Odyssey begins journey into uncharted territory

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.