Honda’s 2020 New York International Auto show exhibit will feature the world debut of its refreshed 2021 Odyssey, the retail best-selling minivan in America ten years running. The 2021 version of Honda’s “Ultimate Family Vehicle” gets numerous upgrades to styling, technology and safety features including an upgraded suite of Honda Sensing® safety and driver-assistive technologies for all grades, and an innovative industry-first Rear-Seat Reminder system integrated with the vehicle’s CabinWatch® rear-seat camera system.
Major upgrades to the 2021 Honda Odyssey include more powerful and efficient LED headlights, a redesigned blackout grille topped by a chrome strip, and a redesigned lower front facia and fog light housings. New gloss-black trim under the rear window, accented by a chrome strip, echoes the new grille treatment. Odyssey Elite receives newly designed 19-inch alloy wheels and auto-dimming side mirrors.
Changes inside include updated climate controls and second-row seatbacks that fold flat for easier seat removal. EX and higher trims get new tri-color floor mats and illuminated USB ports, while EX-L and higher receive restyled seats with contrast stitching, power lumbar support for the front passenger seat, and second row seatback pockets. Touring and Elite add new piano black trim on the dash, doors and front door handles, and the line-topping Odyssey Elite receives perforated leather for the first and second row seats, with contrast stitching and piping on all three rows. Elite also features exclusive dash trim and second-row seatback pockets.
2021 Honda Odyssey trims will come standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, previously standard on EX and above trims. Honda Sensing® is now enhanced with new features that include Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, and Pedestrian Emergency Braking.
Also new for the 2021 model year is Odyssey’s Rear-Seat Reminder system which is designed to prompt drivers to check their rear seating area before exiting the vehicle, with an audible alert and a warning message in the driver’s display. On Touring and Elite trims, the system uses the CabinWatch camera to display the rear seating area on the Display Audio screen, the first integration of a rear-seat camera with a rear-seat reminder system in the industry.
The 2021 Odyssey is anticipated to earn a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, including the highest available rating of “Good” in all collision tests and a “Superior” rating for frontal cash prevention when equipped with Honda Sensing®.
American families have purchased more than 1.1 million Odyssey minivans, and Odyssey has consistently set the standard for family-friendly features, space and sporty driving performance in a minivan. Odyssey was the first to introduce minivan staples such as third-row seats that fold into the floor, the first built-in vacuum cleaner (HondaVac), and the first in-cabin rear-seat camera system, CabinWatch.
Powered by a 3.5-liter i-VTEC™ V6 engine with 280 horsepower, Odyssey comes exclusively with Honda’s advanced 10-speed automatic transmission along with push-button start. The Odyssey’s powerful and refined V6 engine also utilizes Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), with the capacity to seamlessly switch between three- and six-cylinder operation.
The 2021 Honda Odyssey for the North American market is made exclusively at Honda’s Lincoln, Alabama auto plant, alongside Pilot, Passport, and Ridgeline, using domestic and globally-sourced parts. Its V6 engine is also manufactured in Alabama, with its 10-speed automatic transmission manufactured exclusively at Honda’s Tallapoosa, Georgia facility.
Additional information will be available at the New York Auto Show in April. Full pricing will be available when the 2021 Odyssey goes on sale later this year.
