No matter what some automakers tell you, there’s no substitute for a minivan. Sure, full-size crossovers are arguably cooler looking

New 2011 Odyssey brings more style to the minivan segment. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

and have merits of their own when pavement ends and trail begins, but why some mainstream players gave up on the minivan segment altogether is a mystery to me.

Honda certainly did not. The Odyssey remains a top performer both literally and figuratively, on the road and on the sales charts. It’s long been the minivan choice of those discriminating buyers who would otherwise opt for a premium brand if there were any premium players in the segment.

For 2011 Honda makes certain its faithful Odyssey followers don’t stray to any rival’s camp by reworking the model completely with fresh exterior and interior styling, more power and better fuel-efficiency under the hood that’s partly due to an optional six-speed automatic transmission, more flexible seating, and improved standard and optional content across all trim levels.

Say what you want about Honda’s “lightning-bolt” belt-line, but I like the fact that it adds some character to a segment that’s long been lacking much excitement, while rear visibility is improved thanks to larger rear windows. You won’t notice the unique kink when looking outwards and probably won’t realize how much of a difference the extra glass makes, but any improvement is welcome when backing up a vehicle as large as the Odyssey.

And don’t question it. The Odyssey is no minivan by yesterday’s standards. This is a full-size van without any stretch of the imagination, although so are all of its rivals that

New taillight design spans the van's entire width. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

now dwarf the mid-‘80s segment originators that were dimensionally more closely related to today’s compact Mazda5. The Odyssey is long and wide, allowing for cavernous capacity of passengers and cargo. Up to eight occupants can sit comfortably across its three rows, the second now featuring “wide-mode” seating that allows individual fore and aft adjustment of all three seating positions so that passengers can access the third row from either side door even if a child seat is tethered to the centre. While I don’t have any child seats in my life anymore, I certainly can appreciate how handy this feature would be. The centre seat is obviously the safest place to put a small child, so this innovation could very well save lives. More significant to me in my stage of life-after-diapers is the 60/40-split third-row Magic Seat that drops into the floor with one simple tug on a conveniently mounted strap.

My tester came equipped another useful feature that would

"Lightning-bolt" belt-line adds style and rearward visibility. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

be nice on a trip. The “cool box” beverage bin pops out from the lower portion of the centre stack, while a new flip-up trash bag ring and front bag hook show that Honda has been listening to customers.

One thing they didn’t change was the engine, at least not drastically. The 3.5-litre ekes out a little more output at 248-horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, but more importantly it now incorporates variable cylinder management across the line, so all models benefit from the fuel economy savings of shutting down three of its six cylinders under lighter loads. My Touring test model featured the new 6-speed automatic gearbox, and while this is great I’m wondering why Honda didn’t just make it standard across the line as its competitors now do. Honda also forgoes a more efficient four-cylinder alternative, something that would likely appeal to younger families pinched by

Exterior detailing is a cut above. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

tighter budgets. As it is, the Odyssey benefits from strong performance off the line and during passing maneuvers while achieving an estimated 10.9 L/100km in the city and 7.1 on the highway in Touring trim, or 11.7 and 7.2 respectively with the 5-speed auto.

Fuel economy aside, no matter which trim level you opt for, LX, EX, EX-L or Touring, the Odyssey comes nicely equipped from a base of $29,990 plus $1,590 destination. Even the LX gets an 8-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone air conditioning, plus the aforementioned wide-mode adjustable second-row seat and 60/40 split-folding third-row Magic Seat. A tire pressure-monitoring system joins standard ABS with EBD, while traction and stability control is also included as is a full array of airbags.

The result of Honda’s safety measures is the

Touring trim adds luxury and convenience features for a premium experience. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

highest "Good" rating for frontal offset, side-impact and roof strength tests with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), plus 5 Stars with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its much more rigorous 2011 crash tests, earning the 2011 Odyssey a Top Safety Pick.

Moving up through the line, the EX, at $33,990, gets alloy wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated seats, a removable front centre console, an upgraded infotainment system with a 6-CD changer, USB connection, and Bluetooth connectivity. In back are standard power sliding side doors, second-row sunshades, plus a more comfortable multi-function second-row centre seat that houses three cupholders and a small bin when dropped forward. The EX-L, at $40,990, adds leather, a leather-wrapped wheel, a 4-way power passenger seat, a powered glass

New centre seat design adds a lot of passenger flexibility. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, parking sensors, the aforementioned “cool box” beverage holder, XM satellite radio, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a 9-inch display and wireless headsets, and a powered tailgate.

The Touring model I tested is priced at $46,990 and adds a high-definition multimedia interface with navigation, upgraded audio featuring 15 gigs of hard disc space, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultra-wide split-screen display. The Touring gets a number of other goodies, like a multi-information display, blind spot information, a third-row centre armrest and third-row sunshades, but I like this trim level more for its driving-oriented features.

Xenon headlamps light the way, and if they’re

Ultra-wide split-screen display makes for an audio-visual experience bar none. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

not strong enough a set of fog lights will make the road clearer. Connecting to that road surface is a larger set of 235/60R18s on 18-inch alloy rims, and they really make the most of the nicely sorted suspension setup. There’s nothing revolutionary going on underneath, with MacPherson struts up front and a double-wishbone multi-link system in back, but somehow Honda manages to tweak it in a way that the Odyssey performs a bit better than most of its peers. The performance differences between competitive vans aren’t quite as noticeable as they were ten years ago, but the Odyssey’s stability during transitional maneuvers and high-speed handling through tight curves defy its overall mass, which is hardly insignificant at 2,070 kilos (4,563 lbs) as tested.

That’s also where the new six-speed automatic transmission comes in. It’s smooth, as expected in this class, but shifts are relatively quick and the gear interval spacing seems to make the most of the engine’s output. Takeoff is good, although I doubt most minivan buyers care as

You'll be surprised at how easy it is to drop Honda's new "Magic Seats" into the floor. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

much about sprinting away from stoplights as they do merging onto a highway or, even more critically, passing a tractor trailer with a vanload of kids. That’s when performance is your friend, and the Odyssey makes up for using more fuel than I would have liked by delivering quick, safe passes when called upon.

And by the way, the Odyssey won’t only hold a vanload of kids, it’ll also carry up to eight adults with 1,087 litres (38.4 cu ft) of gear behind the back row. Fold those seats flat and there’s 2,636 litres (93.1 cu ft) available, and with the second row removed you can load up to 4,205 litres (148.5 cu ft) of stuff. Try that in a crossover? Never.

No, the Odyssey is made for those who can’t or don’t want to go without ultimate versatility. For 2011 it’s better than ever, and certainly makes me glad that Honda never opted out of the minivan business.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint