In our JDM Honda Odyssey Van post last week, we discussed how the third and fourth generation models were much more station wagon-like than other competitors’ designs. Then with the fifth generation introduced in 2013, Honda returned to a taller van-like profile. While the JDM and North American models are much more similar now, they have very different exterior styling. Which one do you prefer?
Here’s the JDM model – not much excitement here – fairly typical mini-van proportions with flat, slab styling, though there is a slight character line that runs along the lower edge up around the rear wheel well.
It’s 4.8 meters long, 1.8 wide, and 1.7 high. Engine is a 2.4 liter K24W DOHC four cylinder. A hybrid model is also offered. As with most JDM vans, a luxury version has a pretty swanky interior.
The North American model took a different tack. As with the fourth generation, a break or dip was introduced along the belt line just under the back-edge of the rear window, with a small character line underneath it. While less abrupt than the fourth generation, it’s still very noticeable. Another deep line sweeps downward from the front wheel well curving rearward, creating a somewhat sculpted “cove” effect along the side.
The North American model is just a touch larger than the JDM version; 5.1 meters long, 2.0 wide, and 1.76 high. A 3.5 liter J35Y6 V6 is the only engine.
Which one do I like better? Well, no offense to any NA Odyssey owners here but I’ve never been a fan of the “dip”. It just seems somewhat jarring to me and doesn’t make the van look any more attractive (in my view), just different. Perhaps that was what Honda intended.
So I’d go with the JDM version…
Which do you prefer?
JDM, definitely. I’ve never been a fan of the “floating roof” look, and I agree that the dip by the rear windows just looks odd.
The North American Odyssey looks pre-sideswiped. I prefer vehicles that don’t look like they’ve been in a collision even when they haven’t…
The JDM Odyssey’s interior looks intense (at least in the first two rows; the third row looks like an emergency seat). I also like what appears to be trimmer dimensions, like the short-wheelbase minivans that used to be available. But is there an open path between the first two rows? I want that in a van.
Agree. A former brand manager I worked with would call it ‘fussy.’ I call it ‘contrived.’ Styling trends seem to run in cycles, and I’m hopeful its nearing time for an industry-wide ‘reboot’ back to a cleaner “form follows function” mode.
I think we’re in a time that reflects 1959 in US auto design.
Looks like we’re past the worst, quite often still very much over the top but there’s signs of cleaner things to come.
Front end american. Side jdm. Rear jdm.
But honestly after a month in my driveway i wouldnt notice the difference or care. I like my 2016 odysseys styling more than both of those.
The problem with this comparison is that it compares an orange to a tangerine, so to speak. The added width of the North American model looks quite good…it looks “right” while the JDM model looks squashed in width. As for the exterior styling itself? Well, in my eyes it is a bit of a toss-up.
I think they’re both awful compared to earlier Odyssey’s, whether US or JDM. But I feel that way about almost all current Honda’s except the Accord and Ridgeline.
Pacifica.
I’m sorry, what was the question?
The exterior styling of the JDM design is OK, but the NA Odyssey looks awful to me.
Our family has owned two Odyssey’s — a 2001 (which was pretty good) and a 2007 (which was absolutely terrific). But based on looks alone, I would have a hard time considering either the either the 4th gen (2011 – 2017) or current (2018+) NA Odyssey. In addition to appearance, the 4th and 5th gen NA designs also seem more claustrophobic inside compared to the older models, which have a lower belt-line and large windows. It’s hard to tell, but it seems like the current JDM model is better than the NA Odyssey in this area, too.
I don’t care for either of them. I like the roofs on both, but that’s it. I am another who has never been a fan of the beltline “zag” on the modern Oddy. It is like some of those touches later in the Exner era at Chrysler – you could kind of see where they were going with it, but it just doesn’t come off all that well.
Is Honda giving bonuses for how many random lines can be sculped into the side of a vehicle? There are lines that accentuate a car’s basic shape and then there are those that are just there and kind of fight with the basic car. These are of the second kind.
I am with Ed up above – I can’t wait for clean styling to come back into fashion.
I like the JDM model better, especially from the profile view. I’ve never liked the lightening bolt zig zag belt line on the 4th and 5th gen North American Odyssey.
If I had to buy a minivan, I’d go with a Toyota Sienna, which has cleaner styling and offers a better experience for all passengers except the driver, but then, nobody buys a minivan to carve corners.
And I know we have some Kia minivan owners here, too, and based on looks alone, I can see why they made that choice.
The dip is a travesty. Good lord, way to beat that minivan with an ugly stick. I’d take the JDM.
To me the beltline feature of the NA version doesn’t look so much like a “dip”, as a tumor that is growing in front of it.
