Today, competition in China’s domestic MPV market is intensifying, with previously dominant joint-venture models now facing stiff competition from a surge of domestic plug-in hybrid MPVs. In this highly competitive environment, model refreshes and feature upgrades have become crucial for securing a foothold in the market.

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On September 22, Guangqi Honda officially announced that the new Odyssey will make its debut on September 28. As a longstanding favorite in the family MPV segment, this refresh focuses on targeted optimizations and upgrades to address key pain points for family travel, better aligning with user needs to navigate today’s fierce market competition.

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I. Steady Exterior Design: Urban and Family-Friendly Flexibility

The new Odyssey largely retains the mature design language of the current model, with minimal exterior changes, offering a clean, stable, and refined look.

Its signature chrome-plated grille, paired with feather-style LED headlights, features smooth, flowing lines that blend homely warmth with a touch of sophistication. This design suits a variety of travel scenarios, whether for daily commutes, family outings, or short business trips.

Body dimensions remain unchanged at 4861/1820/1712mm, with a wheelbase of 2900mm. Amid a trend of mainstream MPVs in the same class growing larger, the Odyssey’s compact size has become a core advantage.

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Compared to larger models like the Trumpchi M8 and Tengshi D9, the new Odyssey offers a smaller turning radius and more agile handling, making it easier to navigate urban roads, park in residential areas and shopping malls, and adapt to China’s complex driving conditions.

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The model retains the Odyssey’s classic low-floor design, with a low entry threshold and flat step, making it easy for elderly passengers and children to board and exit. This significantly enhances safety and convenience for family travel, underscoring its exceptional practicality for home use.

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II. Comprehensive Interior Upgrades: Eliminating Post-Purchase Hassles

The core upgrades of this annual refresh focus on the interior, addressing industry pain points such as insufficient features in older models and the inconvenience of post-purchase modifications. These enhancements significantly boost the product’s competitiveness.

The cabin introduces exclusive color options, further elevating its refined and homely ambiance. High-end trims come fully equipped with front seat ventilation, heating, and massage functions, rectifying comfort shortcomings in the previous model. Whether in scorching summers or freezing winters, these features ensure a comfortable driving experience, greatly improving comfort for both daily commutes and long-distance travel.

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The new Odyssey also adds multiple factory-installed options, including roof-folding entertainment screens, in-armrest refrigerators, and aviation-grade aluminum floors—popular aftermarket modifications. Compared to owner-installed upgrades, factory options offer better fit and more reliable quality, effectively avoiding issues like rattles, malfunctions, and warranty voidance caused by unauthorized interior disassembly and wiring modifications. This makes car ownership more worry-free and dependable.

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Space remains the Odyssey’s core strength.

The independent second-row seats ensure ample space and comfort, supporting multi-angle adjustments. The classic third-row “magic seats” are retained, allowing for complete sinking and storage, creating a vast, flat trunk space capable of easily accommodating luggage, strollers, camping gear, and more. This balances passenger and cargo capacity, perfectly suited to diverse family travel needs.

III. Mature Hybrid Powertrain: Strengths and Limitations

In terms of power, the new Odyssey retains the proven 2.0L i-MMD hybrid system, widely recognized for its stability and reliability after years of market validation.

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The system delivers a combined maximum power of 158kW, paired with an E-CVT continuously variable transmission, providing smooth and linear power output that fully meets daily family travel needs. The model can also run on 92 octane gasoline, keeping fuel and maintenance costs affordable and reducing ownership pressure.

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The driving experience is tuned for family use, with smooth acceleration, effortless maneuvering in urban traffic, and a low learning curve, making it easy to handle. The hybrid system’s fuel efficiency also reduces ownership costs for daily commutes and long-distance trips, aligning with the practical demands of most families through its worry-free and durable performance.

However, the new Odyssey has notable drawbacks. Mainstream MPV models now widely adopt plug-in hybrid powertrains, offering benefits like green license plate eligibility, purchase tax exemptions, and pure electric commuting capabilities, with superior policy incentives and energy savings.

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In contrast, the new Odyssey remains a gasoline-electric hybrid with no pure electric range or green license plate support. In cities with license plate restrictions and among consumers prioritizing new energy policy incentives, its market competitiveness is limited.

For reference, the current model’s official pricing ranges from 235,800 to 328,800 yuan, with significant terminal market discounts. The entry-level version’s price has dropped to around 175,800 yuan, combined with benefits like trade-in subsidies and interest-free financing, offering strong overall value.

The new model’s pricing strategy and terminal discounts after launch will be key focal points for market attention.

Overall, the new Odyssey’s positioning is clear: a hybrid MPV designed for urban family use. It does not deliberately pursue a luxurious business image or follow the trend of new energy plug-in hybrids. Instead, it focuses on core family needs, leveraging its agility, practical space, stability, and worry-free performance to deeply cultivate the joint-venture family MPV segment.

The new Odyssey will officially launch on September 28, when full pricing and detailed configurations for each trim will be announced. If you prioritize worry-free and stable ownership, value family practicality, and do not rely on new energy green license plate policies, the new Odyssey is worth considering.

Disclaimer: This article is a commentary by Zhi Caijing and does not constitute investment advice. Enterprise data and regulatory events mentioned are sourced from publicly available information and are for reference only, with official releases taking precedence. Images are sourced from the internet; if there are copyright issues, please contact us for removal.