{"id":21445,"date":"2017-11-23T11:38:31","date_gmt":"2017-11-23T15:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=21445"},"modified":"2017-12-01T11:42:33","modified_gmt":"2017-12-01T15:42:33","slug":"payne-can-honda-odyssey-out-van-king-pacifica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2017\/11\/payne-can-honda-odyssey-out-van-king-pacifica","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Can Honda Odyssey out-van King Pacifica?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/9ddb467e530c282d9c101d355e6531a65fc7e7f3\/c=504-0-3528-2268&amp;r=x404&amp;c=534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2017\/11\/22\/DetroitNews\/B99599692Z.1_20171122181853_000_GV61OAMM1.1-0.jpg\" alt=\"odyssey_fr3-4\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">For 2017,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2017\/01\/18\/payne-pacifica\/96746172\/\">Chrysler set a new standard for minivans<\/a>with the Pacifica, a gorgeous tour de force that made vans cool again: Best-in-class styling. Best-in-class seating dexterity. Best-in-class comedian sponsor in Jim Gaffigan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">Following Chrysler\u2019s home run is little like following, well &#8230; Gaffigan on stage after a comedy routine. Better to stick to your best stuff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">So applause goes to Honda, which has introduced an all-new Odyssey minivan for 2018 that plays to Honda\u2019s strength of innovative, interior ergonomics. Based on the same platform as the excellent mid-size Honda Pilot, the Odyssey comes with the same attention to interior detail as its ute sister.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019m convinced Honda engineers move in with families to observe their daily routines and design their cars accordingly. The Pilot and Odyssey aren\u2019t so much cars as they are domiciles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The front seats are mom heaven. Like the Pilot, a ribbed center-console shade rolls back revealing a bottomless compartment for big purse storage. Drop your bag in the bin and it\u2019s at your elbow for rummaging whenever needed. No more tossing handbags out of reach on the passenger sat. Or on the passenger floor where you have to zip it up lest its contents jump out at the first hard-right turn.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-190\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-192\" class=\"ad-slot\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Got a small bag? It\u2019ll fit nicely on top of the shade and will be held in place by console \u201ccurbs.\u201d Moms are fussy about crumbs, of course, so Honda\u2019s ribs ingeniously stretch in order to prevent debris from lodging between them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Listening to families, Honda hears what they\u00a0<em>don\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0like, too. They don\u2019t like Honda\u2019s first-generation infotainment screen that was all touch and no knob. So the minivan gets a proper on-off knob with volume control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Like Chrysler, Honda has learned the joys of shift-by-wire transmissions. The Pacifica uses a rotary e-shifter; the Honda has a so-called \u201ctrigger\u201d button-shifter. Just stick your index finger in the reverse trigger hole and pull, or thumb the drive button for easy maneuverability. The rotary and trigger have their advocates (I\u2019m bipartisan), but they both free center-console storage and make lateral crossings from driver to passenger seat much easier (or am I the only one who does that?).<\/p>\n<div class=\"partner-outstream\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s about the only thing Honda and Chrysler interiors share. Odyssey does not add a useful console drawer like Pacifica. Only Honda has Apple CarPlay app connectivity (a must for Mrs. Payne).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Behind the front seats, Chrysler and Honda diverge dramatically.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Chrysler\u2019s legendary Stow \u2019n\u2019 Go second-row seats offer Swiss army knife versatility. They can be flattened to act as Ottomans for third-row occupants. Or stored in the floor for third-row legroom. Or stored in the floor\u00a0<em>with<\/em>\u00a0the third-row seats for acres of cargo space (roll in bikes, go-karts, pets) \u2014 like a pickup bed without a roof.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Honda is no slouch in the seat invention department. In fact, we\u2019ve come to refer to their seat solutions as \u201cMagic Seats,\u201d from their subcompact Fit to the Odyssey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Interestingly, its Fit subcompact takes a similar second-row approach to the Pacifica. Its seats can be folded out of the way for bike storage \u2014 or flattened for cavernous cargo room. But in the Odyssey, Honda figures its family customers want a different kind of versatility. Say hello to the \u201cMagic Slide\u201d seats \u2014 seats that move horizontally across the cabin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Want to get into the third row? Just slide the second-row captain\u2019s chair toward the middle. Need to comfort a baby behind you? Just slide their chair towards you for easy access from the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I have arms as long as an orangutan to reach child seat-anchored kids (mine are all grown up now), but the sliding-seat option is undoubtedly more convenient for normal-sized folks. And the third-row access is best-in-the business (even better than accessing the Pacifica\u2019s third row by simply walking between the captain\u2019s chairs).