Honda Motor has launched its new flagship minivan, the eight-passenger Elysion, in its native Japan.
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The new model is larger than the recently launched fully redesigned Odyssey (which is replacing a long-running model, known also as the Shuttle during its brief on-sale time in Europe; as the Odyssey it was much more successful in Far East and Asia-Pacific markets). To complicate things further, that Odyssey line is different from the very successful six-year-old range built and sold in North America.
The Elysion went on sale across Japan through Honda’s car dealer networks from May 13. Side lift-up seat and passenger lift-up seat-equipped models will be available from June 10.
The Elysion’s innovative low-floor platform provides generpus cabin space and a lower centre of gravity, for enhanced stability, handling and comfort. Wide, dual power-sliding doors offer easy access to the second and third row seats, while a tip-up and slide seat mechanism provides one-step third-row accessibility. The three rows of spacious-looking seating can be flexibly configured for maximum passenger space or storage, also thanks to the low-floor platform. A second-row seat rotation mechanism pivots second-row seats to face the third row with the pull of a single lever.
The Elysion’s three-litre V6 i-VTEC engine features Honda’s variable cylinder management system, which shifts between three- and six-cylinder combustion in response to driving conditions for superior fuel economy at claimed class-leading levels of power output and torque. A 2.4-litre four cylinder DOHC i-VTEC engine is also offered. All models achieve a claimed level of fuel economy 5% above 2010 standards, and boast 75% cleaner exhaust emissions than required by 2005 emissions standards, qualifying for Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (SU-LEV) certification from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, making them eligible for incentives under the Japanese government’s Green Tax programme.
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By GlobalDataThe Elysion has Honda’s Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMS) and E-pretensioner, which assess collision risk, alert the driver to take preventative action, and mitigate injury should a collision occur. All three rows of passenger seats are protected by large side curtain airbags which provide protection throughout the range of sliding seat positions.
A Honda UK spokesman doubted the Elysion would come to Europe but added that the new minivan looked ideal as the basis of a replacement for the ageing US-market Odyssey.
That model, however, has just placed second (behind Toyota’s relatively new Sienna) in a minivan comparison test by influential car buyers guide website Edmunds.com, which rated it ahead of newer models such as Nissan’s recently redesigned Quest and Ford’s updated Freestar.
Graeme Roberts
