2005 Honda Odyssey Van Driving Impressions
Some cars earn bragging rights through speed, others on fuel economy, others on styling. Minivans, free of danger from having any of the above, earn their bragging rights through one virtue: versatility. Inconvenience is the cardinal sin; a van that's hard to use makes for a hard sell. The very first Odyssey - the pathetic 140-horsepower midget that threatened no one in 1995 - was where Honda first pioneered the third-row Magic Seat that disappears into the floor. It set a new standard in minivan convenience back in an era where everyone else's 100-plus-pounds back seat took two people to remove, assuming it could be removed at all. Folding the Magic Seat is still as easy as ever: after folding the seats forward, pull on a nylon strap and wham, it falls into the now-flat floor. Honda's improved upon its invention this year by making the seat a 60/40 split bench, adding to flexibility and probably erasing the occasional complaint about back strain. Also, there's no longer a need to remove the headrests, which now fold flush into the seat. |