The 2018 Honda Odyssey Van marks the fifth generation of this celebrated minivan, continuing its legacy of catering to the evolving needs of modern families. For years, the Honda Odyssey has been a top choice for American car buyers seeking space, comfort, and reliability in a family vehicle. This latest iteration elevates the standard even further, offering a blend of sophisticated design, innovative technology, and confident performance, all tailored to enhance the everyday lives of families. From its ingenious seating configurations to its advanced safety features and in-car connectivity, the 2018 Odyssey is engineered to be more than just transportation; it’s designed to be a mobile family hub.
A Legacy of Innovation: Honda Odyssey Through the Generations
Since its inception, the Honda Odyssey has consistently redefined the minivan segment. Spanning five generations, each model has brought advancements in design, functionality, and technology to meet the dynamic demands of family life. The Odyssey’s journey began with the first generation (1995-1998), introducing unique features like four swinging doors and a fully independent suspension. The second generation (1999-2004) saw the arrival of a powerful V6 engine and dual sliding side doors, features that became synonymous with the modern minivan. Subsequent generations continued to innovate, with features like the Magic Seat®, in-floor storage, and advanced safety structures. The 2018 Honda Odyssey van builds upon this rich heritage, representing the pinnacle of Honda’s minivan evolution, incorporating customer feedback and cutting-edge automotive technology.
Sophisticated Design, Family-Focused Features
The 2018 Odyssey showcases a sophisticated and contemporary design, moving beyond the traditional minivan aesthetic. The exterior features Honda’s signature “flying wing” grille, flanked by available LED headlights, creating a bold and modern front fascia. The streamlined silhouette is further enhanced by the Odyssey’s distinctive lightning bolt beltline, now with cleverly hidden sliding door tracks and a floating D-pillar design, adding an element of elegance. At the rear, newly designed LED taillights and an available hands-free access power tailgate with foot activation add both style and convenience.
Inside, the 2018 Honda Odyssey van prioritizes family needs with high-quality materials and thoughtful design. A soft-touch instrument panel and a new 7-inch full-color TFT display in the driver’s meter provide a premium feel. Upper trims feature stain-resistant leather seating surfaces, door trim, and black carpeting designed to withstand the rigors of family life. The spacious center console features a new groove-less tambour lid, minimizing crumb and debris accumulation, a testament to the practical considerations woven into the Odyssey’s design.
Unmatched In-Vehicle Connectivity and Entertainment
The 2018 Honda Odyssey van takes in-vehicle connectivity to new heights, understanding the importance of keeping families connected and entertained on the go. The centerpiece is the new Display Audio system, featuring an 8-inch high-resolution touchscreen with a Honda-developed, Android-based operating system. This intuitive system offers customizable app tiles, simplified menus, and a more responsive voice recognition engine. For the first time, over-the-air system updates for both the Display Audio and rear entertainment systems are available, ensuring the Odyssey stays technologically current.
Key connectivity features of the 2018 Odyssey include:
- New Display Audio: Faster, more intuitive 8-inch touchscreen interface with customizable app tiles and powerful voice recognition.
- CabinWatch™: Ceiling-mounted camera with infrared night vision allows front passengers to monitor second and third-row occupants.
- CabinTalk™: In-car PA system enabling clear communication with rear passengers through headphones or speakers.
- Connected Rear Entertainment System: 10.2-inch WSVGA screen with streaming video capability via in-car Wi-Fi, Blu-ray™ playback, and a “How Much Farther?” app.
- CabinControl™ App: Smartphone app control for rear entertainment, climate, and navigation destination sending.
- Social Playlist: Virtual jukebox feature allowing up to seven passengers to contribute to a shared music playlist via their smartphones.
- In-car 4G LTE Wi-Fi: Available high-speed internet connectivity for streaming, browsing, and staying connected on the road.
