THE HONDA ODYSSEY

Honda is the 5th largest automobile manufacturer in the world, it’s a well known brand especially for motorcycles but it’s the bigger engine maker in the world as well.
Since 1987, it produced automobiles willing to break out with the Japanese motorcycles market and wishing diversification.

PRODUCT:

The Honda Odyssey is a minivan. It has been first introduced in 1995 in Japan and North America. It is quasi the same vehicle except for the transmission and the engine.
Since 1955, there were three generations (1995-1998; 1999-2003; 2003-2008) and the new 2009 model is coming soon. Since this date, the model has been totally redesigned only during the third generation. The two first generations were quasi similar because the second was more an upgrade of the first one rather than a new model.
The goal of a minivan is simply to transport from five to seven people with more luggage without looking like a truck.
Honda is succeeding more than the “simple goal”; in fact not only the Odyssey doesn’t seem like a truck but it completely changes from its competitors which are for instance the Toyota Sienna, the Kia Sedona or more extensively in the world the Dodge caravan or Ford Freestar.
It’s not at all common that a minivan would be stylish; that’s usual that a minivan has to be practical voluminous and comfortable but not as designed as a saloon. First of all, the line is very low (1,55 meters), the grill is quite trendy and fashionable and is a mix of the Honda models FCX and Insight, headlights are designed with a touch of blue and there is a double exhaust (that is very surprising for a minivan). The lines of the car are very classy and look like a sport car.

In addition of being designed, it is also practical. I mean that the Odyssey proposes an upscale inside, there are three rows and the last one is electrical.
The distinction with its rivals concerns the engine issue. The Odyssey proposes engines producing from 165 to 197 hp and driving wheels; and that is pretty good for this category.

PRICE:

The Odyssey’s prices are spreading out between 31 400 000 Yens (31490$) and 5 300 000 Yens (48890$).

Personal sources

PLACE:

Since 2004 the Honda Odyssey is distributed in Japan, North America or Australia and many other countries except in France. That’s why I decided to choose this product.
The Honda Odyssey could be bought like all the other models of the brand, that is to say in the Honda dealers. Moreover, on the Internet, you can select your model with options and then make it delivered.

PROMOTION:

The promotion of this product is not original as well. Honda is promoting its Odyssey by television advertisings (commercial = CM).
To emphasize the sport side of the car, in one of the ads, Takuma Sato; the Japanese pilot of the Honda formula 1, praises the merits of the very good road holding.
The other television ad is very interesting (as seen below) : we can notice that it’s a western woman who appeared in this ad. It’s very surprising that a western woman is playing for an ad of a Japanese brand which is broadcasted in Japan. However, this woman is dressed up according to the Japanese clothing taste. In Japan, very few women are wearing trousers, each of them has a dress or skirt. That’s why the woman is very smart with white dress and heals.
We can feel a luxury atmosphere according to the color code (luxury: black). Indeed, the car inside is totally in black leather. The outside purple is highlighting nobility and power. To emphasize truthfulness, the woman is totally dressing up in white, referring to perfection.

In this ad we can hear a slogan saying: “The next proportion is the only one. As you can see, that is Odyssey. Special edition automobile has just released”. We can both read and hear “the next proportion” in this ad. The word proportion is usually used and is this ad refers to the right measure of the car, by the way we can notice that the shop is measuring exactly the same dimension than the Odyssey (very good sale .
Finally the chosen ad music is called “Dreams come true”, an explicit title. Indeed, with the new odyssey; you access to your dreams and can ride with your dream.

WHY I CHOSE THE ODYSSEY:

First of all I think it’s a very beautiful car and I was very shoked when I saw it in the streets of Tokyo. Indeed this car is not distributed in France, and in spite of my good knowledge of the worldwide automobile industry, I never heard about the Odyssey. Therefore, we can say that was the first time I astonished of a Honda model; usually that’s only for Ferrari or Lamborghini.

One might well question why Honda doesn’t import the Odyssey in France?
That’s what I really don’t understand…!!!

In fact, because of the high cost of petrol, people try to find a very low oil consumption car with a pretty powerful engine. Nowadays the numerous family and buyers who have always wanted more and more space rather like to buy a “reasonable car” due to the oil cost. That’s why there are an explosion of minivans in Europe and all kind of SUV (sport utility vehicle) or 4x4 are getting down because of their higher oil consumption.

As I said the minivan sector is exploding, therefore I think it would be a great idea to import this car in France. You can have space and performance (with the same engine than the saloon). In addition to space and performance (minivan characteristics), the Odyssey combines design and lines of a sport car like I said in the product part; that’s why I love this car.
Finally, the Honda Odyssey is a lovely car because of its lines and design which totally change from the other minivans in Europe looking like more than trucks. But especially because it’s a great alternative between a SUV and a lobby.