2014 Honda Odyssey set to clean up in NY with world's first in-car vacuum
Tue, 26 Mar 2013
Co-developed with Shop-Vac, the HondaVAC system will come standard on the range-topping Touring Elite model. The system includes a replaceable filter and canister bag, along with a range of attachments located in the cargo hold. Honda says this first-ever feature includes a hose that is long enough to clean the entire interior. Better still, the vacuum will run for up to eight minutes after the vehicle is turned off, so you can get every last Cheerio out of the seat cushions, and it never needs plugging in or recharging, as it runs off of the vehicle's electrical system.
In other news, the 2014 Odyssey gets a new aluminum hood and fenders to pair with its revamped grille and lower fascia. Headlamps get a more sinister look thanks to darker surrounds, and there are new LED taillamps out back, as well as revamped side mirrors on the doors. Underneath the skin, Honda says the 2014 Odyssey has received structural changes to help it ace the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety's new small-overlap frontal crash test, and it's also added active safety features like lane departure warning and forward collision warning to the optional features list.
Honda has chosen to make no mention of any drivetrain innovations, so we assume it will continue to be motivated by a 248-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 powering the front wheels.
Inside, existing Odyssey owners will note a revamped center stack and new trim finishes, along with available new features including pushbutton start, HondaLink cloud-based infotainment options with smartphone integration, HD radio and so on.
Us? We just want to go spill some things and try out that vacuum. In the meantime, sit tight, kids – we'll have live photos of the new Odyssey from its New York debut before you can finish sucking down that sippy cup.
2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite® Makes World Debut in New York with Host of Safety Upgrades and Innovations Including HondaVAC™, the First In-Car Vacuum
The segment's benchmark minivan cleans up with bevy of safety improvements, sleek new styling and intuitive, family-friendly technologies
NEW YORK
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite® is making its debut at the 2013 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), setting the new 'ultimate family vehicle' standard. Thoroughly refreshed for 2014, the Odyssey Touring Elite® provides core safety upgrades, sharpened exterior styling and a revised interior with a host of new features and technologies designed to make the segment's benchmark minivan even better.
Demonstrating trademark Honda innovation, the 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite® will also mark the debut of HondaVAC™, the first-ever in-vehicle vacuum system. Available exclusively in the Odyssey Touring Elite® trim, the all-new HondaVAC™ system is part of a thorough refresh of the Honda Odyssey for the 2014 model year, adding to its already class-leading fuel economy ratings and unmatched safety ratings. The 2014 Odyssey will go on sale at Honda dealerships nationwide this summer.
"The Odyssey is already the leader in its segment, and for 2014, Honda has made the modern family hauler even better," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing operations at American Honda. "Honda is once again showcasing its reputation for innovation with HondaVAC, and its ability to provide true value to our customers."
The 2014 Honda Odyssey brings an array of improvements to Honda's minivan, including structural upgrades expected to help it achieve top marks in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) stringent new small-overlap frontal crash test, which is part of IIHS's new TOP SAFETY PICK+ protocol. The refreshed Odyssey Touring Elite® will also come equipped with advanced Honda driver assistive and visibility technologies such as an Expanded View Driver's Mirror, Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
The 2014 Odyssey features sleeker, more sophisticated exterior styling with a new, more deeply sculpted aluminum hood, new aluminum front fenders, a new bolder twin-bar grille, and a revised lower front fascia with integrated chrome-trimmed fog lights. New two-tone mirror housings, darker-finish projector-beam headlight housings, LED taillight bars and new badging add to the 2014 Odyssey's premium look.
Inside the 2014 Odyssey, new finishes brighten the cabin and an all-new center stack showcases a host of new features. Additional standard technology on the Odyssey Touring Elite® brings new levels of ease and connectivity to owners, including keyless Smart Entry with Push Button Start, HD Radio®, an SMS text messaging function, and HondaLink™ featuring Aha™ Mobile interface. HondaLink™, which debuted on the 2013 Honda Accord, enables Odyssey owners to connect quickly and easily to a wealth of cloud-based content. The free HondaLink™ smartphone app uses the owner's favorite online content to create live, personalized radio stations, allowing drivers to put away their phones and hear updates and news feeds from Facebook and Twitter, as well as check out restaurant reviews or find the closest coffee shop.
Standard on the 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite®, the all-new HondaVAC™ was developed in conjunction with industry-leader Shop-Vac®, and is composed of a powerful vacuum, replaceable filter and canister bag, with nozzle accessories neatly integrated into a dedicated space on the driver's side bulkhead of the rear cargo area. HondaVAC™ makes quick cleanups a snap no matter the location, offering powerful cleaning suction and an integrated hose and cleaning attachments that reach into every corner of the Odyssey's cabin. The HondaVAC™ system's powerful electric motor never needs an outlet or recharging, can operate continuously when the engine is running, and will continue to operate for up to eight minutes when the vehicle is turned off for additional family duties.
Already one of the most lauded vehicles in its segment, the current 2013 Odyssey has earned IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and NHTSA 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score crash safety ratings. The Honda Odyssey is an AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Award winner, an ALG Residual Value award winner, recipient of the Best Family Cars of 2012 designation from both Parents Magazine/Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, and a Best Cars for Families award winner from U.S. News and World Report. The Odyssey represents Honda's robust product development capabilities in North America with its design, engineering and assembly all taking place in the U.S., using domestically and globally sourced parts. Currently, 95 percent of all Hondas sold in the U.S., are built in North America.
Along with the 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite® and Honda's complete lineup of fun-to-drive cars and trucks, the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid and 2013 Fit EV also will be on display at the Honda booth during NYIAS press and public days. The 2014 Accord Plug-In and the fully-electric Honda Fit EV both recently became available in New York.
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By Chris Paukert
See also: Honda confirms 2014 Odyssey and Acura MDX for New York, Honda recalling 183k cars and crossovers over unintended braking issue, Five vehicles named Top Safety Pick+ including new Civic, MKZ.