2014 Honda Odyssey Becomes First Top Safety Pick+ Minivan

Thanks to an upgraded body structure for the new model year, the 2014 Honda Odyssey recently became the first minivan in the country to earn a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The new honor adds another front crash test to the IIHS regimen, this time for small-overlap impacts, and has proven too much for a surprisingly wide range of vehicles—at least for a lot of other brands besides Honda.

In fact, since the Honda Accord and Honda Civic also scored Top Safety Pick+ recognition, in both their two- and four-door body-styles, the brand can now boast an unbeaten number of vehicles that have achieved the rating. No doubt helping here is the latest iteration of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which was part of a significant refresh to the 2014 Honda Odyssey. The structure was specifically designed to help manage more crash forces away from the vehicle’s cabin in more crash scenarios, and it certainly seems to be doing its job.

"Honda's commitment to safety is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that we achieved this high standard in a mid-cycle refresh of the 2014 Honda Odyssey," said Art St. Cyr, vice president of product planning and logistics at American Honda. "Honda's goal is to continuously advance the safety performance of every Honda vehicle to fulfill the trust our customers place in the Honda brand."

Other enhancements to the 2014 Honda Odyssey—at dealerships now starting from $28,825—include a restyled appearance and more entry-level content; already loaded down with dual-zone a/c, a rearview camera, Bluetooth for audio streaming, cruise control, and a 240-watt sound system, all models now come standard with:

• A six-speed automatic transmission for segment-leading efficiency
• Bluetooth HandsFreeLink technology
• An interface for Pandora Internet radio
• Front-passenger seating with four-way power-adjustment capability
• Integrated SMS text messaging
• Honda’s “Expanded View” driver’s mirror

See more details on the 2014 Honda Odyssey.