|
Who'd ever think of putting a Lazy Susan in a minivan? Honda has. No, it's not for serving food, but for adding an incredibly useful hidden storage area. The previous Odyssey had a storage well under the floor of the front seats for the spare tire. Honda engineers have moved it to a location in the rear. Instead of removing the round space under the floor where the spare used to reside they've turned it into a hidden storage compartment with a rotating compartmentalized bin. There's a small access panel in the floor between the two front seats for front passengers to get access and another bigger one in front of the center row seats for access. So whatever stuff is stowed in the Lazy Susan, front or middle row passengers can turn it for access. Ingenious!Flexibility in seating arrangements is a key attribute in any minivan and Honda has further enhanced the Odyssey's many seating configurations. There's room for eight people with the optional PlusOne seat that fits between the two captain's chairs in the second row. If it's not needed as a seat it can be turned into a table or stowed in the floor instead of the Lazy Susan bin. If the PlusOne seat is not being used, the right-hand seat can be slid across to allow easier access to the third-row seats. The third-row quot;magic seatquot; is split 60/40 and folds down into the well provided for it much more easily than before, and the headrests do not need to be removed before folding. The optional voice-activated DVD navigation system has been extensively updated and now includes Zagat restaurant data. The large 8-inch monitor is well positioned high up in the dashboard. The voice-activation system responds to 637 commands and is smart enough to understand different accents and find locations without any need for input other than by voice. Apart from navigation, the system can also be used to operate the radio and climate controls. Unlike other voice systems we've experienced, this one seemed to work effectively. The available DVD entertainment system features a large 9-inch widescreen display that folds out of the ceiling. The wireless headsets turn on and off automatically as the ear pads are rotated. There's a host of other small touches that have gone into upgrading the interior. From a driver's standpoint, changes include the gearshift lever, which is still mounted on the dashboard, but has been realigned so it has an easier longitudinal motion instead of vertical. The driver's seat has been redesigned so it holds the driver more firmly and is positioned in a more car-like setting. Power adjustable pedals are available in the Touring model.
|
