1998 Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey is Honda's three-row minivan, sold in the US since the 1995 model year and built in Lincoln, Alabama since 2001. It is one of the longest-running nameplates in the segment, competing with the Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, and Kia Carnival. After a compact first generation with hinged rear doors, the Odyssey moved to the full-size minivan class in 1999 with dual sliding doors and a V6, the formula it has kept ever since.

The Odyssey has a long-standing reputation for refined V6 power, relatively car-like handling for a minivan, and flexible seating, including the fold-into-floor third row Honda pioneered and the sliding second-row seats of recent models. It is front-wheel drive only and has no hybrid option, which distinguishes it from several rivals. Buyers are overwhelmingly families needing maximum passenger and cargo space, from new-minivan shoppers to used-market buyers drawn by its durability record and strong resale value.

The 1998 model: Honda's first minivan was a compact, car-like design derived from Accord underpinnings, with four hinged doors instead of sliding doors and a fold-into-floor third-row seat. Power came from a 2.2-liter four-cylinder (enlarged to 2.3 liters for 1998) with a four-speed automatic. It was smaller and less powerful than domestic minivans of the era, which limited US sales and prompted a much larger successor.