Odyssey & Sienna”” over Alphard is amazing!
Odyssey & Sienna”” over Alphard is amazing! And “”LM”” over 20 million yen! What are the features of the huge minivan with an overall length of over 5 meters?
More than an Alphard? What is a great minivan?
The year 2022 was a bumper year for domestically produced minivans. The middle minivans from various manufacturers have a variety of features, but they are sometimes compared to Toyota’s large minivan, the Alphard, in terms of design and high functionality.
In this context, there are several domestic minivans that surpass the Alphard. What kind of models are there?
Exceeding the Alphard? New Odyssey 4-Seater Model & Over 20 Million Yen Luxury LM Interior and Exterior in 64 Images
Exceeding the Toyota “”Alphard””? What is an amazing minivan?
The minivan lineup in Japan includes the Toyota “”Sienta”” and Honda “”Freed”” as compact minivans.
As middle minivans, 2022 was a bumper year for Toyota’s Noah/Voxy (announced in January 2022), Honda’s Step Wagon (announced in May 2022), Nissan’s Serena (announced in November 2022), and the Mitsubishi Delica D:5.
And as for large minivans, Toyota’s Alphard/Vellfire, Nissan’s Elgrand, and Honda’s Odyssey, which will be discontinued in September 2022.
Against this backdrop, the November 2022 ranking of registered vehicles was the Sienna in 4th place, the Alphard in 10th place, the Step Wagon in 11th place, the Freed in 12th place, the Noah in 13th place, the Voxy in 14th place, and the Serena in 16th place, despite the recent super-delivery issue.
The Alphard is a large minivan and a luxury minivan, and its price range is higher than other models, but it continues to reign supreme in the top 10 ranking.
The Alphard is so popular in Japan, but if you look at the overseas market, there are minivans that are larger than the Alphard and have more luxurious specifications than the Alphard.
One of them is the Odyssey (North American specifications).
The first-generation Odyssey was introduced in 1994, and 433,028 units were sold in Japan over a five-year period before the second-generation Odyssey was introduced in 1999.
Since then, the Odyssey has undergone a steady stream of full model changes, but the current fifth-generation model, which was introduced in 2013, is no longer sold in Japan due to the production plant.
On the other hand, in markets such as China and North America, it has evolved in its own unique way and is still being sold as of December 2022.
In China, Honda’s local joint venture company, Guangqi Honda Automobile, has developed almost the same specifications as the Japanese model as the Odyssey, while another joint venture company, Dongfeng Honda Automobile, has developed the model as the Elysion.
Furthermore, in North America, the second generation was introduced as a model with a specially designed body measuring 5105 mm (length) x 1935 mm (width) x 1740 mm (height), in response to the feedback that the first generation was too small.
The current Odyssey’s body size is even more massive at 5212 mm (length) x 1994 mm (width) x 1735 mm (height).
The exterior design was significantly changed in a minor facelift in July 2020.
In addition to a blacked-out grille with a chrome design and LED headlights, the rear has been redesigned with a powerful new look by adding gloss black trim to the lower portion of the windows.
It is still sold today as a huge minivan with unique styling.
The interior design also differs from the Japanese version, incorporating a switch-type shift and a meter design similar to that of the Civic.
In addition, the backrests of the second-row seats can be folded forward to an almost flat position, making it possible to carry a variety of cargo depending on the seat arrangement.
Functionality has also been pursued through the addition of hooks on the back of the third-row seats and a center console with a slot for storing charging cords for smartphones and other devices.
In the same North American market, Toyota also offers a huge minivan called the Sienna. The first generation Sienna was launched in the North American market in 1997, and has undergone a series of full model changes since then.
The current Sienna is the fourth generation Sienna, which has been on sale since the end of 2020; up until the third generation Sienna, the Sienna was equipped with a gasoline engine, but from the fourth generation Sienna, only a hybrid is available.
