As some of you may know, Homer wrote the epic poem, The Odyssey, about a Greek hero’s trip from the battle of Troy to his home. As a result, an odyssey has come to mean a long journey or experience. When the great filmmaker Stanley Kubrick decided to make a movie about space travel, he called the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. That film came to be known as the “Ultimate Trip” because it was the first film to really show what the future of space travel would look like for humankind. With this in mind, the engineers and designers at Honda decided to make a minivan that could provide you and your passengers with the ability to have a road trip that you will never forget. The 2020 Honda Odyssey is the culmination of all of the hard work and intense effort from the dedicated men and women at Honda.
The Odyssey comes in five different trims, but the one that will provide you with the “Ultimate Trip” while not requiring you to finance NASA’s next space mission is the Odyssey EX-L. With a base MSRP of $38,060, the EX-L gives you the perfect sweet spot between luxury features and performance on the one hand and a price tag that is easily attainable for most families’ budgets. Let’s take a little ride in the 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L and see why you should strongly consider it as your next minivan.
Engineering Performance for the Ultimate Trip
The Odyssey EX-L features a 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC V6 gas engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission with shift-by-wire and paddle shifters. These will make it easier for you to adjust the transmission speed while you drive. The Odyssey’s engine uses its six cylinders to produce 280 horsepower and generate 262 lb-ft of torque. That gives the Odyssey EX-L great pickup and performance for its vehicle class. It also allows you to tow up to 3,500 pounds. In addition, the Odyssey has an excellent estimated fuel economy with 19 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway (22 MPG combined). That means you’ll spend more time having fun driving your Odyssey EX-L and less time waiting in line at the service station.
You are also sure to notice the ride and handling of your Honda Odyssey EX-L. The front-end suspension features MacPherson struts, and the rear has compact multi-link suspension with trailing arms, giving you and your passengers a smooth and comfortable ride. The Odyssey EX-L rides on 18-inch silver-painted alloy wheels with all-season tires that not only look great, but they grip the road with tenacity. For handling, there is dual-pinion electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, allowing you to easily control the Odyssey’s 39.64-foot turning diameter. As we said, this is the ultimate minivan for the ultimate road trip.
Exterior Features for the Ultimate Trip
With a gorgeous, aerodynamic profile, the 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L has the looks to go along with its great performance. In addition, the designers at Honda have given the EX-L plenty of special features to help it stand out from other minivans. It starts with an acoustic glass windshield to reduce noise. Multi-reflector halogen headlights with auto-on-off and WiperLink and fog lamps help you see even in the dimmest light or most inclement weather. The auto-on-off feature will automatically turn on the high beams when the system senses extensive low light. WiperLink automatically turns the headlights on when the windshield wipers are engaged to provide better safety during a storm. The power sliding doors on the Honda Odyssey EX-L will make it easier for you and your passengers to enter and exit your vehicle. You are going to love the power tailgate with programmable height the next time you go shopping. This tailgate is easy to open and can go to whatever height you preset. This will also make it easier to load and unload your luggage during your next road trip.
Interior Features for the Ultimate Trip
The designers have carried the great looks and attention to detail from the outside of the 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L to the minivan’s glorious interior. The first things you are sure to notice are the leather-trimmed seats. These are not only gorgeous, but they are incredibly comfortable. You and your passengers are sure to appreciate this especially on long trips. In addition, the front row seats are heated, a great feature to have when you need to drive on a cold day. One of our favorite special features on the EX-L is the one-touch moonroof with a tilt feature. Have fun opening the roof up to the elements on a warm evening, especially useful if you plan on navigating by the stars like Odysseus.
There are three rows of seats in the Honda Odyssey EX-L, providing plenty of space for up to eight passengers. Honda has also added the Magic-Slide second-row seats, making it easier to adjust the configuration of the seats, as well as provide better access for the third-row passengers. These also come in handy when you want to convert your Odyssey EX-L from passenger to cargo usage.
There is a full 160.1 cubic feet of passenger space in the Odyssey EX-L, plenty of room for you and all of your friends and family. The designers at Honda have done a splendid job apportioning the space between the minivan’s three rows so that no one will complain about being cramped. Even with all this passenger room, the Honda Odyssey EX-L hasn’t forgotten that you will need space for your luggage. The trunk on the Odyssey has room for 38.6 cubic feet of cargo. This expands to 92 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and an enormous 158 cubic feet of space with the second and third row of seats folded down.
Speaking about fun in your minivan, who doesn’t love to listen to music during their ultimate road trip? The 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L makes it easy with an 8-inch infotainment system with a high-resolution electrostatic touch-screen and customizable feature settings. This system features Bluetooth connectivity, HondaLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, an HD radio, three USB ports (one in front, two in the second row), and SiriusXM satellite radio. SiriusXM offers such a wide variety of commercial free music and talk radio that you and your passengers are sure to get into endless over which station to listen to during your trip. But don’t worry because you’re in the driver’s seat on this one. The 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L also offers the CabinTalk in-car PA system as an optional feature, making it easier to communicate with everyone during your ride.
Standard Safety Features for the Ultimate Trip
The 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L has been equipped with some of the most safety systems on the road today, all part of the Honda Sensing Technologies. These include collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, a blind spot information system with cross traffic monitor, and lane departure warning.
The Odyssey also features adaptive cruise control to adjust cruising speed to maintain a safe distance behind the driver in front of you. Other safety features on the Odyssey EX-L include a multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, vehicle stability assist with traction control, anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution, brake assist, daytime running lights, and a tire pressure monitoring system with tire fill assist and location and pressure indicators. Honda is dedicated to making sure you and your Odyssey can steer safely between Scylla and Charybdis on the road ahead.
Stop by your local Honda dealer to test drive the 2020 Odyssey EX-L. See for yourself why this should be your next minivan when you head out on your next Ultimate Trip.
