Honda Odyssey Re-Launched in Japan with e:HEV Powertrain, Now Made in China

The Honda Odyssey is an iconic nameplate that has been on Honda’s domestic line-up for aeons. This family-favourite MPV has met its pandemic-induced demise back in 2021, where Honda’s Sayama plant ceased its production. However, due to popular demand, the Odyssey is back in the Japanese market, now with a Chinese birth certificate.

Now assembled in Honda’s Guangqi plant in Guangzhou, China, the Japan-bound Odyssey will be reintroduced solely in the e:HEV Absolute EX Black Edition. And as its moniker suggests, this MPV is powered by Honda’s proprietary e:HEV hybrid powertrain, while sporting a slew of black accents on the exterior.

Said hybrid powertrain consists of a 2.0-litre 4-cyl nat-asp i-VTEC petrol mill that works in-tandem with the hybrid system to deliver a combined output of 212 HP and 315 NM. Power is then sent to its front axle via a hybrid-specific e-CVT automatic gearbox.

Visually, this EX Black Edition model is based on the second facelift version of the fifth-gen Odyssey, originally going for sale in Japan in Nov 2020. The second midlife treatment granted the Odyssey with redesigned bumpers featuring two-piece grille design, new LED headlights and taillights design – both with thin chrome bars across them.

As mentioned above, the Black Edition grants this MPV with some blacked-out parts. This includes the front grille, the aforementioned chrome bars for both front and rear lights, side mirror caps, as well as the 18-inch alloy wheels. The taillights also come with dark smoke tint, adding a deeper nuance to this otherwise tame-looking peoplemover.

On board, the Odyssey Black Edition features a modern cabin design, brimmed with tech equipment. To start, the dark-hued front dash is crowned by a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Honda Connect functionality built-in, with an option to further upsize it to 11.4-inch, as well as adding an extra 15.6-inch screen for the rear passengers.

There’s also a wireless charging pad placed below the climate control panel, now with automatic tri-zone function. All seats come standard with heating and power adjustment functions, with the driver’s seat primed with 8-way adjustment. Meanwhile, the second row captain’s seats are splitted by a foldable table, with both of them equipped with individual armrests and four-way power adjustment function.

Pre-orders for the 2023 Honda Odyssey e:HEV Absolute EX Black Edition will commence in Q3 2023, with deliveries expected to begin as early as this winter. It will join the Japan-made Honda Step WGN e:HEV as the marque’s three-row options, albeit the Odyssey being a more full-sized and luxury-oriented option.

The Odyssey’s return into the Japan Domestic Market is also timely, considering that its two eternal local rivals, the Nissan Elgrand and Toyota Alphard, are reportedly due for a next-gen upgrade later this year. 

Given both its rivals and previous models’ popularity in our local market, it is plausible that we’ll see this China-made Odyssey ending up in Malaysia someday, albeit more likely as a grey import. Previously, Honda Malaysia had officially launched the second facelift of the RC-gen Odyssey back in Feb 2022, where it was then discontinued due to poor demand.