Honda Odyssey 2.4 EXV Premium Review: More than meets the eye

What we like:

Spacious car with a good-looking exterior

competent handler and an eager lump

What we dislike:

A beige cabin with acres of faux wood?! Gee...we wonder why.

Aesthetics wise, my wife and kids (and myself too, for that matter) felt that the Odyssey could have done away with the wood trimmings. But we figured that it would appeal to the matured crowd. If the wood trimming wasn't bad enough, there seemed to be a tad too many different finishes for the dash and console area. In addition to that, the air-con controls, which feature a fully automatic triple zone climate control system, make things look a bit too cluttered. Even the three-dimensional meter cluster, which has a centrally located speedometer, takes some getting used to. But that's just me, since I'm used to having the meter information being compartmentalized. Surprisingly, the one thing that's missing in both cars is (drum roll) a built-in clock.

Differences aside, both cars have similar ground clearance and overall height, hence making you feel like driving a sedan rather than an MPV. But with the Odyssey's length and width, you really need to be careful negotiating the bends in a multi-story carpark. Parking definitely takes a little getting used to - however, thanks to its extra wide wing mirrors, it does help.

Overall, there were certain aspects of the Odyssey that I wished was in my Stream, and vice versa. But I guess it's all a matter of differentiating one class of MPV from another.

And would I switch my Stream for an Odyssey? Probably not at the moment. But who knows, maybe in five years' time, when my kids are a little bigger and the Odyssey doesn't look like a hearse anymore...

Credits: Story by Azfar Hashim and Hazrin Mohamad, pictures by Azfar Hashim