The Sienna was developed as a minivan for the North American market, but the fourth-generation Sienna is produced at the U.S. plant and exported to Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, and South Korea. In addition, it is produced and sold locally in China.
The body size of the 4th generation Sienna (XSE) is 5184 mm (length) x 1993 mm (width) x 1770 mm (height) x 3060 mm (wheelbase).
The exterior design draws inspiration from the iconic Japanese Shinkansen bullet train to create a smooth and speedy shape.
The headlights are positioned high and stylishly designed toward the rear of the body.
The wide-opening front grille is pushed in while widening downward, and LED fog lamps are placed at the extreme end to emphasize the low center of gravity.
The fourth-generation Sienna uses the same GA-K TNGA platform as the Venza and RAV4, and the Camry and Avalon sedans, and is available in seven- and eight-passenger configurations with captain seats in the second row.
Regarding the fourth-generation Sienna and the minivan market in North America and China, a Sienna development manager had the following to say in the past.
In North America, the Sienna is a family car, and it carries the same children and other passengers as the Noah Vogt, and it has a low price because it competes with the Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica.
In the U.S., the Sienna has also been recognized as a car for “”soccer moms”” (mothers who send their children to school), so we developed the 4th generation Sienna with the aim of creating a more stylish and cool design.
Customers in the U.S. who have purchased the Sienna say, “”First comes style, and second comes fuel economy.
In China, on the other hand, it is a completely different story, with customers saying they want more luxurious equipment in a luxury MPV for the wealthy.
In addition, the Alphard brand has been established in China, and the GL8 has been around for a long time, but the big change in the tide is that minivans have been attracting attention in China since the end of the one-child policy.
Honda also has a lineup that includes the Odyssey/Elysion, and Toyota has introduced the Sienna from the end of 2021 as its first local production.””
Odyssey & Sienna”” over Alphard is amazing! And “”LM”” over 20 million yen! What are the features of the huge minivan with an overall length of over 5 meters?
What is a minivan over 20 million yen that surpasses the Alphard in size, price, and equipment?
The Odyssey (North American specifications) and the Sienna are developed solely as minivans for the family segment.
On the other hand, the LM (LM300/LM300h), based on the Alphard/Vellfire and packed with Lexus’ specialties, is being developed in some Asian regions.
The LM is a luxury minivan world premiered by Lexus at the Shanghai International Auto Show 2019.
It was developed mainly for the affluent Asian market and attracted a great deal of attention as a new flagship model for the Lexus brand.
The LM’s body size is 5040 mm (length) x 1850 mm (width) x 1945 mm (height) with a wheelbase of 3000 mm.
The exterior design expresses the Lexus character with a large chrome spindle grille, LED headlights, and L daytime running lights. The “”L”” chrome trim on the sides adds a sense of luxury different from that of the Alphard.
The seat layout is available in three rows of seven seats or two rows of four seats. The four-seat layout in the two-row version creates a space that transcends the concept of a “”mobility tool.
The rear seats are equipped with a 26-inch display that can be connected to a smartphone or tablet.
The cabinet below it (decorative board in silver ink) is equipped with a refrigerator (14 liters) that can hold two bottles of wine or other items.
In addition, privacy and quietness are ensured by the exclusive privacy glass between the front and rear seats in the 2-row version, which can be color-changed.
Lexus “”LM”” with TV and even refrigerator
Thus, in Japan, the Alphard reigns as a synonym for luxury minivan, but overseas, there are huge minivans such as the Odyssey (North American version) and the Sienna.
Furthermore, Lexus has developed the LM as a luxury minivan that surpasses the Alphard, and there were models that did more than simply satisfy the demand for a multi-passenger vehicle for the family segment.
According to some reports, there are plans to re-tailor the Odyssey sold in China to Japanese specifications and resell it in Japan.
The LM is also rumored to undergo a full model change in 2023, and is expected to have a design, features, and performance that surpass those of previous LMs.