Both are challenged. How about the JDM greenhouse on the NA body with the NA drivetrain?
If shopping for a minivan (and I can see that happening) it would be Chysler, Toyota, or Kia with the Grand Caravan still being the best looking one of the bunch.
I prefer the JDM, it’s cleaner looking. Currently I drive a 2015 Odyssey, the lightening bolt doesn’t bother me too much, although for styling I still prefer my 2008 Odyssey.
You’all know I’m weird, but I prefer the NA version. It’s a very effective way of breaking up an otherwise boring shape. I actually look at these in traffic; I don’t see Grand Caravans and such.
The Odyssey is the only minivan I can instantly identify by sight, thanks to the belt line dip. I think that was Honda’s intent here. Like it or not (put me down as ambivalent), the dip does give the Odyssey some personality in a segment basically devoid of it.
I dont like either of them, but the JDM ones are common here, I’m over being held up on the highway by Hondas there seems to be something wrong with the people who buy them or are they really that scary to drive.
I agree with Jason above that I’d take the JDM profile with the North American dimensions. Maybe I’m showing my North American bias, but the tall and narrow look of the JDM model is somewhat tipsy-looking to me. But it sure beats that awful NA design with all those lines going in different directions.
The North American Odyssey’s side profile reminds me of the late-’70s Datsun 200SX (Silvia)… with all of those random side lines… see picture below. Ugh.
We own a 3rd-generation Odyssey, and when it came time to buy a new minivan in 2018, we never seriously considered the new Odyssey due to its combination of jarring looks and a high price. Clearly there are those who feel differently – our neighbors in fact replaced their 2010 Odyssey with a 2019 model. But for us, the appearance was seriously off-putting.
The 200sx clearly is mimicking the 69-70 Cougar lines, which is even more obvious on the small JDM bumper version. Both ultimately imitate the Buick side sweep, and are nothing near as random and cluttered as these vans.
It’s that randomness that I think makes the Odyssey unsightly. The Buick sidesweep and the Cougar both have lines that are integrated into their bodies’ overall designs. On the 200SX and Odyssey, what I see are lines going in random directions, completely divorced from the car’s actual shape:
Eh, I find them just as random on the Cougar personally, the sweep does the exact weird direction change at the rear wheel opening, only on the 200sx it’s continuous over it and unbroken. On those Cougars it’s the one detail that dings the design compared to the 67-68s.
The Nissan that’s more random in its lines are the C110 Skylines, especially on the 4 doors.
I think they’re both grotesquely bad, but JDM is slightly less offensive. I don’t like any car, van, suv, or crossover with that gimmicky roofline and wish that fad would die as quickly as it got adopted.
Exactly my thoughts.
The older Odyssey was a great van. I didn’t like when they added the “dip” in the side. It just makes no sense to me. And then they add the “pre-dented” side and the looks are just ugly and awful. If I needed a van, I would just go to the old Toyota Sienna.
I own a 2015 Norrh America Odyssey, I find it is better looking than the current model. Personally I prefer vehicle has clean look. Both current models, JDM and North America , have a very busy look. Car magazines also says the current model of NA Odyssey doesn’t handle very well compared with previous models, their favorite is always gen 4 model.
I would like to know how those JDM Odyssey driving dynamics.
I rode on a previous model of JDM Odyssey in China in 2017, that model was assembled in Honda joint venture in Guangzhou. It is quite popular among the establishment private entrepreneurs. They like to ride on this model and Bruick GL8 when they are not using thier German urber vehicles. They also own for using after heavily drinking business banquets they will not get caught for DWI. While Chinese society is quite corrupt, DWI is few offenses you cannot get away easy. Odyssey plays very important role to let the bosses stay away from legal troubles.
I wonder how good the crash results of JDM in comparison with NA model.
Neither really makes my socks roll up and down, but I prefer the Japanese-market version at the rear; the American model’s red-plastic-swamp taillights put me off.
I dunno, what’s wrong with a mini-van looking like what it is? To me, the NA version looks like it’s trying to hide the fact that it’s essentially a utilitarian family hauler, and doing a bad job of it at that. Adding a few weird lines and odd creases doesn’t fool anyone.
As for the “floating” roofline, it’s an interesting idea, but here it just looks like they ran out of sheet metal and called it a day. So I guess I’m in the JDM camp.
The problem is a minivan is a big, simple, two-box design. In that regard, I still think the original 1984 Chrysler T-115 was one of the best looking.
But no one wants something that looks like a toaster on wheels, so Honda gives us “the dip” in an effort to differentiate the latest NA Odyssey from the crowd. While that mission was accompished, as most other commenters seem to feel, it’s not one of their better efforts.
