Note from Design Mom: Kacy attended an event on behalf of Design Mom (thank you, Kacy!), and wrote up this post to tell us all about it. Kacy is one of the funniest writers I know. You can find more of Kacy on her blog, Every Day I Write the Book — including more details about this fun event.
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Part of what makes Gabby so awesome is how generous she is with her awesomeness. Honda wanted to fly her out to see the new 2011 Honda Odyssey Minivans. As you know, she’s got her hands full with baby June so she asked me to go instead. What a treat! But I felt a little sad for Honda. I didn’t want them to be disappointed that Gabby couldn’t come so I tried my best to do what Design Mom would do in every situation. Quick as a wink, I wrapped a scarf around my neck to camouflage my uneven bosom. And I was off!
My trip to San Diego was wonderful and easy—apparently, flying without kids is like that. The man sitting next to me on the plane had really dry elbows that were cracked and bloody. He kept touching me with them. I kept shuddering. It wasn’t very Gabby of me. I decided to try harder to be more Gabby.
When I landed, there was a driver waiting for me with my name on a sign. This has never happened to me before! But I played it cool. Tres Gabby. The first night we got to see the new vans and meet the designers. I was particularly interested to meet the principal designer of the new model because they had sent me a post card with his name and picture on it. His name is Catalin Matei—a Romanian! I love talking about vampires with people from Romania so I was excited.
The new Odyssey is really beautiful and thoughtfully designed. It’s wider, has 5 LATCH hooks for positioning car seats, has tons of cup holders, gets amazing gas mileage, and even has a “cool box” up front that holds water bottles or a six pack—depending on your style. I loved the van and was entirely persuaded by the engineers who passionately showed off the features they’ve been working on for the last three years. All of them owned older Honda Odysseys and all of them had kids. They were so proud of the van! It made me want to buy one. One of the engineers got choked up describing the safety features to me because he receives letters from families who have safely walked away from crashes in their Hondas. I’m kind of in love with Honda now.
We got to drive the vans all around town and on a driving course at Qualcomm stadium. All my meals were provided. I tried to eat only the most aesthetically pleasing dishes. In between events I went back to my room, got under the covers, and flipped through TV channels. It didn’t feel very Design-Mommish. But the bed was so comfy and crisp. I committed to making my own bed at home exactly as inviting as my hotel bed. And that’s when design intersected with motherhood and I knew I had a little Gabby in me after all.
I’m not just saying this: Honda Odysseys are NICE. If you are in the market for a minivan, this one seems like it’s the best.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m looking for a new mommymobile at the moment. It needs to fit a Golden Retriever and two growing boys with boosters. I’m having trouble deciding. I enjoyed this article. Thanks!
Great post!
Sounds like it was a fun experience!
Gabby, sharing awesomeness makes you awesomer!
this is the only minivan i want to drive!!!
Kacy~ you are truly adorable. I am very reluctant myself to purchase a mini van. Having only one child at the present time I have put off the purchase of a larger vehicle. Actually I purchased a SMALLER one (i heart my mini hatch back). I did go on a small playdate with a neighbor yesterday apple picking. Two car seats and a 1st grader in the back of a Scion XA…this article has def. given me the inspiration to start looking for another car ;)
Thanks for calling me adorable. I think your little hatchback sounds adorable.
I totally understand the emotional engineer talking about families surviving crashes. Our Honda Odyssey was totaled when we were hit by a disabled driver and we all walked away just fine (all five of us were in it!). I sincerely believe a different car would not have protected us as well.
So we of course immediately bought another. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
A mini built in cooler would thrill me. I can’t drive anywhere without a cold bottle of water. I love my 97, sounds like I need the ’11 now!
Dear Kacy,
You will never be Gabby, but you shouldn’t stop trying. How about you come organize a nursery for me? I will pay you in soda (not Gabby, but I know your currency.)
-C
p.s. Does Gabby eat Korean food like we do? I always want to ask her but never find the most gracious and beautiful time to do so.
Whenever I’m in trouble, I think, “What would Kacy do?” And then I do that thing and everything works out for the awesomer. Perhaps I should try to be more like Design Mom for a week and see where my life ends up.
Also, after growing up on nothing but a series of awful, ugly, beat up mini vans, I vowed never to own one in my adult life. But Kacy is so persuasive. Now I want one. That one. Let’s all get one. And if I treat it like Design Mom would, it won’t have to end up awful, ugly and nasty like my childhood rides.
I’d love to hear more about the van…especially the appearance, because–let’s be honest–safety may come first, but appearance is a pretty close second (even for mini-van moms). I have an Odyssey now and love it…but I’m having a hard time with the new design. That weird line along the bottom of the windows in particular. Makes it look like two separate cars smooshed together. What did you think about aesthetics? What did the designers say?
I liked how it looked and the designers call it the “lightning bolt” design on the side. Part of why it’s like that is so the 3rd row window can be bigger and not feel claustrophobic back there. I think it works.
Oh my god that was so funny I spit out my diet pepsi! And persuasive. I totally want an Odyssey RIGHT NOW!
Dear Minivan engineers,
You know how limos have a window they can roll up so the drive doesn’t hear the passenger? Please please please make that the next big feature in the Odyssey 2012.
