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By New Car Test Drive
Well designed, enjoyable to drive.
Introduction
The Honda Odyssey might be the best minivan on the market. It's one of the most enjoyable to drive and lives up to Honda's reputation for refinement, convenience, and great fit and finish. Its flexible seating system can accommodate up to eight passengers and it has plenty of room. In short, it's a good choice for families.
All Odyssey models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a five-speed automatic transmission, and it's a good powertrain. Four trim levels make it affordable to a wider group of buyers, yet all deliver car-like ride and handling and a comprehensive set of safety features, including electronic stability control and side curtain airbags for head protection.
Now in its fourth year of production, the current generation Odyssey still seems fresh. The base LX starts at about $26,000 and includes most of the features that make family travel easier. The line-topping Touring has as many bells and whistles as a good luxury sedan, and it comes with Acura pricing.
For 2008, the Odyssey receives several updates. On the outside, the front grille and front fascia get a new look closer to that of the new Honda Accord. Under the hood, Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system is updated. Standard on EX-L and Touring models, the new VCM system allows the V6 engine to run on six, four, or three cylinders, depending on driving conditions. The last version used only six or three cylinders. Also for 2008, the Odyssey gets an audio auxiliary input jack and a CD player that can play MP3 or WMA files. Finally, four new premium features are offered: Bluetooth cell phone link, a four-way power passenger seat becomes standard on EX-L and Touring models; a rearview camera display is integrated into the mirror on the EX-L, and the Touring gets memory-linked side mirrors with reverse tilt-down feature.
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