Minivan 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. In other words, there are neither major surprises nor big disappointments awaiting the driver.The Odyssey offers class-leading horsepower, but this advantage is negated to a large extent by its weight. 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. The Odyssey powerplant is smooth and quiet, however, and works well with the automatic transmission. Our test driving was confined largely to open highways and city streets, an environment where the Odyssey comports itself well. 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. Otherwise, there were no areas of the Odyssey's on-road behavior to be concerned about. Of course the Odyssey is not intended to be a sports car, so crisp handling takes a back seat to comfort by design. 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.
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