Honda Odyssey to end production in March 2022, plans for a successor unclear
Production of the Honda Odyssey sold in Australia will cease in March 2022 – and it's not known if a replacement is being developed.
One of Australia's best-selling people movers will soon be phased out, with production of the Honda Odyssey to end in March 2022.
It means the last batch of Honda Odyssey people movers will arrive in Australian showrooms by the middle of 2022, and once they're sold it is unclear Honda will introduce a replacement.
The Honda Odyssey people mover received a facelift earlier this year after the current-generation model went on sale in 2014, meaning its updated appearance will be short-lived.
Drive understands the shrinking popularity of the people mover market globally and in Australia – as families continue to favour SUVs – is behind the decision to bring the Honda Odyssey to an end.
Confirming the factory shutdown which will bring the end of Odyssey production, a Honda Australia spokesperson told CarAdvice: "As the business progresses towards the planned closure, there are no immediate changes that will impact Honda Australia or our customers – we will continue to take the Odyssey from Japan until it reaches the end of its lifecycle in 2022."
Nikkei Asia reports there are no plans to move production of the current-generation Odyssey people mover to another factory.
The Honda Australia spokesperson added: "Honda announced the intended closure of the Sayama assembly plant in 2017, as part of the plan to restructure its global automobile manufacturing operations, solidify existing businesses, improve efficiency, and address challenges in the key areas of the environment and safety."
While the closure of Honda's plant in Sayama, Japan in March 2022 will bring to an end the current, fifth-generation Odyssey people mover for Japanese and Australian markets, the vehicle will continue to be sold in China at the brand's Guangzhou and Wuhan factories in China, servicing both its Guangqi and Dongfeng joint ventures.
However, it's worth noting these versions of the Odyssey are localised for the Chinese market, and haven't received the same facelift applied to Japanese-built models in 2020, meaning they won't find their way to Australian showrooms.
The current, fifth-generation Honda Odyssey launched in Australia in early 2014, received its first update in 2017 and underwent its second facelift in early 2021, adding revised styling, more contemporary interior technologies and an upgraded safety suite.
Despite consistent sales in Australia – it ranks second in the people-mover sales race (behind the Kia Carnival) with 116 sales in May 2021 – slowing demand has prompted the Japanese car maker to discontinue production.
Official sales data shows 1091 examples of the Honda Odyssey were sold in 2020 – 366 vehicles ahead of the third-placed LDV G10, but more than 2500 units behind the segment leader, the Kia Carnival.
As reported by news outlet Nikkei Asia, the end of Odyssey production in Japan will also spell the end for the Clarity hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell sedan, and flagship Legend sedan, the current-generation versions of which will meet the ends of their lifecycles in March 2022.
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