If you've been in a 2002 or even a 1999 Honda Odyssey, there's not much new to see in the '04. The only thing you might notice is that the Odyssey's interior is starting to look a little austere by today's standards. Interestingly, even with the leather trimmed interior, the steering wheel is not rimmed with leather - a disappointing omission. The dashboard features a stark expanse of black plastic and a very basic, yet easy to use layout of HVAC and audio controls. The ergonomics are fine, but the dated aesthetics might leave shoppers a little cold. The new-for-'04 Toyota Sienna and Nissan Quest have both made the minivan cockpit a bit more interesting. Toyota's version of "interesting" is more appealing to my eye - the Quest's seems to be different just for the sake of being different. While the Quest's design works well enough in terms of usability (and the center mounted gauge cluster isn't nearly as irritating as I thought it might be), it falls seriously short of both the Sienna and Odyssey when it comes to the quality of materials used. For a good example of embarassingly sub-par materials applied in a modern vehicle, look no further than the Quest's HVAC controls. And that cylindrical command center is just plain goofy.

The Odyssey's interior layout works quite well, but the Quest may hold a slight edge in 2nd row legroom and seat comfort, at the expense of the 3rd row, where both headroom and legroom are quite compromised for average adults. Speaking of seat comfort, this is an area where the Odyssey could use a tiny bit of work. The seats aren't uncomfortable, but I preferred the fit of the Quest's seats, despite their somewhat odd appearance.

The once exclusive "magic" rear bench seat feature that really set the Odyssey apart from the competion has now been matched, perhaps surpassed. The '04 Sienna's rear seat not only folds away, but it's also split 60/40, providing even more cargo hauling versatility. The rear seat of the Quest also folds out of the way, but the operation is a bit awkward. While Honda was the first to offer DUAL power sliding doors, this is no longer a distinction. While these dual sliding doors are immensely useful, the "logic" programming that controls them can often result in frustration. It's nice to be able to open them from the driver's seat, but there are seemingly endless ways to trigger an annoying warning buzzer. Unless somebody is perilously close to losing a limb, I don't want to hear that thing. I just want the door to open or close as commanded. If I'm opening it from the keyless remote, I shouldn't have to unlock the doors first, either.

Both the Quest and Sienna offer power operated rear liftgates, which can be handy, but they're also slow to react to commands and slow to open. This feature could fall under the "nice to have" category, but by no means is it a "must have". Considering the forces of market perception, and judging by the proliferation of power liftgates on a number of Japanese Honda models, I imagine this feature will appear on the upcoming replacement for the Odyssey.

The Odyssey's sound system is decent, and the advent of the DVD rear entertainment system is a 21st century godsend for parents. These entertainment systems are now offered almost universally these days, so some of the details are beginning to stand out. Toyota's inclusion of dual 115-volt AC outlets is one of these standout details. This makes it that much easier to connect a console game system to the system, further extending the entertainment value of your (considerable) investment for many more miles of road trip enjoyment. Japanese-market Hondas already offer these and hopefully US models will soon follow suit. As for the stereo system, Honda's was pretty good 6 years ago, but it would benefit from better clarity and imaging. A convenience related item that Honda radios are lacking these days is support for RDS (Radio Data System). RDS is a simple technology that allows radio stations to broadcast small bits of data such as their call letters and programming format - this information appears on your radio tuner screen when you tune in to their frequency. This technology has been in use for years in Europe, and it makes it easier to find music to your liking when you travel abroad. Both the Quest and Sienna's tuners support RDS, as do the radios of many other manufacturers. The Toyota system even has a "traffic" button which presumably attempts to find the latest traffic conditions. In terms of sound quality, I was unable to do any critical listening on any of the systems, but the Quest's seemed to possess rather formidable low-frequency capabilities.

Looking elsewhere on the feature list, the Odyssey's 2-zone (front/rear) automatic climate control is one-upped by the Sienna's available 3-zone climate control system (two zones for the front row, a single zone for the rear passengers). For some families (such as mine) this is almost a "can't live without it" type of thing.

Overall, the Odyssey's interior still offers a high degree of convenience and comfort, another indicator of the considerable lead Honda had on the competition all the way back in '98.