From Porsche to 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite

Have you guys seen the new(ish) commercial showing off the 2018 Honda Odyssey?

I have to admit, while I’m a car person, I don’t pay attention to TV much so I’m often unphased by commercials.  But, this one grabbed my attention and hit home every time it came on.

I was a Porsche owner.  WAS.

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Look how excited we were to own our Porsche Cayenne Turbo!

Look, I’m not trying to brag or boast.  Hubby spoiled me with a used 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo back when we couldn’t find a new mini-van that was right for us.  I was beyond blessed, and I recognize that.

As much as I’d always been a Honda person, I was instantly transformed into a Porsche fanatic.  The truth is, I loved the amazingly fast SUV.  But, I have to equate the love to one of being in a relationship with the right person at the wrong time in your life.

Dear Porsche Cayenne Turbo,

I love you.  Unfortunately, the timing just isn’t right.   We want and need different things in our lives right now.  I have a family.  You fit them in, and in our daily lives, it worked just fine.  But, you didn’t offer much storage or comfort for two small children with all they need.  And, on family trips, I was completely uncomfortable if I needed to sit in the back with them.  

Though I wish I could be selfish, my life isn’t all about me.  I needed to think of my family.  Unfortunately, I must move on … for now.

All My Love,  Ivy

As tears welled up during the transition, I knew going back to my Honda roots for the new Odyssey was the right thing to do.  For the better of the whole family – budget, space, and tech features – we traded the Cayenne in for a brand new Black 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite.

How the 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite Won Me Over

From the moment I saw the commercials, I was in love with the Magic Slide Second Row Seats and the new rear entertainment center.

Making the decision about the trim level we wanted was easy.  Having been acclimated to the plushness of Porsche with tons of bells and whistles, there wasn’t any chance I was taking anything less than the Elite.

Let me tell you this:  in the switch, I haven’t lost a single important tech or comfort feature, but gained many.

With the Elite, I kept my heated and cooled front seats, as well as a heated steering wheel.  And just because Florida is hot nearly year-round doesn’t mean I never use that heated steering wheel.  Trust me, the 3 weeks (+/- a week) a year it gets cold, that feature is greatly appreciated.  Plus, I have push button start, lane-keep assist, and parking sensors.

What I gained in the tech department was a rear entertainment system (RES) for the kids to be able to watch movies or TV shows.  This means we don’t have to bring along a tablet for entertainment.  And, unlike our old Odyssey, the parents can sit up front listening to whatever they want on CarPlay while the kids listen via wireless headphones.  Bonus: this model year allows the RES to play from a USB drive, so I now don’t have to carry and switch out DVD after DVD.  I mean, who buys DVDs anymore, right?

Then there’s space.  My goodness, the space!  There’s no more crowding in the back and I can now take my dad on vacation with us, without having to borrow his Pathfinder.  The kids have tons of room.  Of course, that means there’s no more cockpit feel in the driver’s seat either though.  Now, it’s like driving a bus or having a steering wheel in my living room.

The exterior styling is quite impressive too.  Honda managed to make the new Odyssey look significantly sportier than in past years, while also eliminating the rails for the sliding rear doors on the back panels.  Now, they’ve tucked them just under the windows, which makes the van, in my opinion, look more like a tall limo.  At least, that’s how I feel about it in black.

And, as if the Odyssey itself wasn’t impressive enough on its own, we received a Lifetime Warranty (basically powertrain) from Grainger Honda in Georgia.  So, we’ve saved ourselves a significant amount of money on monthly payments, have a lifetime warranty to keep the car running, and our overall maintenance costs decrease.

And when we decided to make this switch, we decided to make a goal to keep the van for 10 years.  So, hubby purchased the extended warranty which will cover more things like electronics and such for 10 years.

BIG GOALS!

Surprising Features of the 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite

• Wireless charging – if your phone is capable of this feature (I’ll be switching off my old iPhone when the new Samsung comes out next year)
• Media play from USB (something that doesn’t consistently work so I have to get this looked at)
• Separated listening when rear seats use wireless headphones (it’s great listening to my music while the kids watch their shows and this was a huge complaint with the old Odysseys)
• Cabin Talk and Cabin Watch – keep an eye on the kids in the back and speak to them without yelling (I do enough yelling at home, thank you)
• Android and Apple CarPlay turns your car’s touch screen into an extension of your phone (thank you for reading my text messages!)
• Wind-noise reduction with better windshields in certain higher model Odysseys (because who doesn’t like a quieter ride with screaming kids in the back?!)
• Lane Keep Assist (the van can navigate around a corner on its own as long as it sees road lines.  It does well but it’s still a little unsettling)

Look, I know my mini-van isn’t fast but it isn’t exactly slow, either.  I’ll probably surprise you at a stoplight if you’re expecting a usual minivan driver at the wheel, so don’t go trying to get around me.

Believe it or not, the van drives about as smoothly as our Porsche did.  I know it’s new and all, but it’s a dang smooth and comfortable ride.  And that special windshield really has helped reduce road and wind noise on the highway.

Truth be told, I don’t know if I’m more thankful to Honda for really getting in the tech game or if I’m desperately pleading for Porsche to get crazy and build its sports car enthusiasts a minivan.  You know … because sometimes we do want to have it all.

Until then, I’m digging my minivan and treating it like my Porsche.