Whether it's Homer's epic or Kubrick's A Space Odyssey 2001, as long as it's a story called "Odyssey", it has always been about courage and persistence. The same is true of Honda's MPV model, called the "Odyssey".
From the first-generation model that began to be developed 30 years ago, to the fifth-generation model launched in 2014, and then to the second mid-term redesign as the fifth-generation Odyssey, this model has undergone tremendous changes, and even the body style and style have undergone earth-shaking changes.
However, Honda Odyssey has always played the story of "courage" and "persistence", and has constantly restarted its journey in Japan and China.
Courageous innovation: from success to another success
Honda's official conclusion to the first generation of Odyssey was: "The advent of the automotive Odyssey, which meets the creative lifestyle of today's consumers, marks the birth of a new passenger car category." ”
The development code name for the first generation of Odyssey was "PJ", which means "Personal Jet private jet". This means that the concept of this model development is to provide a comfortable and advanced travel experience for home users.
It used the Accord's four-cylinder engine, which was more environmentally friendly and had a better driving texture than the diesel engines that were commonly used in the Japanese market at that time. The development team came up with the styling of the Honda-style van – accommodating three rows of seats in a stylish style – which was completely different from the one box car commonly found in the market. In addition, the new car did not adopt a "sliding door" design, which is considered to be separated from the cheap feeling of the van at that time.
The most famous is that the development team came up with the idea that the third row of seats could be folded under the floor, and when the seats were up, the compartments could be used to store goods, which was far more practical than rotating seats. The benefits of this are also a lower center of gravity, closer to the handling performance of the car, and so on. And Odyssey also proposed a design for a central passage in the second row, where passengers could walk from the second row to the third row, which is also different from the second row of benches.
After the launch of the original odyssey on October 20, 1994, it was a huge success in the Japanese domestic market, and 36 months after its release, the sales of this generation of odyssey exceeded 300,000 units, breaking the previous record for Honda's best-selling new car set by The Civic.
The reason is that, on the one hand, this model has successfully created a new market segment, targeting the buyers of former cars and station wagons, more like "multi-person cars", and its user base has expanded rapidly. On the other hand, thanks to precise cost control, this multifunctional sedan is priced at 2 million yen in the Japanese market, making it affordable for family consumers.
When the story of the first generation of Odyssey in Japan came to an end, from the second generation to the fifth generation of Odyssey was closely related to the Chinese market, China even became the second hometown of the Oder racing model.
The story of the second to fourth generation Odyssey is already well known to everyone. Guangzhou Honda introduced the second-generation Odyssey 2.3L version in April 2002, when the price of the car directly entered within 300,000 yuan, aiming at the buick GL8, the first domestic MPV model at that time.
The subsequent third-generation Odyssey and fourth-generation models are more well-known models for Chinese consumers, with a more stylish and more sedan style, which is obviously more suitable for the needs of middle-class family consumers than the popular van style at that time. The annual sales of each generation of domestic Aude racing models are about 30,000-50,000 vehicles, as the only choice for domestic high-end household MPV at that time, almost and the Buick GL8 model in the business market.
The Odyssey is another change, the fifth generation of the Ord racing model released in 2013, which is a major update in the history of the Odyssey racing model. The first four generations had the style of a European RV, while the fifth generation was more like a return to the traditional Minivan's high-body stance, while boasting side sliding doors in the rear.
"The needs of our customers have changed dramatically compared to 10 years ago. Indoor space, sliding doors, captain's seats..." The fifth-generation Odyssey LPL said in an interview in 2013, so the wheelbase of the Odyssey has been extended to 2900mm, and the side sliding door is added because Honda believes that it is more in line with the needs of consumer use scenarios, such as opening the door in a small space, children and the elderly can easily get on and off the car, and so on.
