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March 2005 Honda Odyssey State-of-the-Art Minivan |
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2005 Honda Odyssey State-of-the-Art Minivan
By Bill Vance
The author is an automotive historian and columnist for DPN and other media outlets. See billvanceautohistory.ca for author books.
Although Volkswagen introduced the minivan to the world in 1950, and the Chrysler Corp. popularized it in the 1980s, Honda didnít offer its first Odyssey minivan until model year 1995. But when it did it would soon become a formidable competitor for segment leader Chrysler, showing how rapidly Honda had progressed from a motorcycle company that only built its first car in 1962.
 Now a decade after the first Odyssey, the 2005 model has advanced to the point where it is arguably the state-of-the-art minivan, the benchmark for other manufacturers. It demonstrates that these versatile family workhorses have reached a level of sophistication in technology, comfort and convenience that only a few years ago was exclusive to upscale cars. The 2005 Odyssey comes in four series: LX, EX, EX with Leather (EX/L), and Touring. All are very well equipped, but the EX/L and Touring models have features that will make them competitive with many luxury cars.
Power comes from a transversely mounted 3.5 litre, aluminum alloy, single overhead cam, 24-valve V-6 that develops 255 hp at 5750 rpm, up 15 hp from 2004, and 250 lb ft of torque at 5000 rpm, up from 242 lb ft. The standard engine has electronically controlled variable valve timing and lift (VTEC). Compression ratio is 10.0:1, and it uses regular unleaded gasoline. City/highway fuel consumption ratings for the 2000 kg Odyssey are 12.3/8.6 L/100.
 Optional on the EX/L and Touring series engine is i-VTEC (i for intelligent), which not only has a two-stage intake manifold which lowers the torque peak from 5000 to 4500 rpm, but also provides cylinder deactivation, which Honda calls variable cylinder management (VCM), a first in the minivan field. During light load or no load, such as cruising and coasting, i-VTEC shuts off fuel flow and closes the intake and exhaust valves on the three rear cylinders. To suppress any harshness associated with cylinder cut-off and reactivation, VCM engages and disengages the torque converter lock-up. Also, to smooth out what is now in effect a 3-cylinder engine, active hydraulic engine mounts cancel out the associated vibrations.
Drive goes to the front wheels through a 5-speed, electronically controlled automatic transaxle with traction control via selective braking of the front wheels. Suspension is fully independent with MacPherson struts in front and A-arms and trailing arms with coil springs at the rear. Braking is by 4-wheel discs with ABS and electronically controlled brake distribution that tailors front-to-rear braking force to suit vehicle weight distribution. Foot pedals can be electrically adjusted through a 77 mm range.
Standard is a stability assist system that uses sensors to detect when the vehicle is not reacting as the driver intends, and attempts to return control by braking selected wheels and/or reducing fuel flow via the drive-by-wire throttle.
Additional safety features include the usual driver/passenger airbags, plus seat-mounded side airbags, and an inflatable side curtain that covers all three rows of seats. A roll-over sensor also deploys the air curtains if it detects imminent roll-over. This is all surrounded by a kind of roll cage comprised of lateral beams and a collapsible front frame structure designed to absorb crash energy by directing it through floor and side members.
Inside, the Odyssey bristles with versatility and up to 8-passenger accommodation. The 60/40 split third row of ěMagic Seatsî can be tumbled into the floor, providing a flat cargo surface. The middle row is comprised of two captainís chairs that can be slid together to form a bench seat.
 In the EX/L and Touring models, an additional ěPlusOneî seat fits between the captainís chairs to bring seating capacity up to eight passengers. The PlusOne can also be folded into a handy console, and there is a ěLazy Susanî circular storage bin under the floor. With the rear seats in the floor and middle ones folded, 147 cubic ft of cargo space is available that will carry a 4 x 8 ft piece of plywood.
An advanced feature on EX/L and Touring is active noise control (another minivan first) in which incoming sound waves are analyzed. Opposite ěanti-noiseî sound waves are then generated, and distributed to the radio speakers to counteract road or other noise, or sound generated by the engineís variable displacement function. Active noise control does not interfere with normal conversation.
With the 2005 Odyssey, Honda has raised the minivan bar another notch.
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