Honda Odyssey to Get a Fresh Look for 2025

Jawad

28 May 2024

358 Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey to Get a Fresh Look for 2025

Honda has teased that its Odyssey minivan will undergo a significant update, potentially a complete redesign, in 2025. This move is aimed at making the Odyssey more competitive against newer models like the Toyota Sienna, Kia Carnival, and the recently revamped Chrysler Pacifica. The current Odyssey has been on the market for about seven years with only one major update in 2021. Known for its refined driving experience, the Odyssey remains a strong contender in the minivan market, having recently secured second place in a four-way comparison test. However, it’s time for a new iteration.

Platform Upgrades Across Honda's Lineup

The push for an updated Odyssey is partly driven by platform changes in other Honda vehicles. The 2023 Honda Pilot SUV was the first to transition to a new-generation chassis. The two-row Passport SUV and the Ridgeline pickup truck are expected to follow soon. These shifts make it likely that the Odyssey will also adopt this new architecture.

Embracing Hybrid Technology

Another factor pushing the redesign is the increasing prevalence of hybrid technology in the minivan segment. Previously, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid was the only option offering a gas-electric configuration with a plug-in capability for around 30 miles of EV-only range. Now, Toyota has made its latest Sienna hybrid-only, and the upcoming 2025 Kia Carnival will also feature a hybrid powertrain. Given Honda’s recent trend of making hybrids a significant part of the Accord and Civic lineups, it’s plausible that the new Odyssey will follow suit.

The current 3.5-liter V-6 engine might be replaced by a 2.0-liter I-4 and dual-motor hybrid system seen in the Accord Hybrid, CR-V Hybrid, and the upcoming 2025 Civic sedan and hatchback Sport Hybrids. This system, in its most powerful form, offers 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. While the horsepower is less than the current Odyssey’s 280 hp, the torque is comparable to the V-6's 262 lb-ft.

Innovative Hybrid System

Honda’s hybrid system stands out from others, particularly Toyota's. Instead of a traditional CVT, Honda uses a large electric drive motor for most acceleration, with the gas engine primarily acting as a generator. At higher speeds, the gas engine can engage directly with the wheels through a single-speed transmission, offering a torquey low-speed driving experience similar to an EV, though with the gas engine running quietly in the background.

Potential for All-Wheel Drive

A key question remains whether the new Odyssey will continue as a front-wheel-drive model or introduce all-wheel drive. The Chrysler Pacifica offers AWD in its gas version, and the Sienna’s hybrid model includes a third electric motor for rear-wheel drive. Given that other Honda models on the same platform offer AWD, it’s feasible for the Odyssey to do the same. However, incorporating both a hybrid system and AWD could be a packaging challenge.

Updated Design and Interior

Speculative renderings of the next-gen Odyssey suggest it will feature design elements from Honda's latest models like the Accord, Pilot, and Civic. Expect a classier, more reserved look with thin headlights, a pentagonal grille, full-width taillights, and smoother body lines. The distinctive drooping window line from previous models is likely to remain, providing a recognizable signature.

Inside, the Odyssey is expected to adopt a clean, simple dashboard with a digital gauge cluster and a large central touchscreen, continuing the design theme seen in recent Honda models. Features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google Built-In on higher trims are anticipated, along with Honda’s CabinTalk intercom and CabinWatch video-monitoring systems.

The new model might also see the return of folding Magic seats from the discontinued Fit hatchback, offering more versatility than the current Magic Slide second-row seats, which need to be removed entirely for large cargo.

Release Timeline

The updated Honda Odyssey is expected to debut later this year, with sales starting by the end of 2024 or early 2025. This redesign aims to keep the Odyssey competitive in a market with increasingly sophisticated options.

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