Therefore, although the fifth-generation model is completely different from the original model, it is always based on consumer demand. Sales also confirm the success of the fifth-generation Odyssey – especially in the Chinese market. From August 2014 to April 2019, the sales volume of the fifth-generation Odyssey in the Chinese market reached 206,000 units. Compared with the cumulative sales of almost 110,000 vehicles in the Japanese domestic market in the same period, China has become the pillar market for the sales of the Odyssey model – not counting the same product produced by Honda's other joint venture in China.
If the fuel car version of the fifth-generation Odyssey gave the "Odyssey" rebirth, then the sharp hybrid model launched later became the real turning point of the fifth-generation model, fully stabilizing the home MPV market segment. In terms of Hiromoto, it chose to introduce it after the localization of the third-generation i-MMD system, so that the technology is more advantageous, and the cost advantage is more reflected in the price of the car, showing the purchase value of Honda products.
There is no doubt that when Guangqi Honda announced on April 29, 2019 that the starting price of the Odyssey Rui Hybrid was only 229,800 yuan, the whole audience was stunned. This hybrid MPV model did not increase the price because of the replacement of more advanced powertrains and the increase in battery modules, but was consistent with the price of the previous 2.4L gasoline car, even the higher-level main sales model was only a few thousand yuan more expensive, but the configuration added Honda SENSING and other active safety features.
So far, Odyssey has completed the comprehensive evolution of the home consumer market: both high-end MPV has the advantage of large space, adding consumers' favorite side sliding doors, independent second row seats, magic space and other convenience settings; at the same time, through the introduction of the i-MMD hybrid system, the traditional impression of the "oil tiger" MPV model can also have extremely low fuel consumption, more friendly to family consumers. In addition, thanks to the 4.8-meter body size and the electric motor comparable to 2.0T power, the handling is no longer the pain point of the Odyssey.
Now, Odyssey has become the first model in GUANGC Honda's products to adopt a hybrid assembly, and its monthly sales have basically stabilized at about 4,000 units, once soaring to 5,800 units. That's successful enough for a model that's been on the market for more than six years.
Seven years later, a new journey began
So far, the fifth generation of Odyssey has been sold in the Chinese market for seven years and is also the longest generation ever. However, standing at the crossroads of internal combustion engine and electrification in 2021, the mission of the fifth generation Odyssey is clearly not over. Perhaps in Honda's view, this generation of MPV models that have completed the electric drive transformation in advance must adhere to the final arrival of the entire electrification era.
To this end, Honda Technical Research has made another product change to the fifth generation of Odyssey, the new appearance and redesign of the interior dashboard, coupled with the adjustment of tire size and suspension, so that the second mid-term modification of the Odyssey has a near-generation change. And due to the importance of the Chinese market, honda also paid more attention to the needs of Chinese consumers at the new odyssey this time, and particularly emphasized the importance of Chinese home buyers.
Although the new Odyssey is still not a competitor to those luxurious full-size MPV, it is also thinking about how to make the fifth-generation model that is already comprehensive enough to become better and establish an absolute advantage in the home MPV market.
"The new odyssey is not only fun, but also evolves to a full range of high value, high quality and high quality. With the advanced style, comfort and technology advancement, it once again sets a new benchmark for high-end home MPV. "This is GUANGQI Honda's positioning of the new car.
First of all, the new Odyssey did not overhaul the original design, but replaced it with a more atmospheric and stylish shape. The 80mm increase in the front of the hood makes the entire model look more stable and advanced, while optimizing pedestrian protection in the event of a crash. The hexagonal domineering heavy grille, the new style of full LED headlights, and the new front and rear streamer turn signals all show more sporty and advanced characteristics. At the same time, the new model added 18 inches of blackened wheels, which was also a new option that the previous model never offered. All these make the new car present a sense of luxury beyond the current car grid, bringing a more luxurious visual perception to home consumers.
Secondly, Honda designers have launched a new design for the interior of the new Odyssey with "PRIVATE LOUNGE" as the starting point, and the luxurious interior that has been comprehensively improved is more likely to make the owner feel proud and confident.
