Odyssey begins journey into uncharted territory
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Refusing to waste any precious days, Japanese carmaker PT Honda Prospect Motor started business early in 2005 by introducing the Honda Odyssey multipurpose van (MPV) last Thursday at a time when most people, including car makers, are still planning what to do with their year.
The word "introduction" may not quite fit the bill here, as most auto-enthusiasts will probably have noticed the models roaming Jakarta's busy streets for a couple of years. But these models are brought here by general importers or IU -- the Indonesian abbreviation for importir umum.
PT HPM sales and marketing general manager Jonfis Fandy said while licensed Honda dealers could not beat general importers in the race to provide new models quickly, they could compete in quality, parts and after-sales service.
"Of course we cannot beat them. They simply import the cars while we have to make many preparations.
"We have to, for example, train our technicians, prepare the dealers, have a sufficient number of spare parts and plan for other systems we have that many IUs don't," Fandy told The Jakarta Post.
An important step before importing a new model was sending fuel samples to the principal headquarters in Japan to ensure the correct engine specifications for the country, he said.
So what of the car, which many pundits say has a revolutionary design?
At first look its sleek, low-height lines resemble the Honda Kiwami concept car exhibited here at the 2004 Jakarta Motor Show in September.
Powered by a 2,354 cc, in-line four-cylinder, 16-valve, double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine with intelligence variable valve timing and lift electronic control (i-VTEC) technology, the maximum power output is 160 horsepower (hp) at 5,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) and with a maximum torque of 218 Newton meters at 4,500 rpm.
The eight-seater Honda Odyssey is PT HPM's second MPV after the popular seven-seater Honda Stream. Although the Odyssey is wider and longer that its little brother, it is slightly lower at 1.55 meters compared with the Stream's height of 1.59 meters.
The turning radius is also smaller for the Odyssey, at just 5.4 meters compared with the Stream's 5.5, making it an easier drive.
Odyssey uses five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission allowing the driver to operate the car in manual-like transmission sans the clutch. It also comes with grade logic control, which senses road surface conditions and gives better engine braking on the downhill.
Honda Odyssey's active safety features include an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA). All Odysseys are equipped with ventilated discs for front tires and discs and drums for rear tires.
For passive safety, the MPV is equipped with dual supplemental restraining system (SRS) airbags for drivers and front passengers and three-point emergency locking retractor (ELR) seat belts with load limiters and pretensioners in all seats.
It comes with keyless entry which integrates alarm, ultrasonic sensor and an immobilizer for security. It also has high intensity density (HID) headlamps, which emit longer brighter light for safer night journeys.
Most of the car's body frame is made of high-tensile steel that is 16 kilograms lighter than conventional material. It also uses Honda's G-Con safety technology that gives more protection in crashes and reduces injuries to passengers.
As for competition, Fandi said there was no other player in its class.
"It is a cross between an MPV and sedan, actually. It has the platform of a sedan," he said.
Perhaps the Odyssey's closest rivals are the Toyota Previa and Nissan Serena. The Toyota Alphard, VW Caravelle and Mercedes Benz Viano also come to mind.
Priced at Rp 428 million (US$ 47,000), buyers can choose five color options. Night hawk black pearl, desert mist metallic and indigo blue pearl all have an interior ivory color scheme. While a gray interior is available for the satin silver metallic and gray-mauve metallic models.
Already thinking of buying a new Honda Odyssey? Well, perhaps you should wait and look at the other new early-bird models Honda has coming out this year. This week, for example, PT HPM is launching a new version of its popular SUV, the Honda C-RV.
This time it comes with more power, driven by a 2,400 cc engine compared with the older 2,000 cc powertrain.
But more about this later -- if you want to know more sooner, you should go and see your Honda dealer.