Car reviews

Introduction

The Honda Shuttle (sometimes referred to as Odyssey) is an affordable and accomplished people carrier with a great body styling and plenty of usable space inside. Based on the 5th generation Accord, it was first released in 1995 in America and two years later introduced in Europe. At the time of its arrival it was a revolutionary MPV featuring an all-disc ABS assisted brake system, all-wishbone suspensions and a good selection of economical engines.

Exterior & Interior

The Shuttle is a good example of how can an MPV can be made elegant. It has the same utilitarian value as the Renault Espace or Peugeot 806, but it doesn't look like a bus. It is as classy as the Ford Galaxy but doesn't copy the American design. The Shuttle is pure Japanese styling at its best and with its 111-inch wheelbase it's 5 inches longer than a Renault Espace. The Shuttle is also 2 inches lower than the French best-seller making it look sleeker and more elegant.

Depending on the configuration of the Shuttle you can seat 6 or 7 adults. The large Honda was designed by a small team on a shoestring budget. Many aspects of the Shuttle have been designed as they are due to the ill-famed Chicken Tax that was introduced in the USA in the 1960s. This tax was implemented to protect the local manufacturers in certain industries, including light truck manufacturers. With the old, silly law still in force, the Honda had to find a way to circumvent it, as a result they came up with a feasible design that eventually proved to make sense both in Japan and Europe.

The car is comfortable for all passengers, although in order to achieve the space you will have to set the seats in a way that leaves very little boot space left.

Drive

Normally, an MPV would have an upright seating position, a situation that many people find confusing. Although there are plenty of 'upright' fans, some drivers feel better when they sit in a semi-reclining position as in a normal passenger car. The good news is that the Shuttle feels as close to a sedan as an MPV can possibly feel. Having built a lower ceiling, they had to account for the lack of headroom by introducing reclining seats. It also explains why such a long car has so little boot space. A manufacturer like Renault would have used the 111 inches to build a shuttle bus. Honda only managed a 6/7-seater.

The Shuttle is a pleasure to drive. It is very solid and stable on a highway and moves with ease through busy city traffic, a good achievement from a vehicle of this size.

Faults & Repairs

The wishbone suspension and ABS, although revolutionary on an older age MPV, are not problem-free. They require attention and when a noise in the suspension or loss of breaking power appear, it's advisable to visit a garage sooner rather than later. The air conditioner will also have to be looked at every couple of years. So although the Honda Shuttle is fairly reliable, it's certainly not the cheapest car to maintain.