This is another positive attribute of the Odyssey that should leave SUV owner's scratching their heads. At a time when the average price per gallon of regular on I-95 is around $2, such economy feels like money in your pocket. A trip from New York City to Washington D.C., a distance of approximately 250 miles, required only half a tank of gas. Thanks to MacPherson strut front/multi-link double wishbone rear suspension and rack and pinion steering, it is much more responsive than most minivans and SUVs.īut where the Odyssey really earns its keep is its fuel efficiency. With 242 4500 rpm, its got more torque than zippy little cars like the Volkswagen Jetta GLI and even the Mercedes-Benz CLK320. Its 240-horsepower single-overhead-camshaft 3.5-liter V6 offers impressive acceleration, as Mr. That being said, the Odyssey is no slouch. When we called the '02 Odyssey underpowered, we meant in comparison to some of the real road rockets we've had the pleasure to drive. One of the drawbacks to being able to test-drive and review some of the world's best cars is that you can get spoiled. " We noted that you say under 'Lows' that the Odyssey is 'UNDERPOWERED'? Are you sure you drove the van you took pictures of? Not only is the Odyssey the fastest production minivan you can buy, it has the most horsepower and torque! I own a 2000 version, which has 30 less hp than the current model, and even that one is faster than anything made today! Heck, my Odyssey can take most sedans and sport compacts from a traffic light.believe me, I've done it." One reader, Vince Cuffaro, a member of a Honda Odyssey fan club, sent in this response: Over the next few days we were flooded with e-mails from proud owners who went to great lengths to extol the virtues of their favorite minivan. When we wrote about the 2002 Odyssey last year we were mildly critical of the minivan's muscle. To learn about other things that the Odyssey can do, read on.įrom The Driver's Seat | Should You Buy This Car? | Specs From The Driver's Seat It's for parents who need to ferry their kids and their stuff around as safely and comfortably as possible. But that's not the point of the Honda Odyssey. It's unlikely anyone will feel overconfident in a minivan anytime soon.
2003 honda odyssey van drivers#
Worse, they have a tendency to make their drivers overconfident in bad driving conditions, as anyone who has ever driven from Denver to Vail during the winter can tell by the number of SUVs that have skidded off the road. Besides being gas-guzzlers and-in the case of the majority of luxury SUVs-as capable of going off-road as a Volkswagen Beetle, many SUVs are also pretty tippy. The fact of the matter is that most SUVs aren't as rugged as they claim to be. How they're okay for hauling around the kiddies but not much else. The reason, of course, is that one of the criticisms the anti-minivan brigade keeps tossing out is how wimpy minivans are. Granted, you wouldn't go tearing through the tundra in one the way you might in a Hummer but it's a relief to know that you can still barrel out of your snow-covered driveway. "We were out in the Hamptons one weekend and we got about eight inches and didn't get stuck once." Particularly after a brutal winter like this one, an SUV that can bulldoze its way through snowdrifts has a certain practical appeal. What about how it handles on the snow? That had been a concern of mine. Great gas mileage, competitive price, plenty of horsepower, lots of room and a DVD system. Case in point: At dinner the other night in Manhattan, my host, a young investment banker who can afford any car he wants to ferry around his family, couldn't contain his enthusiasm for his 2002 Odyssey when I told him that I had just test-driven the '03.
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