It can be seen that the front instrument panel of the new Odyssey adopts a suspended central large screen, which makes the entire instrument panel get rid of the previous heavy feeling; the secondary instrument panel uses matte wood grain trim; the through-type air outlet also has exquisite trim; the function buttons on the driver side also have matte and chrome trim treatment, which is more exquisite.
In terms of the creation of the sense of intelligence, the new Odyssey is also in response to the needs of Chinese consumers: the 3.5-inch on the dashboard has been replaced by a 7-inch LCD display; the 10-inch central control large screen has supported the Honda CONNECT 3.0 system; the traditional gear lever has been replaced by an electronic button shift; the storage compartment under the instrument panel has added a wireless charging panel and so on.
At the same time, combined with user feedback, Honda designers added more storage space for the front row of the new Odyssey, one is the storage box on the co-pilot dashboard, which has fine flocking inside, and also arranges the charging socket; the other is the pop-up cup holder on the driver's side. Not only that, but in addition to the traditional skills of the Odyssey hidden storage, the magic seats in the third row also add a "fishing mode" that can be folded over to ride.
During the development of the new Odyssey, Honda developers are also emphasizing the role of female consumer groups in improving the new car, because the Odyssey is a family car, and both husband and wife have the possibility of driving the model.
In addition, some female drivers feedback that the steering wheel is a bit heavy, not convenient to drive, this time the new Odyssey has become heavier because of the increase in configuration, so the engineers will adjust the electric steering power feel lighter, while increasing the spring height by 10mm did not change the hardness.
Of course, the new Odyssey still insists on making the most suitable domestic car scene for the family MPV model. Honda's development engineers said the body size of less than five meters and the turning radius of 5.4 meters are suitable for the complex road environment of the new odyssey through China. The third-generation i-MMD hybrid system brings casual drivability and low fuel consumption, combined with Honda SENSING safety super sense also adds low-speed front car follow and CTM rearview dynamic reminder system, all of which make driving the new Odyssey travel a more convenient thing than other MPV models.
End:
2022 may be identified as the first year of another revival of China's MPV demand. More and more joint venture car companies and new forces have rushed to launch a new seven-seat MPV model at this node: some new forces have chosen to use pure electric MPV to seize the market; more joint venture car companies have chosen to take out products from the North American market to directly adapt to the needs of Chinese consumers; and some head car companies have released more powerful MPVs that will be released in the future...
However, what needs to be seen is that the volume of the model, driving comfort, interior texture, intelligence, self-confidence and enjoyment of family cars, purchase prices, etc., Chinese family consumers have their own needs, just as the Odyssey also differentiated the Japanese version and the North American version. These differences are doomed to the MPV products that Chinese consumers need will inevitably have their uniqueness, otherwise so many years will not pass, the protagonist of the MPV market has come and gone, and what has persisted is nothing more than buick GL8, Hiromoto Odyssey and other few models.
Of course, changes in the market have also made changes for these head models. Odyssey has continuously strengthened its home label in the past 20 years, but from the second generation of multi-purpose to the fifth generation of high value, and now the new Odyssey is more in line with the new needs of the post-80s and post-90s middle-class families to "enjoy travel" and evolve in an all-round way. But what remains unchanged is that Odyssey has always met the needs of family consumers and remained in the price range of 250,000-300,000 yuan.
"As the preferred vehicle for high-end home MPV, the new Odyssey has completed the evolution of the most essential passenger value and practical value of MPV models on the basis of inheriting the original family MPV value, which not only greatly improves the driving performance and design texture, but also further upgrades the comfort configuration and car convenience functions, successfully realizes the perfect transformation of the sense of premium, and brings users more high-end value enjoyment." GUANGQI Honda believes that after this redesign, the new odyssey will still be the most competitive product in the home MPV market, and it will not even have "one".
Text| JackieLXX
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