- minivan 188,500
- 6,995 overpriced
- Lancaster, CA
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- autoshopper.com
- minivan 188,500 gasoline grey automatic
1999 honda odyssey review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Big, new and innovative, it has nothing in common with the old one. introductionin the beginning, honda made its reputation on innovative thinking. From early two-cylinder minicars through clever antipollution technology to the light-alloy nsx two-seater, hondas were different. In more recent times, however, the company has set its sights on fitting into the automotive mainstream, promoting clean design, high quality and reliability to bring in the customers. to a large extent, that more conservative strategy has worked. This is one market where the unusual is not prized. Minivan owners have a basic, well-understood need for passenger and cargo capacity, occupant safety and comfort. Sales were less than anticipated, leading honda to begin development of a more traditional minivan. Thus the 1999 odyssey. in a market dominated by the chrysler, dodge and plymouth minivans, gm's chevy/oldsmobile/pontiac trio, ford windstar and toyota sienna, the odyssey makes good strategic sense for honda. The new odyssey is much bigger than the old one. While the old odyssey was small, the new one competes with the biggest minivans on the market. It's about the same size as the chrysler minivans (dodge caravan, plymouth voyager, chrysler town & country). It's slightly larger than the toyota sienna, but slightly smaller than the ford windstar and the gm minivans (chevrolet venture, oldsmobile silhouette, pontiac montana). all minivan designers face the same fact when it comes to styling: the ideal shape is a box. Corners can be rounded off, creases can be applied, glass area can be enlarged, nips and tucks can be made, but the essential form can't be altered. from a styling standpoint, the odyssey lands in the middle of its opposition. It's neither as distinctive as the attractive chrysler vans nor as anonymous as the sienna. Honda has made an attempt to give it some corporate identity around the grille area, but the profile and rear view are decidedly ordinary. The rear doors slide open, making it easier to get in at crowded shopping center parking lots. And there's a wide tailgate with a low lift-over height that makes it easy to load cargo. rather than ask customers to wade through long lists of options, honda has chosen to launch the odyssey in two trim levels. The odyssey is not available with side airbags - the safety benefits of which are debated among automakers. interiorhondas generally offer spacious passenger accommodations for their size and the odyssey is no exception. Space is plentiful by every measurement, with a special call going to headroom that will impress even professional basketball players. As a rule, however, the seven-passenger designation should be applied only when carrying children; adults will find themselves most comfortable when maximum occupancy is kept at six. one clever design feature has been carried over from the first-generation odyssey, and it's a good one. The third-row seat (called a 'magic' seat by honda) can be folded into a deep recess, leaving a completely flat floor aft of the second seat for carrying cargo. It is a relatively simple process, though the third-seat headrests must be removed and stowed in side pockets first. the second-row can be converted from two bucket seats to a full bench seat by sliding them together. They are also removable. As an alternative, the second- and third-row seats can be folded down, leaving space for large, flat items. honda takes top billing in the cupholder contest, providing nine receptacles - for seven passengers. All controls are easy to reach and operate, and all harmonize well with the overall design. The seating position is high and upright, with plenty of visibility in every direction. Materials are all top-grade, and the interior color scheme is exceptionally attractive. driving impressionminivan owners and honda owners alike will find their expectations met by the odyssey. It performs, handles, steers and rides like a minivan, albeit a very good one, and feels like a honda from behind the wheel. The odyssey engine has to pull around significantly more poundage than it would in, say, a ford windstar, so acceleration and fuel economy are average. Its ride quality was very good, if not quite exceptional, and it proved to be easily maneuverable in close-quarter situations. One small complaint surfaced on the highway, where a lack of immediate response when turning the steering wheel was noted. Whether due to excessive assist levels in the power steering, or tire design, this vagueness when deviating from a straight line did detract slightly from driving pleasure. Within the parameters set by the designers, it does its job well. Long-distance travel is no problem for the big honda. Comfortable seats, an efficient heating/ventilation/air conditioning system and good sound insulation see to that. summaryhonda designers, engineers and product planners have obviously put a lot of effort into getting the new odyssey right. Design features that made its predecessor a slow seller -- small size and side-door configuration most prominent among them -- are gone, and all the niceties and quality touches one would expect from honda are in ample supply. the odyssey does not really raise the bar in its class, but it does equal the efforts of the competition. Bucket Seats✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Player✔ Alloy Wheels
6,995 Lancaster, CALancaster, CA at autoshopper.com