laid out in
typically simple Honda style.
Controls are easy to reach, fit and

finish is excellent, and outward vis-

ibility is unhindered.

All Odysseys come well-
equipped, including power steering,
power windows and door locks,
dual airbags, stereo/cassette player,
air-conditioning, tilt wheel aud
variable intermittent wipers. The
only options are the six or seven
passenger seating, and ABS brakes.

The Odyssey’s standard power-
train is a slightly more powerful
version of the Accord’s: a 14 horse-
power 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine

DISCOUNTS
oH
REMAINING

and four-speed automatic transmis-
sion. Neither a manual transmis-
sion nor a V6 engine is offered in
the Odyssey. :
The four-cylinder engine pro-
vides adequate performance around
town or while cruising on the free-
way, but works hard going up long

MSRP: $27,995

Type: four-door, six-passenger

mini-van

Layout: transverse

engine/front-wheel-drive

Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder,

SOHC, 16 vatves, multi- -point fuel

injection

Horsepower: 140 @ 5600 r.p.m.
Torque: 145 ft-lbs @ 4500 rp.m.

Transmission: four-speed auto-

matic

THE ALL-NEW VERSION OF THE #1
] SELLING CAR IN CANADA -5 YEARS RUNNING
f 1995 CAVALIER - GENUINE CHEVROLET .

*All new design
*Dual airbags

ee Re cae Bh wel a

front

RONG are GR TION a i

66 While most mini-
vans have a single
rear Sliding-door

on the right side with
a fixed window, the

Odyssey has two rear
doors with power-
operated roll-down

windows. 9?

hills, particularly with a full load
on board. The Odyssey is at least
240 kilograms (530 Ibs.) heavier
than a Honda Accord.

The four-speed automatic trans-
mission with “grade logic” always
shifts at the right time and very.
smoothly. It features software .
designed to hold it in gear to pre-

. vent “hunting” going up hills. My

only complaint is that it lacks an
on/off overdrive switch. Powerful
four wheel disc brakes are standard
equipment and ABS is optional « on
some models.

Like most Japanese mini- vans,
the Odyssey’s suggested retail price
is on the high side. Six-passenger '
models with ABS brakes list for
$27,995. Seven-passenger

- Odysseys without ABS start at

$27,495, and models with ABS are
$28,495.

Curb weight:
Ibs.) ;
Wheelbase: 2,830 mm (111.4 in.)
Length: 4,755 mm (187.2 in.)
Width: 1792 mm (70.6 in.)
Height: 1,642 mm (64.6 in.)
Tires: 205/65R-15 all-season. .
Cargo volume: 1,300 L (45.9 cu. ft)
Fuel consumption: City: 11.7
V100 km (24 m.p.g.); Hwy: 8.9
1/100 km (32 m.p.g.)

Warranty: Basic three yrs. 160, 000
km; Powertrain five. yrs./100, 006
km

1,565 kg (3,450

ty

* Stiff body structure/dramatic driving improvement

° «Spark plugs/tranny fluid-good for 160,000 km

i ¢ Anti-lock brakes * Many extra comfort/convenience options ;
«Child locks/door beamss Competitive model data here - Dare to compare!

MOTOR TREND'S
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» . of the YEAR

1994
CARS AND

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(NEW AND
DEMONSTRATORS)

STILL IN
STOCK!

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