While power and performance are important features in any vehicle, they’re generally considered “nice-to-haves” when it comes to minivans. What really counts is what’s on the inside, since people and cargo hauling are the primary uses for such a vehicle. Here, the new 2005 Honda Odyssey does not disappoint, though some aspects of the interior left something to be desired. Consider, for example, that the Odyssey’s second-row seats must be folded, unlatched, and hoisted through the sliding side doors to maximize interior space, and they aren’t light. Once yanked out and stored in the garage, the Odyssey can carry as much as 147.4 cubic feet of cargo. This sharply contrasts with the Chrysler Town & Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Nissan Quest, all of which have second-row seats that flip and fold into the floor. Honda decided it was more important to provide up to ten inches of fore/aft seat track travel along with an easy-entry feature to make access to the third-row simpler, but we’d remind shoppers that the Quest’s second-row seats do offer adjustment to add or decrease legroom. However, the Quest has no underfloor storage, like the Honda, the Chrysler, and the Dodge. Honda, the pioneer of the “magic” third-row seat, has improved upon the formula. In the 2005 Odyssey, the bench is a 60/40 split folding design that can be operated with one hand if need be. Plus, the headrests don’t need to be removed before dropping the seat into the floor for storage. With the seat lowered, the Odyssey can swallow 91.1 cubic feet of cargo. With the seat raised, cargo space measures 38.4 cubic feet. The huge well is perfect for groceries, and now Honda provides grocery bag hooks on the base of the third-row seat. A 12-volt outlet can power accessories, a cargo net holds loose items in place, and there’s a storage cubby along the right side of the well. Deftly tucked into the left body panel is a temporary spare tire, which frees up space under the floor between the first and second rows for a standard storage well.
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