Honda 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. Our behind-the-wheel impressions are that it lacks the sophistication of the Windstar, and visually lags behind the svelte Chrysler minivans. Magic third seat aside, it offers little not found on all its competitors. That certainly isn't meant to imply that there's anything even remotely wrong with the Odyssey. There isn't. It is a very good minivan, one that owners of other Honda products can trade into with perfect confidence. But the competition among minivans is fierce, and only careful comparison test driving and a close scan of all the features available can tell you whether the Odyssey is your minivan.
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