Last year's Odyssey was something of an oddity. (It's still available as the Isuzu Oasis.) With four passenger-car type doors and small exterior dimensions, it was more of a transitional vehicle, part sedan and part minivan. Sales were less than anticipated, leading Honda to begin development of a more traditional minivan. Thus the 1999 Odyssey.
In a market dominated by the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth minivans, GM's Chevy/Oldsmobile/Pontiac trio, Ford Windstar and Toyota Sienna, the Odyssey makes good strategic sense for Honda. The question for would-be customers will be simple: Is the biggest Honda better than the rest, or has the company set its sights on building a mid-pack people-hauler? Next Page