2018 Honda Odyssey first look review

Honda launched the facelifted Odyssey in Malaysia last week at a price tag of RM254,800 (On-the-road, without insurance). Essentially, it’s the same variant that the company had launched in its home market, Japan, in the October last year.

The all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey looks quite promising at the first glimpse, teamed with styling genius and engineered to be a perfect van. It gets a more modern and sophisticated look in comparison to the previous model that was launched in the country in 2013. It looks to have moved on with a completely new styling from outside and the level of the equipment it features speak volume of the company’s engineering excellence.

The Odyssey continues to be the segment’s hot favorite vehicle that tends to offer controlled ride and handling. Its ability to ride through miles has never been a questionable thing and this time it promises to render even more.

Power mechanism

The refreshed model of the all-new Honda Odyssey has been imported from Japan as CBU model. The Malaysian-spec model will be powered by the same 2.4-litre DOHC i-VTEC motor that used to drive the pre-facelift model. The engine is good enough to produce a maximum power output of 175 PS at 6,200 revolutions per minute and a peak torque of 225 Nm at 4,000 revolutions per minute. The produced power is transmitted to the front wheels through a CVT gearbox.

Exterior

Honda has moved one step ahead to redesign the family minivan to look further more appealing and attractive. The front of the car looks like to have got the majority of the changes with the large chrome-slated grille running between the sweptback LED headlights. The bonnet of the car is higher than what you will find in other minivans and it gets a rough front spoiler. The front bumper comes with integrated fog lamps.

Move to the side of the car and you will find sharp creases across the body and the body-colored outside rear view mirrors with turn indicators. The door handles get the all-black finish and the rear door is sliding in nature. The sliding tracks of the rear door join the taillight to keep the side profile neat.

The new Odyssey runs on the larger 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and the wheel arches are broader than the outgoing model. It gets C-shaped tail-lights that run through the tailgate. The rear of the car complements well to the refined design of the minivan.

Interior features

Get inside the brand new Odyssey and you will find plenty of convenience and comfort features that make it a premium cabin that is destined to please you at the very first sight. The cabin gets finished in soft-touch material, which makes the inside ambiance pretty much attractive. The dashboard gets a digital instrument cluster along with a large center 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the navigation option.

In terms of technical features, the vehicle gets advanced safety and driver assist equipment to offer a smart driving experience. The climate control inside is automatic and the front seats are adjustable ones. Features like blind spot monitoring, stability control, hill start assist, smart parking assist, brake assist and rear cross traffic alert are some of the miscellaneous. For the safety of the driver and passenger, the new Odyssey packs six airbags in total. The presence of ABS with EBD aids to perform efficient braking.

The Bottom Line

The all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey looks to have been evolved in almost every department, starting from a stylish exterior to a completely refreshing and spacious cabin. You can’t simply shy away without praising the effort the manufacturer has put in to make the facelifted model a great package.