One of the big reveals at the Detroit Auto Show this year was the all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey minivan, which continues to evolve in every way to keep the entire family happy on the go.
With the goal of staying on top of the minivan market the all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey gets a fresh design on the outside, a raft full of new features inside to bring it into the modern era of connectivity, and gains enhanced powertrains to boot.
Staring with the style, Honda chose to evolve the current design rather than reinvent it all together. Up front is the new face of Honda in what they call a flying wing grille, now with active shutters. Shown here it’s joined by available LED headlights with signature daytime lighting.
Along the side, Honda kept the now trademark “lightning bolt” belt line but tweaked it just a little to better hide the sliding door tracks. They also managed to dial in a floating roof design with side glass that tapers off at the rear hatch rather sharply I think.
Out at the back are the expected LED taillights and a new look to the chrome trims. Available is a new power rear lift-gate you can activate with your feet to open hands free. This is a minivan though, it’s all about what’s inside.
In addition to an entire video worth of touchscreen infotainment, audio and navigation systems up front, what the new Odyssey offers rear passengers is really the big news. Honda’s goal for their new minivan was for everyone on board to be happy and safe and that’s what’s behind many of its new features.
The display up front features a “CabinWatch” app for instance that allows parents to cam in on their little ones in both the second or third row to keep an eye on what their up to. Additionally, a “CabinTalk” app allows for voice conversations with passengers who might have their headphones on watching a movie.
And while watching movies can be a great way to keep kids occupied on the road, the available theater system has a number of apps from streaming audio and video to the “How Much Further” app that ties into the navigation system to share progress in a colorful way.
For the mother-in law in the back seat, sorry for that, there’s a “CabinControl” app that enables smartphone users to control vehicle systems like the HVAC system and even what’s playing on the audio or video system. Neat.
Making all of the passengers happy however will be the new “Magic Slide” second row seat system that allows for various positions for the second row seats, adjustable on the fly. The seats can even be slid into different positions with a child seat strapped in it both side to side and front to rear.
Powering the 2018 Honda Odyssey is a revised 3.5-liter, direct-injected V6 now with 280 horsepower but still the ability to run on four-cylinders when extra power isn’t needed. It will be available with a standard 9-speed automatic and for upper trim grades a new segment first Honda designed 10-speed automatic.
On the safety front, all EX trim and above models will have a standard Honda Sensing suite of active and passive safety features. Notable are forward emergency braking, lane keeping assist road departure mitigation and several other driver assistance systems.
Built in Lincoln, Alabama the 2018 Honda Odyssey was designed and developed in North America and goes on sale later this spring. Pricing and final specifications are expected closer to that time.