Sincerely,
Kristin (mother of 3)
Let me just add my voice to the I LOVE HONDA chorus. I’ve had a Honda of some sort in my family since 1981 when I was 10. When I was 16 I wrecked that 1981 Honda. And again was I was 17. And again when I was 18. It was missing the panel above the front wheel, but it started up every single day, rain or shine or snow. The car was declared totaled at one time and IT STILL was drivable. When I had children, we bought a Honda Odyssey. I loved it. I made out with it. I made out in it (ahem). I am all about the Odyssey. Eventually my husband starting having a midlife crisis and handed down the mandate that we must give the Odyssey to my dad b/c the van was not cool enough for him. We bought an Acura instead of a Lexus because Honda is the parent company of Acura. I don’t see us ever buying another brand for my car. Honda FTW!
fun post. you picked the right person.
this post ROCKS. fantastic Kacy.
We got an Odyssey a few years ago (my Husband’s van, not mine). He calls it his “mani-van.” I bet he’s the only guy riding around in a mani-van to hunting leases and hauling the stuff away. Hey, Honda should totally give me a call; they are missing a huge marketing opprtunity here!
I hope they send you an Odyssey for this post. Well done!
I would like to hear more about a. what you ate, b. what the Romanian had to say about vampires and c. your playlist in the minivan.
Kacy, both you and Gabby are awesome. There’s that similarity.
Great post! So glad to see that the 11 Odyssey is already making it’s way around the bloggy world! I’ve recently started a blog or Odyssey Moms in my area. Would you mind if I linked to this post? Thanks so much!
Wow…that was hilarious.
We got a new Odyssey in 2006 and love it. We went to the dealership thinking we’d get something entirely different. The salesman was smart though and let us drive it. We loved the safety features, the side curtain airbags and it drives so smoothly–not vanish at all. It’s great to take some other kids with on outings too. We did get the optional entertainment system (dvd) and that has been wonderful on trips. The other thing that has been such a good buy was the leather upgrade. I thought my husband was crazy, but it cleans so easily. I can’t imagine how one would get the other material clean. It still looks new! The only thing that shows the wear are the mats since we didn’t get the nice floor mats, but we can do that some day and throw away the other ones. Does the new Odyssey rear door have a automatic shut button or do you still have to do it manually? I love that the Toyota does that and wish ours did, but I still wouldn’t trade ours for the Toyota, due to other design flaws I personally found with the Toyota van. Thanks for the review on the 2011! Glad you had fun!
I’m pretty sure the back opens automatically–it has a lot of bells and whistles.
The 2011 Odyssey has a power liftgate on these trims: EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite. It is a manual liftgate on the less expensive trims: LX and EX.
I own a 2009 EX-L trim with DVD (comes w/ power liftgate) and personally I wouldn’t get another van or SUV without these 2 features. Power liftgate is really convenient when you are coming back to the car with a cart full of groceries and both hands holding kids. Also, when you are driving through school carpool, the kids can throw their stuff in the back and get in the van while you stay comfortably in the driver’s seat. Makes the process a lot faster, too! I LOVE MY 09 ODYSSEY, but the 2011 gives 5 more miles per gallon, so I am thinking of upgrading soon! ;-)
this was so much fun to read! and i wish that we could buy a brand-new honda odyssey instead of keeping the one we have. it’s okay- though, because i’m sure we’ll buy the 2011 odyssey in like, 2020 :) ha!
Yes, we broke down and bought a mini-van with baby #1. The idea made me cringe. But I must say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 2005 Odyssey! It is so well designed and comfortable, but is BIG. So when I hear the new one is 5″ wider, YIKES. Our garage is already tight. Honda, how about doing more with less and not growing the Odyssey into another behemoth vehicle? If I wanted to drive a tank I’d join the Army or buy an different SUV monster.
Dont know how wide is the 2005, but I believe the 2011 is only 1 inch longer and 1.5 inches wider than my 09, which fits fine in a regular size garage. But I hear you!
I believe they made the 2011 wider to fit 3 bulky car seats in the 2nd row and to comfortably sit 3 adults in the 3rd row. They also made it closer to the ground for easy access for young kids. I personally like the outside appearance of the 09 better , but already test drived the new one. The ride is so smooth and you have less cabin noise. All the new bells and whistles like a cool box for drinks, bluetooth on the EXL trim, better gas mileage (28 mpg, mine is 23), have convinced me to trade mine as soon as the dealer can find me the color I want! Here in TX they are selling like pancakes! There is a wait list for certain options like DVD, etc ;-)
we bought our honda o new in 2007. THE. BEST. VAN. we have ever owned. i am swooning right now over the 2011 model, but we almost have ours paid off and as much as i would love to get the new one, not having new payments wins in my book! i will live with being jealous of the 2011 owners :)
We put off the van until child #4 made it our only option (& got the Honda O & then a civic to green ourselves back up). I malign the overabundance of cupholders as a bit too American consumer-y but every single person who borrows it for some carpool or another returns it wanting one of their very own.
I so enjoyed the post & will surely become a reader of Kacy’s blog. And that should pull some other readers there; I have some funny pals.
Gabby – we just bought the new Odyssey this weekend and I am in HEAVEN! The space! The luxury! The convenience! And a gazillion cup holders. So pretty, and it’s mine, all mine! I loved reading your (contributors) appraisals of both the odyssey and the sienna, but the odyssey won out for us! Just wanted to say thanks for spotlighting them both!