2018 Honda Odyssey Price & Specs News: Minivan Continues to Impress with Family-Friendly Design

By Georgia Gana, Christian Post Contributor Friday, January 27, 2017

Honda recently introduced the 2018 Odyssey, which has been given a host of new features and technologies for the new model year. Considered as one of the most popular minivans in the U.S. market, the next-generation Odyssey continues to impress with its family-friendly design. It is the ideal vehicle that meets the needs of families — whether it's during quick trips to and from school or vacations that entail spending a long time inside a vehicle.

In terms of design, the all-new Odyssey is modern and sophisticated. The minivan's bold and sporty front fascia is highlighted by Honda's signature flying wing grille and LED headlights. The Odyssey's iconic lightning bolt beltline is also more elegant with the door tracks hidden from plain sight. At the rear, there are LED taillights and a hands-free power tailgate with foot activation.

The 2018 Odyssey's cabin has been designed to promote a "family connectivity" concept wherein everyone is able to communicate with each other. The minivan comes with class-leading quietness as it eliminates unwanted noise from outside the vehicle. Furthermore, CabinWatch and CabinTalk technologies allow for the driver and front passenger to monitor the back of the vehicle without having to take their eyes off the road.

CabinWatch uses a camera and transmits video on the 8-inch high-resolution display audio screen so that those in front of the minivan can continuously keep tabs on the passengers at the back. Meanwhile, CabinTalk provides a way for the driver to talk to the passengers via the second- and third-row speakers or the rear entertainment system headphones.

For longer trips, the rear entertainment system ensures that kids are entertained via the 10.2-inch display with 4G LTE connectivity and video streaming capabilities. Furthermore, CabinControl also allows parents to control the content being displayed via their smartphone. They can also access rear heating and air-conditioning controls as well as navigation.

Another notable feature of the 2018 Odyssey is the suite of Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies that come standard on trims EX and above. The advanced technologies include the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist, Road Departure Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Built using the Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure, the all-new Odyssey is equipped with a rigid and lightweight chassis. The minivan has an overall vehicle score of five stars from the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) and has a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The next-generation Odyssey is powered by a 3.5-liter direct injected i-VTEC V6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management that delivers 280 horsepower. It can be mated with either a nine-speed automatic or 10-speed automatic transmission.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey is scheduled to arrive at dealerships nationwide in the spring. Pricing will be announced closer to the official launch.