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CanadianDriver's New Car Buyer's Guide 2008:
Honda Odyssey

NEW FOR 2008:

- New Canada-exclusive entry-level DX trim line
- Redesigned hood, front grille and bumper, alloy wheels, taillights and new seat fabric
- Revised Variable Cylinder Management now deactivates two or three cylinders
- MP3/auxiliary input jack and active front seat head restraints added to all models
- LX adds roof rails, body-coloured moulding and 2nd-Row Plus One Seat with storage
- EX adds tri-zone automatic air conditioning
- EX-L adds tri-zone automatic air conditioning, reverse camera with display in rear-view mirror, XM Satellite Radio and four-way power passenger seat
- Touring adds 2nd-Row Plus One Seat with storage, Bluetooth hands-free telephone system, XM Satellite Radio, four-way power passenger seat and 17-inch alloy wheels
- Exterior colours: Mocha, Baltic Blue and Taffeta White added; Midnight Blue and Desert Rock deleted

Honda Odyssey 2008

Honda Odyssey 2008

Honda Odyssey 2008
Click image to enlarge
Images courtesy: Honda

For 2008, the Honda Odyssey minivan receives a facelift, with a new front end and taillights, and new seat fabrics. The big news is an exclusive-to-Canada DX trim line, which allows buyers to get into this big, well-made minivan at a lower entry price.

The Odyssey is available as the DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. All use a 3.5-litre V6 engine, but the EX-L and Touring also include Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which shuts off certain cylinders under light load, such as cruising or deceleration, for improved fuel economy. The Odyssey's VCM previously shut off half the cylinders; the new system selectively shuts off two or three, depending on requirements, so that the Odyssey can run as a three-, four- or six-cylinder engine.

All models include anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, electronic stability control, active front seat head restraints, front-seat side airbags, three-row curtain airbags with rollover sensor and tire pressure monitoring system. All models but the DX have eight-passenger seating, thanks to a stowable 2nd-Row Plus One Seat that now becomes standard on the Touring, replacing the previous second-row centre console.

Features on the DX include 16-inch steel wheels, air conditioning with second-row controls, heated mirrors, variable intermittent wipers, intermittent rear wiper, power locks with keyless entry, cruise control, tilt and telescopic wheel, in-floor storage compartment, first- and second-row power windows, CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary jack, and 60/40 split-folding third-row seat.

The LX adds body-coloured side moulding, roof rails, tinted glass, conversation mirror, and 2nd-Row Plus One Seat with storage.

The EX adds 16-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, security system, body-coloured door handles and mirrors, power sliding doors, ambient cabin lighting, auto-off headlamps, exterior temperature gauge, garage door opener, second-row sunshades, eight-way power driver's seat and six-CD/MP3 stereo.

The EX-L adds power sunroof, Active Noise Cancellation, auto-dimming rear-view mirror with reverse camera display, XM Satellite Radio, heated leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and four-way power passenger seat.

The Touring adds 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, fog lamps, 115-volt power outlet, automatic headlamps, bilingual voice-activated navigation system with back-up camera, Bluetooth hands-free telephone system, multi-information display, power pedals, driver's side two-position memory, power liftgate, premium six-CD/MP3 stereo and rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

Long considered the benchmark for minivans, the Odyssey is powerful, it handles well, and its upper lines have luxury interiors that rival some high-end sedans, although the price rises accordingly. The new styling incorporates the six-sided grille introduced on the redesigned Accord.

The new DX trim line brings down the price, an important consideration in a family hauler. Competition includes the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, which are still the only vans with fold-away second-row seats, as well as the Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV-6, Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna, Hyundai Entourage and Kia Sedona.

2008 Honda Odyssey Specifications:
Type4-door, 7/8-passenger van
LayoutFront engine/front-wheel drive
Engine3.5-litre V6, SOHC, 24 valves
 3.5-litre V6, SOHC, 24 valves with VCM
Horsepower247 @ 5750 rpm
 247 @ 5750 rpm
Torque (lb-ft)240 @ 4500 rpm 
 240 @ 5000 rpm
Transmission5-speed automatic
TiresP235/65R16 all-season
Tires TouringP235/60R17 all-season
Curb weight DX1992 kg (4391 lbs)
Curb weight LX2009 kg (4429 lbs)
Curb weight EX2031 kg (4477 lbs)
Curb weight EX-L2066 kg (4554 lbs)
Curb weight Touring2106 kg (4642 lbs)
Wheelbase3000 mm (118.1 in.)
Length5105 mm (200.9 in.)
Width2198 mm (86.5 in.)(w/mirrors)
Height DX, LX1749 mm (68.8 in.)
Height EX, Touring1779 mm (70.0 in.)
Ground clearance110 mm (4.3 in.)
Towing capacity1588 kg (3500 lbs)(properly equipped)
Cargo capacity1934 litres (68 cu. ft.) behind 3rd row
 2579 litres (91 cu. ft.) behind 2nd row
 4173 litres (147 cu. ft.) behind 1st row
Fuel consumption City: 13.3 L/100 km (21 mpg Imp)
 Hwy: 8.5 L/100 km (33 mpg Imp)
Fuel consumption VCMCity: 12.4 L/100 km (23 mpg Imp)
 Hwy: 7.8 L/100 km (36 mpg Imp)
Fuel typeRegular 
Warranty3 yrs/ 60,000 km
Powertrain warranty5 yrs/100,000 km
Side airbagsStandard
Curtain airbagsStandard
Anti-lock brakesStandard
Traction controlStandard
Stability controlStandard
Assembly locationLincoln, Alabama

*Specifications subject to change
Crash test results www.safercar.gov, www.hwysafety.org

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