Honda Odyssey Absolute

The current Honda Odyssey is a design based on a Car+MPV concept, merging the desirable characteristic of the car ('dynamic performance and style) and the MPV (space, utility, versatility). It delivers an MPV which has the people moving capability of a good size MPV but the sleek looks of a car (or rather a large wagon) and it even drives like a car. Powered by the 160ps 2.4l K24A from the first production (outgoing) Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC, the Odyssey is also fitted with a 5AT equipped with sequential shifting mode. Like the Accord, Honda retained the double wishbone suspension for both front and rear suspension. The result is an MPV that gives those Honda enthusiasts who have to switch to MPV ownership for domestic reasons, a vehicle that feels more car than MPV. Suddenly an MPV feels and drives like a sedan/wagon and with similar performance as well, albeit a large and heavy one. Driving is no longer a chore, now it can sometimes even be fun.

Nevertheless, the Odyssey is still a big and heavy vehicle. On the Accord, the 160ps K24A delivers plenty of performance. But the Odyssey has over 200kg extra kerb weight. So while the K24A still manages to deliver reasonable grunt for normal driving, when the time comes for that last bit of performance, like when overtaking faster moving vehicles, it do run out of breath. The K24A's torque starts to roll off drastically after its max torque point and power delivery is sustained to only 6000prm before it too drastically drops off. Consequently on the road, the Odyssey feels sluggish in hard driving. Add to this a suspension rated highly for its performance potential (double-wishbones) but instead tuned for comfort over handling, it ultimately leads to mild disppaointment for those performance-biased owners who had to covert over from Honda car ownership. This then is where the Odyssey Absolute comes in.