Honda has given its Odyssey people mover another nip-and-tuck.
The updated Odyssey is now available in Japan, but there’s no word on when it will make the journey to Australia – or what it will look like when it does.
A Honda Australia spokesperson told CarExpert it’s too early to confirm details about the update for the local market, but said there should be announcement before the end of the year.
The Odyssey was last updated locally in 2018, after being revealed in 2013 and hitting Australian showrooms in 2014.
Up front, the revised Odyssey has a taller, flatter bonnet, and bigger all-LED headlights than the current car. These flank a new grille with less prominent chrome slats.
There’s also a redesigned front bumper with new fog lights and a new lower chrome bar. The indicators at both ends now use sequential lighting.
Out the back the tail lights have been reshaped with darker graphics, and are joined by a thin chrome strip. The bumper now has chrome highlights around the reflectors.
Inside, the upper section of the dashboard has been completely redesigned with a new wood passenger-facing panel and a larger touchscreen infotainment system.
Below this is a thin strip for the vents, and an area of soft-touch material surrounding the gear shifter and air-conditioning controls.
Ahead of the driver there’s a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel, a new pop-out cupholder, and an instrument panel information screen that’s grown from 3.5 to 7.0 inches diagonally.
In Japan, the Odyssey comes standard with power sliding doors that can be operated hands-free with a gesture motion, and includes lights in the window to indicate which way passengers can swipe in the air.
Other changes include improved kick detection for the hands-free tailgate, and updated alloy wheel designs.
As before, there are two seating configurations available: a seven-seat model with plush captain’s chairs in the second row, or an eight-seat model with a second row bench.
Current pre-facelift Odyssey
Drivetrain choices are unchanged with Japanese buyers able to purchase a 129kW/225Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine driving either the front or all four wheels through a CVT.
There’s also a front-wheel drive-only 135kW/315Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid setup on offer in the Odyssey’s homeland.
Australia-bound models are currently only sold with the 2.4-litre engine option.
Current Odyssey interior
Last year the Odyssey finished as the second-most popular people mover in Australia. Its 1684 sales placed it well behind the Kia Carnival (6493).
An all-new “SUV inspired” Carnival is due to go on sale locally by the end of the year.
Both the Odyssey and Carnival are the only car-based people movers available in Australia, with all their other competitors starting life as a commercial van.
