First Drive: 2011 Honda Odyssey
#106
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1. Never noticed any deactivation problems in my 07 Odyssey. And it was widely considered the driver's minivan amongst the last generation.
2. The Sienna is already WAY overpriced for the top versions. If they added a hybrid option to the Limited, it would push $50K.
And for that kind of scratch, you get a POS dash that liberally uses hard, cheap plastic I would expect in a base Versa or Yaris.
2. The Sienna is already WAY overpriced for the top versions. If they added a hybrid option to the Limited, it would push $50K.
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Will one hit 50k soon? Possibly (not counting the Benz R-class). It would interesting to see if people would buy it.
#107
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The suspension is not 'nervous.' The word you are looking for is 'compliant.' The subframe/chassis does not rattle
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#108
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Again you have generalized the Odyssey's ride quality and make it sound worse than it is. You do feel more of the road, but that's one of the characteristics. Not everyone wants a super floaty ride like the Sienna, and the sales number dictates that.
The suspension is not 'nervous.' The word you are looking for is 'compliant.' The subframe/chassis does not rattle
. If anything is rattling, it's the interior panels (particularly in the rear) which is not up to the 90s Honda standard. If you've driven an Odyssey that is bouncy, then something is wrong because it's not allowed to be bouncy in the first place.
The suspension is not 'nervous.' The word you are looking for is 'compliant.' The subframe/chassis does not rattle
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Not everyone wants a floaty ride? Really? Have you checked the Caravan/Town and Country sales numbers? Combined they easily outsell the Odyssey. In fact, the Town and Country alone has outsold the Odyssey this year. It is the top-selling van in the US right now, not the Odyssey.
Clearly we have a difference of opinion. You can call it "complaint" if you want, but I call it nervous. Over potholes or rough patches of road the suspension gets unsettled and the suspension damping is inadequate. I've noticed this in several Honda vehicles as mentioned above, not just in the Odyssey. When hitting a highway joint or pothole the suspension subframes do rattle, yes. I have felt this in several Honda vehicles. To me, the suspension does get bouncy and unsettled in rough roads in the above-mentioned vehicles.
Since you've mentioned it, yes the interior rear panels also do rattle in the 3rd-gen Odyssey and contrary to what some people have said in this thread, the 3rd-gen Odyssey's interior is not significantly better overall than the new Sienna's. The new Odyssey interior likely won't be significantly better either. The center stack/dash in the new Odyssey looks like an ergonomic nightmare, with a ton of small buttons everywhere.
#109
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I'm completely baffled by the styling direction Honda and Acura have gone. The styling cues are getting more and more bizarre. Actually if I really squint, the Pontiac Aztek might be a better looking vehicle lol.
#110
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As for being a "driver's" minivan, who cares? I mean really? If a "driver's minivan" means a nervous suspension that rattles the subframes and chassis, and a stiff bouncy ride on anything but glass smooth roads, you can have it. The Sienna's ride always felt more confident to me on rough roads, which in real terms is the majority of roads out there, especially in areas that have cold winters with freezing and thawing.
#111
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If the automakers had picked arbitrary limits we would be stuck with 2 or 3 speed automatics still, lol. In some cases today, the newer trannys with more speeds are lighter with fewer parts due to better designs, nice progress.
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(just for the record...the Dodge Neon used a 3-speed up to a few years ago, when the Caliber replaced it. It was the last car sold in the American market I know of to do so).
Last edited by mmarshall; 09-18-10 at 09:37 PM.
#112
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That's what I find so shocking. Including incentives, one can buy a Infiniti FX35 with nav, dual DVD in rear, and premium quilted leather throughout for about $41K right now. If you don't NEED to transport 7 people or a lot of stuff, the Sienna (and the Odyssey) look like bad values. If you only have 1-2 kids, then I think a luxury SUV is surprisingly a better value than the top minivans.
#113
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Not everyone wants a floaty ride? Really? Have you checked the Caravan/Town and Country sales numbers? Combined they easily outsell the Odyssey. In fact, the Town and Country alone has outsold the Odyssey this year. It is the top-selling van in the US right now, not the Odyssey.
#114
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You can call it "complaint" if you want, but I call it nervous. Over potholes or rough patches of road the suspension gets unsettled and the suspension damping is inadequate. I've noticed this in several Honda vehicles as mentioned above, not just in the Odyssey. When hitting a highway joint or pothole the suspension subframes do rattle, yes. I have felt this in several Honda vehicles. To me, the suspension does get bouncy and unsettled in rough roads in the above-mentioned vehicles.
