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Honda Odyssey minivan reworked at a new factory in Alabama
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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LINCOLN, Ala. -- The latest assembly line at Honda's $1+ billion Alabama manufacturing plant in Lincoln, located off I-20 some 40 miles east of Birmingham, hums as thousands of workers conspire with robotic machines to stamp and cast, rivet and weld, paint and assemble sleek new versions of the redesigned Odyssey minivan.
This plant also produces Honda's Pilot SUV and the high-tech V6 engines that propel both Pilot and Odyssey.
After touring the expanded Lincoln assembly plant, we pick out a pre-production version of the new Odyssey and set off on a circuitous course back to Birmingham to experience the concept.
Honda introduced Odyssey a decade ago, as cast on a platform borrowed from the best-selling Accord sedan and equipped with the then-novel concept of not one but two sliding slab doors on flanks.
That original Odyssey focused on a sedan-height chassis and user-friendly interior features, as Honda incorporated favored traits of rival minivans and developed creative new concepts driven by Honda's research of the minivan market.
A second design for Odyssey emerged in 1999 on a larger and broader platform but with the floor still set low like a car so you could step inside or out easily -- much like you would slip into a sedan.
Making a van more like a car has always been the big idea behind the minivan, of course, but until Honda's designs appeared no other automaker dared to structure and equip a minivan with so many car-like comforts.
That overriding concept of making a minivan easy to drive and easy to use explains why Honda's minivan has been so successful in a market filled with keen competition.
Now comes the next generational design for Odyssey with room for as many as eight riders in an expanded structure with class-capping power and innovations for seat configuration, powertrain performance and personal safety.
The new unit-body structure maintains the same length as a previous Odyssey but gains more than an inch in width to expand the cabin.
Inside, there are up to three tiers of seats in place with options for folding or removing the second-row seats and a 'Magic Seat' in back that folds into the floor for a slick disappearing act.
The first row shows two tall captain's chairs with broader seats to accommodate a variety of American body sizes.
Seats on the second row move around to several positions for flexibility in hauling people and cargo.
The two captain's chairs slip fore and aft by ten inches or slide together to convert into a bench when more floor area is needed on the side.
Three of the four trims add a 'PlusOne' jump seat on the second tier that pops up from the floor and squeezes between the two buckets, forging a three-person bench to achieve the minivan's eight-person capacity.
That jumper also tips forward when not needed as a seat and becomes a console with built-in storage tray.
Second-tier buckets may be removed easily by simply flipping several latches -- and one person can do that job, thanks to lightweight frames.
Reaching second-row seats is also easy: Just open a door, slip aboard and buckle up. Access comes from either side due to the dual sliding doors, and without bending and scooting or crawling.
Reaching the third tier's three-person bench requires more work, but not so to fold it flat into the floor because this thing tips and tucks into a well in the floor. And it's split in 60/40 sections that fold separately.
Behind the third tier is adequate storage space, but with the flexible seat system there are dozens of configurations for people and cargo. Maximum cargo room with second tier seats removed and the third row folded amounts to a cavernous 147.4 cubic feet.
A spare tire stows vertically in the rear of lower trims, while the top trim eliminates the need for a spare by incorporating the Michelin PAX system for extended mobility with run-flat tires.
Honda equips Odyssey with responsive handling systems and a powerful V6 engine plus an extensive list of standard gear for safety.
The new aluminum V6, with 3.5-liter displacement, generates 255 hp at 5750 rpm.
Base configuration, with a drive-by-wire throttle and Honda's VTEC (variable value timing and lift electronic control) valvetrain, produces torque numbers of 250 lb-ft at 5000 rpm.
The top two trims carry a second configuration with 'intelligent' i-VTEC controls that automatically deactivate three of the engine's six cylinders when cruising to boost fuel economy figures.
This engine-modification concept goes by the acronym of VCM, or variable cylinder management, and it generates torque of 250 lb-ft at 4500 rpm with class-leading fuel efficiency numbers to 28 mpg, as well as top power.
The VCM engine also comes with an active control engine mount (ACM) system to damp the effects of engine vibration plus a clever active noise control (ANC) system that adds noise-canceling (out of phase) sound through the cabin's audio speakers.
Transmission for both versions of the V6 is Honda's excellent electronically controlled five-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter and grade logic controls.
Responsive steering comes through a rack and pinion device, and brakes include big discs at all wheels coupled to an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with brake assist (BA) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD), a traction control system (TCS) plus vehicle stability assist (VSA) for all versions.
Passive safety gear consists of frontal and side-impact air bags for the two front seats and curtain-style air bags concealed in headliners above all three rows.
Honda constructs Odyssey in four different trims -- LX, EX, EX Leather and new Touring. Deluxe Touring trim has power adjustable pedals and power for sliding side doors plus the tailgate, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), three zones for the automatic climate control system, and a premium 360-watt audio kit with seven speakers.
Options extend to XM satellite radio service, a DVD-based entertainment system with wireless infrared headphones, and a satellite-linked navigation system with voice recognition and a rearview camera.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY Specs |
| Description: |
Compact 4-door minivan |
| Model Options: |
Compact 4-door minivan |
| Wheelbase: |
118.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
201.0 inches |
| Engine Size: |
SOHC 3.5-L V6 VTEC, SOHC 3.5-L V6 i-VTEC/VCM |
| Transmission: |
Auto/5 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc ABS/BA/EBD/TCS/VSC |
| Airbags: |
2 (front), 2 (side), 6 (side curtain) |
| Gas Mileage: |
V6: 19/25 mpg, V6 VCM: 20/28 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 25,000 to $ 34,000 |
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