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I brought in my minivan expert \u2014 and neighbor \u2014 Chuck. Call him Chuck Gaffigan. A longtime SUV guy, he\u2019s found happiness in his Pacifica and its cool vibe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The Honda interior impressed him. Not just the Magic Slide seats and deep console, but details that only a practicing father of wee ones would know intuitively. He marveled at the Honda\u2019s well-positioned child seat anchors. And the backseat microphone that Odyssey options so that front-seat parents can communicate with third-row kids.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Stepping back from the Odyssey and viewing the total package, he muttered: \u201cBut I love the Pacifica.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">With its graceful exterior design and equally expressive interior lines, the high-tech Chrysler has transformed the unremarkable family minivan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The Odyssey still looks geeked-out. Honda has shored up some of the irregularities from the previous generation \u2014 the sliding door runner is now hidden, and the dashboard shifter doesn\u2019t look like it came out of a panel truck. But where the Pacifica is a flowing sculpture, the Honda is a mess of contradictory lines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Honda doesn\u2019t fear dynamic architecture. I\u2019m a particular fan of the current, heavily-decorated Civic for example. After the brand\u2019s familiar \u201cflying wing\u201d grille, the Odyssey keeps its signature \u201clightning bolt\u201d shoulder line from the last generation \u2014 a jagged shoulder line that droops rearward, giving the impression that the minivan was broken over someone\u2019s knee. A fashionable floating-roof design hovers \u2014 detached \u2014 over this spectacle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Driving performance for the smooth, quiet Odyssey and Pacifica are similar \u2014 nine-speed trannies powering competent, 280-something horsepower V-6 engines. Honda also offers a first-in-segment 10-speed tranny in upper trims like my Elite tester.\u00a0The Pacifica\u2019s comparable fuel economy and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jdpower.com\/press-releases\/2017-us-initial-quality-study-iqs\">JD Power-leading reliability record<\/a>\u00a0negate a traditional advantage for Honda vehicles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Long a minivan pioneer, Pacifica adds to its firsts list the first hybrid minivan. For families with less than a 30-mile commute every day, that\u2019s 30 miles on electrons alone. Long an innovator in hybrid cars, Honda finds itself playing catch-up to Chrysler. Reports are that\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thetruthaboutcars.com\/2017\/06\/honda-considering-odyssey-hybrid-acura-mdx-running-gear-challenge-chrysler-pacifica-hybrid\/\">Honda may electrify its minivan<\/a>\u00a0with the same battery package\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2017\/06\/14\/henry-payne-acura-mdx-hybrid-suv-review-nsx\/102862148\/\">found in Honda\u2019s luxury-brand Acura MDX hybrid<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">When folks ask me what cars I recommend, I say there are no bad vehicles made today \u2014 only vehicles that execute better. Among compacts, Honda leads the way with superior Civics, Accords and CR-V utes. In the minivan segment, its Odyssey is the best, most innovative Honda yet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But Chrysler, as the kids in the backseats might say, is da bomb.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch \u201cCar Radio with Henry Payne\u201d from noon-1 p.m. Saturdays on 910 AM Superstation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>2018 Honda Odyssey<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>VEHICLE TYPE<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">FRONT-ENGINE, REAR-WHEEL DRIVE, FOUR-PASSENGER COUPE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Powerplant<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">3.5-liter V-6<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Transmission<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">9-speed automatic; 10-speed automatic (as tested)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">4,354 pounds base (4,564 Touring trim as tested)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">$30,930 base ($47,610 Elite model as tested)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Power<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">280 horsepower, 262 pound-feet torque;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">towing, 3,500 pounds<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">0-60 mph, 6.5 sec. (Car and Driver est.)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Fuel economy<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">EPA mpg est. 19 city\/28 highway\/22 combined (9 and 10-speed boxes)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>HIGHS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">PARENT-FRIENDLY MIDDLE SEATS; BEST-IN-CLASS CONSOLE STORAGE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Lows<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Geeky styling; trails rival Pacifica plugin, styling wow factor<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Overall:<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For 2017,\u00a0Chrysler set a new standard for minivanswith the Pacifica, a gorgeous tour de force that made vans cool again: Best-in-class styling. Best-in-class seating dexterity. Best-in-class comedian sponsor in Jim Gaffigan. Following Chrysler\u2019s home run is little like following, well &#8230; Gaffigan on stage after a comedy routine. Better to stick to your best stuff. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21445"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21445"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21446,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21445\/revisions\/21446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}