The Sienna comes in second place:
"Less satisfying are the generally aloof responses of the controls. The brakes feel wooden, and stops were long at 201 feet. The steering lacks sharpness. What you get instead of confident handling is a soft, quiet ride that makes the others seem a bit rude."
"Mom said the third-row shoulder belts will dig into youngsters' necks, and the floaty ride motions back there could cause bouts of carsickness. Oh, dear."
The Odyssey comes in first place:
"This Honda has all the competitors covered when it comes to driver confidence. It feels purposeful, motivated, even athletic in a way the others do not. The steering knows where straight ahead is, and carving away from that heading always feels precise. The Odyssey's driving position is one of the best in the business. The dash has large dials with bold markings. The column has tilting and telescoping adjustments. The driver's seat is easily the most comfortable of the group."
#116
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Here is a thread I found about front end clunking on the 3rd-gen Odyssey. The person who started the topic mentioned the clunking occuring any time the suspension is loaded or unloaded. That is similar to what I experienced with shuddering/rattling in the Odyssey I drove.
The thread talks about bad front bearings, loose subframe connector bolts, and bad struts, loose/bad sway bar links, entire front strut assemblies being replaced and bad motor mounts. The bad motor mount issue is common on a few other Honda vehicles as well.
http://www.odyclub.com/forums/showth...threadid=32088
Here is another thread of a person talking about bad rear shocks:
http://www.odyclub.com/forums/showth...=&pagenumber=2
Here is a professional review talking about vibration during driving:
http://www.automotive.com/2006/43/ho...ons/index.html
Of all places, you put a link up from a Honda and Driver comparison test? C&D has no credibility as they universally and unanimously love all Honda vehicles. I don't think I remember the last time C&D didn't like a Honda vehicle, if ever.
Last edited by TRDFantasy; 09-18-10 at 09:54 PM.
#117
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#118
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The Sienna comes in second place:
. What you get instead of confident handling is a soft, quiet ride that makes the others seem a bit rude."
"Mom said the third-row shoulder belts will dig into youngsters' necks, and the floaty ride motions back there could cause bouts of carsickness. Oh, dear."
. What you get instead of confident handling is a soft, quiet ride that makes the others seem a bit rude."
"Mom said the third-row shoulder belts will dig into youngsters' necks, and the floaty ride motions back there could cause bouts of carsickness. Oh, dear."
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#119
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You're right, something is wrong, and that is Honda's suspension tuning. You might've had a point if the Odyssey was the only modern Honda vehicle I've driven. This rules out that anything specifically was "wrong" with the Odyssey that I drove. Thing is, I've also driven the current Civic, Accord, and the 1st-gen Pilot. What all of them have in common is similar suspension tuning.
Not everyone wants a floaty ride? Really? Have you checked the Caravan/Town and Country sales numbers? Combined they easily outsell the Odyssey. In fact, the Town and Country alone has outsold the Odyssey this year. It is the top-selling van in the US right now, not the Odyssey.
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Pulled from the 2009 Year End sale thread:
23. Honda Odyssey: 100,133
28. Dodge Caravan: 90,666
33. Chrysler Town & Country: 84,558
Clearly we have a difference of opinion. You can call it "complaint" if you want, but I call it nervous. Over potholes or rough patches of road the suspension gets unsettled and the suspension damping is inadequate. I've noticed this in several Honda vehicles as mentioned above, not just in the Odyssey. When hitting a highway joint or pothole the suspension subframes do rattle, yes. I have felt this in several Honda vehicles. To me, the suspension does get bouncy and unsettled in rough roads in the above-mentioned vehicles.
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Just because it rides firmer does not make it unsettling. The suspension does what it's suppose to do. It rebounds only once over a bump and that's it. Bouncy would be a 1992 Toyota Camry with blown shocks.
I expect Honda to retain the same ride quality in the 2011+ Odyssey because it's a good compromise for those who do not want uber spongy/floaty ride, but do not want rock stiff either. It's not a wrong method contrary to what some people have said, just different strokes for different folks. Now if the new Odyssey had a ride quality comparable to UHaul truck, then you might have a point, but it does not.
#120
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Come on.
Carsickness from the Sienna's suspension? As far as I'm concerned, that's nonsense. First, the Sienna would not sell in the numbers it does (and did) if you had to take Dramamine every time you rode in it. Second, as a former airplane pilot, I'm familiar with turbulence, thermals, G-forces, and what (can) cause real motion sickness.
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No 'new' car would make you throw up unless it's so poorly designed. We had a 1985 Dodge Caravan once with all blown shocks. Everytime you accelerate, the rear end would squat and the passengers would want to vomit. No one wanted to ride in the rear anymore
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