Honda’s Odyssey minivan is getting a mild freshening for 2021 with a restyled grille and front bumper along with additional standard safety equipment.
Also new is a rear-seat reminder that can be paired with an optional camera system for checking the back seats from the infotainment screen.
While the segment continues to shrink, Honda and select remaining brands view minivans as key vehicles to draw and retain customers, notably young families, even as prices for some high-end models near $50,000.
The Odyssey was the No. 2 seller among minivans in 2019, behind the Dodge Grand Caravan and ahead of the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is dropping the Grand Caravan, which launched the segment in the early 1980s, while Toyota has overhauled the Sienna for 2021.
The updated Odyssey, which goes on sale Monday, now is equipped with second-row seats that fold nearly flat, which creates more cargo space and makes removing them easier, Honda said in a press release. EX and higher trims receive restyled seats and three-color floor mats.
The brand’s suite of safety equipment, Honda Sensing, is now standard on all trims and adds features such as pedestrian emergency braking, thanks to a more advanced front radar unit. The adaptive cruise control now includes a low-speed follow mode for stop-and-go traffic, Honda said.
The new rear-seat reminder system, which gives the driver an audible alert to check the rear seats before exiting the vehicle, can be linked to the optional CabinWatch system. When combined, an overhead camera displays a view of the rear seats in real time on the infotainment screen.
The camera system, which comes on the Touring and Elite trims, also allows for zooming in and night vision.
For the 2021 model year, the sticker price for the base LX trim increases by $1,000 to $32,910, including shipping. The top Elite trim now starts at $48,940, including shipping, compared with $48,540 for the 2020 model.