Kelley Blue Book picks Honda minivan for best redesign

Kelley Blue Book selected the all-new Honda Odyssey minivan as the best redesigned vehicle for the 2011 model year.

Honda's engineers and designers succeeded in the tricky task of redesigning an already popular and successful model, Kelley Blue Book, a leading provider of new and used car pricing and other data, said today.

"The 2011 Honda Odyssey improves on its predecessor in every way imaginable, offering a better-looking, more contemporary exterior design, a sumptuous interior stuffed with innovative features, and class-leading fuel economy, " said Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com site.

"Its safety, refinement, resale value and trouble-free nature are combined with a surprising level of fun-to-drive."

The Odyssey's lower roofline and improved aerodynamics helped the minivan achieve class-leading fuel economy, KBB said, while the wider stance improved its appearance and expanded the interior space. The cabin has innovative, new features, such as a 'cool box' for drinks and flip-up trash bag ring, and more comfortable seating.

The Odyssey, which starts at $27,800, beat out a list of finalists that included the BMW X3 small SUV, the new Ford Explorer, redesigned Hyundai Sonata, the Infiniti M, Jaguar XJ, Kia Optima, Porsche Cayenne, Volvo S60 and the Odyssey's traditional archrival, the Toyota Sienna minivan.
Automakers typically start launching new model year vehicles in the late summer, though some come out earlier.

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http://www.detnews.com/article/20101216/AUTO01/12160491/1361/Kelley-Blue-Book-picks-Honda-minivan-for-best-redesign