The Conversational Cabin and Magic Slide™ Seats: Redefining Family Comfort
The 2018 Honda Odyssey van emphasizes family interaction with its “conversational cabin” concept. Engineers prioritized creating the quietest cabin in its class, minimizing road noise and distractions to facilitate easy conversation among all occupants. Enhanced body rigidity, triple-sealed doors, upgraded glass, and Active Noise Control (ANC) contribute to a serene and comfortable in-cabin environment.
A groundbreaking innovation in the 2018 Odyssey is the available Magic Slide™ second-row seats. This uniquely versatile seating system offers unparalleled flexibility, easily reconfiguring for optimal passenger comfort, cargo hauling, and third-row access. With the center seat removable, the outboard seats can slide laterally through five selectable positions, offering modes such as:
- Easy Access Mode: Simplifies third-row entry, even with rear-facing child seats installed.
- Super Mode: Maximizes third-row access by sliding one outboard seat forward and tilting the seatback.
- Wide Mode: Creates a wide center walkthrough to the third row by positioning outboard seats at their outermost positions.
- Buddy Mode: Brings two second-row passengers closer together in the center, ideal for families with young children.
Safety and Performance: Confidence for Every Journey
Safety is paramount in the 2018 Honda Odyssey van, which targets top safety ratings, including an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK rating. Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies is standard on EX and above trims, encompassing features such as:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS™): Helps to mitigate frontal collision severity.
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS): Provides subtle steering adjustments to keep the vehicle centered in its lane.
- Road Departure Mitigation (RDM): Alerts and assists the driver if the vehicle drifts too close to the edge of the road.
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Maintains a set following interval from detected vehicles ahead, simplifying highway driving.
Beyond safety technology, the 2018 Odyssey delivers confident performance with an upgraded 3.5-liter direct-injected i-VTEC™ V6 engine producing 280 horsepower. This powerful engine is paired with either a 9-speed automatic transmission (LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L NR trims) or an all-new Honda-designed 10-speed automatic transmission (Touring and Elite trims), the first of its kind in a front-wheel-drive minivan. These advanced powertrains, combined with a lighter and more rigid body and chassis, result in enhanced responsiveness, refined performance, and top-in-class fuel economy ratings.
Advanced Body and Chassis: Driving Dynamics and Refinement
The 2018 Honda Odyssey van benefits from an all-new body and chassis design, contributing to its incredibly quiet cabin, class-leading steering precision, and comfortable ride. The body utilizes advanced materials, including ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum, and magnesium, reducing weight and increasing torsional body rigidity by 44 percent.
Key chassis features include:
- Dual-Pinion Electric Power Steering (EPS): Provides enhanced steering response and maneuverability.
- Compact Trailing Arm Rear Suspension: Exclusive to the Odyssey, improving handling, ride comfort, and cargo space.
- Agile Handling Assist: Uses selective braking to improve cornering response and handling feel.
These advancements result in a minivan that is not only comfortable and spacious but also surprisingly agile and enjoyable to drive, setting a new benchmark for minivan driving dynamics.
Trims and Accessories: Tailoring the Odyssey to Your Needs
The 2018 Honda Odyssey van is available in a range of trims – LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L NR, Touring, and Elite – each offering a progressively richer set of features and amenities to suit varying family needs and budgets. From the well-equipped LX to the luxurious Elite, there’s an Odyssey trim for every family. Furthermore, a wide array of Genuine Honda Accessories allows owners to personalize their Odyssey further, enhancing its utility, style, and protection.
Conclusion: The 2018 Honda Odyssey Van – The Quintessential Modern Family Vehicle
The 2018 Honda Odyssey van is more than just a minivan; it’s a thoughtfully engineered family vehicle designed for the realities of modern family life. With its innovative Magic Slide™ seats, advanced connectivity features, comprehensive safety suite, and refined driving experience, the 2018 Odyssey elevates the minivan to new heights. For families seeking a spacious, versatile, and technologically advanced vehicle, the 2018 Honda Odyssey van stands as the ultimate choice, ready to handle every adventure, big or small.
