Refreshing or Revolting: 2018 Honda Odyssey

No one buys a minivan for the way it looks, but a compelling design can make one entry stand out from the rest of the crowd. The 2018 Honda Odyssey, which debuted at the recent Detroit auto show, will compete with the Chrysler Pacifica, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, and buyers will soon have the opportunity to decide whether the model’s fresh sheetmetal can help it become America’s best-selling minivan. Before you decide whether the new Odyssey is refreshing or revolting, let’s take a closer look at its new design.

Up front, you may notice Honda changed up the hood. Also, a new grille features a solid silver bar connecting the Honda emblem to the headlights. This new grille mimics the design of other new Honda products, including the 2017 Civic.

Even before the redesign, the Odyssey was known as one of the most unconventional-looking minivans on the market, thanks to its signature “lightning bolt” beltine. Honda kept this design quirk for the 2018 model year, but softened it just slightly for a more mature look. The door handles have been positioned farther apart compared to the old model, and the new floating D-pillar adds some extra visual interest.

Again taking cues from the Civic, the 2018 Odyssey receives C-shaped taillights.  No longer are the taillights connected together, but instead, a horizontal silver bar runs through the back of the van. Like before, a subtle spoiler sits on top of the rear window. A hands-free power liftgate with foot activation is a newly available feature for 2018.

Inside, the Odyssey features a new 7–inch digital instrument cluster. The confusing dual-screen infotainment setup is gone, and now there’s a single screen that sits atop the dash. The electronic gear selector is new, replacing a traditional lever.

Do you think the 2018 Honda Odyssey is refreshing or revolting? Let us know in the comments section below.

In last week’s Refreshing or Revolting, we looked at another big debut to come out of the Detroit auto show: the 2018 Toyota Camry. As we expected, there were some pretty strong reactions on both sides of the table.

“This looks like Toyota working too hard to dislodge it’s ‘appliance’ image,” said Intrigued_One.

“The XLE Hybrid is refreshing, even Lexus like,” said ThrottleBlip.

“Toyota knows how to make reliable cars but has no clue in the design department,” lamented TeeBaby.

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