A weekend Odyssey with Vodka, Tasha and HOnda

MANILA, Philippines - It was going to be another weekend of pure driving pleasure with Vodka the Bichon, my ever-faithful weekend driving companion.

The whole experience of driving the Honda Odyssey is all about getting the family into the car and taking it for a spin. But, over the last weekend, everyone I knew that has a family was busy — so I took Vodka and the Odyssey for a spin. Yes, Tasha the Poodle joined in.

It was a very sunny afternoon last Sunday. I charted a course for our driving adventure that would include a drive to Tagaytay with a stop at one of the pet-friendly places there for a quick snack, a short shopping walk around the Nuvali area and then a relaxing drive home.

This is the second time that I have been fortunate enough to take the Odyssey for a drive. The first time around, I drove to Baguio with a few of my co-lifestyle staffers. This time, I took my family of doggies with me. I had in mind pulling down the back seats for them so that they could lie around as I drove off.

The 2014 Honda Odyssey has come a long way from the five-door hatchback that first hit the market in 1995. I read up a bit on the first Odyssey that was launched. Here’s what I found out. Instead of the sliding doors of a regular minivan, that first Odyssey had front-hinged doors that opened like the doors on a sedan. It wasn’t until the 1999 introduction of the second-generation model that the Odyssey got the traditional minivan sliding doors.

Honda launched the current, fourth-generation Odyssey in 2010 with updated bodylines and a new overall design.

For the 2014 Honda Odyssey, the company has added several newly available features. 

I really like the massive — yes, massive — build of the Odyssey. Although at times I had a hard time getting it into small parking spaces, with a few forward-backward maneuvers I was able to get it right. Of course, I also like the way the seats are made. The driver’s seat is really comfy and allows for adjusting so that smaller drivers can get a good look of what’s coming from behind and what’s up front. I also know that the passengers can get down and real comfy because the seats are good for up to eight.

I mean, really, for a small person like me, one would think that the Odyssey would be a hard-to-drive van. But I know that when I drove it to Baguio with a full load of people and then again over the weekend with two doggies and some plants — I had no problems. When I got home I was ready for more driving.

The Odyssey is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 248 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. All Odyssey models use a six-speed automatic transmission. Yes, it does need a huge engine for such a big van.

Let the drive begin

I loaded Vodka and Tasha in the back. But they much preferred to sit next to me. I allowed that because Vodka and Tasha are regular car riders and they are dozers who fall asleep once they feel the air-conditioner on their snouts. 

The driver’s seat gave me a great support feeling. I knew that it was going to be a pleasurable drive with no fatigue even after long hours behind the wheel. 

The 2014 Honda Odyssey features dual-stage, multiple-threshold front, side curtain and dual-chamber front and side airbags with Honda’s passenger-side occupant position detection system. A vehicle stability assist system, active front-seat head restraints and pedestrian injury mitigation are all standard. So is Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure. It helps the Odyssey better absorb collision energy, especially in a front-end crash. That structure is now in its second generation in the Odyssey.

The Honda Odyssey received a five-star overall crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It earned a five-star frontal crash-test rating, a five-star side crash-test rating and a four-star rollover rating.

As I started the engine, and put my foot to the floor of the Odyssey, I liked that it didn’t rocket forward in a jerk of power. Instead, it builds like a force of nature beneath the driver, sending the vehicle smoothly forward across the landscape.

The Odyssey’s interiors — seats, dash, storage compartments and trim — are all well constructed. Every surface in the Odyssey looks and feels sturdy.

As we made the exit at Sta. Rosa en route to Tagaytay, my love affair with the Odyssey was renewed. The Odyssey stopped on a dime when I needed it to. It turned quickly when I had to change lanes in a split second and, above all, it was so easy to feel in control of the Odyssey no matter who or what was in front of or behind me.

Touch down

Vodka, Tasha and I got to Tagaytay and by this time the Bichon was awake. Vodka, the more vocal of my two doggy companions, gave me a short bark as she angled her herself towards the window. This was the signal for me to open a window, as there is nothing that Vodka loves more than the cool Tagaytay breeze on her face.

We stopped at Bag of Beans in the Tagaytay junction and got some cinnamon rolls, bought camote and green mangoes, too. I got a drink while Vodka and Tasha sat in the back of the Odyssey — and had their fill of some of the bread I bought.

Merienda over, it was back into the City for more relaxing driving for me.

We made it to Nuvali and decided that the halo-halo at Razon’s was perfect for that hot day. We also made sure that we did lots of walking so that we wouldn’t put on too much weight.

It was getting late and Vodka and Tasha were more than excited to get back into the Odyssey. I was just as excited to get more driving done.

As I drove home on an almost traffic-free SLEX, I enjoyed just how well the six-speed automatic transmission executes quick, smooth shifts. Of course, the ride was made even smoother because of the suspension that delivers both a comfortable ride and relatively crisp handling, as well as steering that is the quickest and most responsive in this segment.

The Odyssey, which has a really quiet engine with minimal wind noise or road noise (from the tires), made the sleeping doggies sleep through the whole ride home. Honda’s use of active noise-cancelling technology contributes to the peaceful cabin by electronically counteracting that eliminates much of the drone from outside cars.

This is truly the life: Vodka the Bichon and Tasha the Poodle, long drives and me at the wheel of the Honda Odyssey.

I woof weekends!