Chrysler has done about the best with the Pacifica’s upswept quarter windows and, honestly, Toyota is dragging up the rear, simply because it looks quite ordinary compared to the other two.
I say, the simpler the better when it comes to styling a vehicle like this. I agree the Pacifica is a better looking van because it more or less sticks to this philosophy.: The little “swoosh” on the side adds character, but it’s not overdone. The original T-115s are about as simple and 2-box as they come and look better for it. They are what they are.
If I had to pick it would be the JDM, but can I vote “none of the above?” Since they apparently hired Pixar to do their styling, I’ve not liked a single thing they’ve produced. Way too over the top. But then, I think the last good looking family hauler was the Flex, so you know all about my tastes.
There is a lot going on in the styling of both. Too much, I think. Like they are trying too hard for attention.
The almost 20 year old styling on the first gen Matrix, with its same general look and feel, appears much cleaner than both. 🙂
The Japanese must think we like curious styling. The JDM variant is not bad looking, but the NA van is way overdone. IMO, either one is less an eyesore than the Lexus RX, which looks like a wannabe hearse.
I’ve been to Japan and really admired the kinds of cars, vans, and trucks they have for everyday life. They have some commercial vehicles that would do great for airports, construction areas, heck Disney World! If Honda had an Odyssey Hybrid for NA I would have bought it years ago. As far as the NA styling vs Japan, I’ve never cared for the newer NA style. I remember as a child seeing Funeral Hearses with the same heavy top look. I’ve had two Odyssey’s 2002 and a 2007.
Giugiaro wept.
Not a big fan of either, but the US one seems over-styled. It feels like a committee has worked too long and too hard, so much so that they were then unable to step back and see the big picture. I’ve seen this on other modern cars as well – no individual detail looks wrong, but it all ends up being “try hard”.
Can the answer be, “Honda Elysion?”
I’ll go with the North American version because of it being more larger and spacious that the JDM version.
I find it interesting that the “zigzag,” “dip,” “z-line” is so controversial. Especially when “America’s Best selling pickup” has been widely accepted for many years without any serious complaint. Especially since every front door F-series truck has a far more exaggerated style zag than any Ody yet no one seems to mind…
Also why has no one criticised the JDM version for the gapping horizontal cut lines in the middle of the rear fenders. These were the same glaring gaps used in every early minivan and we’re heavily criticised on the domestic Ody about 2 generations ago. Yet here we see the domestic model still incorporate these rear door slots just below the 3rd row windows while the often praised JDM variant still disfiguring theirs.
And lastly to anyone who doesn’t believe minivan are “sexy” (least of all the Ody) and only for soccer mom’s should watch this Australian commercial…
Well, that made my day! Though as the owner of a silver Honda Odyssey, I’d add that “your mileage may vary.”
I’d forgotten that ad! A cracker.
And having owned one, I can confirm both that you really did forget you were driving a little bus, and that once the interior was as stained and ruined as ours, and there were just the two of us, well…..
Love that Australian commercial!
I was looking for an Odyssey just as the 2011s were coming out – I didn’t like the zigzag and lower roof line so I bought a 2010 instead, so put me down for the JDM.
Mazda5 also went from plain sides to an embossed wave – I haven’t decided if I like it or the original better.
Oh, give me the US one here. It’s all a bit ridiculous, but at least they tried.
In the flesh, the JDM (and Aussie) one is horrible. It replaced the sexy one here. I looked at it agape, and thought no one’s movements were going to vary in THAT. Horrendous tall and skinny disposable razor face, and every styling trick thereafter back conspired to make it look narrow. I wondered if the seats were all arranged in single file inside the bloody thing. A devolution in every possible way.
NA design is more appropriate for a running shoe, like a lot of Nissan’s current product.
When an automotive design is this evocative of another consumer product, something is off, just like with the dustbuster minivans.
I’m not sure what’s going on “down under” but maybe if Honda North America had marketed their vans differently no one would ever have accused them of being for “soccer mom’s” and just maybe put an end to all this SUV madness?
If your minivan is supposed to carry your small kids, you want them in a disposable brown box that is padded and pee-proof. These vans are for empty nesters and young couples thinking they have to have an overpriced minivan or they’ll be selling their kids short later in life.
My GM minivan was perfect. The old T&C is doing well with the kids now that they are older. But after they leave the house – we’re not driving a minivan. Minivans are not cool, regardless of what auto marketers want you to believe. And Honda is overpriced and driving one for kids is a waste of money.
I prefer the non-American styling, but they are both trying way too hard.
JDM all the way, with the straight line under the windows. The US version is truly stupid looking, and I OWN an Odyssey (2004 EXL).
Next van will be a Pacifica or Sienna.