It’s no secret that for anyone looking to buy a new minivan, the pickings aren’t what they used to be.
The one time ubiquitous family hauler which became a mobile symbol of multi-tasking families everywhere has seen its popularity and available inventory decline over the last several model years. With the suburban, family set gravitating more towards stylish SUV’s, automakers have been dropping their minivan offerings to where nowadays only a few dedicated brands and models remain.
The fact r
emains though that minivans still have a dedicated following, and I’d have to include myself amongst them. The simple truth is that for large families like mine, where a third row is a necessity and ample cargo room just can’t be lived without, minivans are far and away the preferred choice.
Even more appealing is that minivans tend to be the platform where family-focused features and upgrades tend to flourish the most, and is often the launch pad for new and innovative ways to enhance the family driving experience.
From dual sliding doors, to power lift gates, to DVD players with drop down video monitors, stow’n’go trunk space, cooler boxes and more cup holder spots than you can imagine – all of these creature comforts tended to either originate or get their foothold firmly within the confines of the minivan.
The good news is that despite the shrinking number of new minivans available on the market, those manufacturers who still offer minivans are continuing to devise new features and enhancements that specifically benefit the target customer.
The Honda Odyssey remains one of the stalwarts in the minivan category, and with the launch of a tweaked 2014 model, they’ve upped the ante once again through the adding of a first ever built-in vacuum. The HondaVAC, which is available on the top-end Touring model, was developed in conjunction with industry-leader Shop-Vac®, and is composed of a powerful vacuum, replaceable filter and canister bag, with nozzle accessories neatly integrated into a dedicated space on the driver’s side bulkhead of the rear cargo area. HondaVAC consists of a powerful cleaning suction and an integrated hose and cleaning attachments that reach into every corner of the Odyssey’s cabin. The HondaVAC™ system’s powerful electric motor never needs an outlet or recharging, can operate continuously when the engine is running, and will continue to operate for up to eight minutes when the vehicle is turned off for additional family duties.
HondaVAC - found on the 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring
When Honda Canada reached out to me to find out if I wanted to test out the new HondaVAC, I flashed back to all the times when one of the kids dumped their snack or emptied their sandy shoes inside our old minivan, and instantly booked the dates. I even took the 2014 Odyssey on a camping trip to give the van and the vacuum a run for its money. Suffice to say I was very pleased with how it performed, so much so that I took the initiative to write this piece on minivan features and used the HondaVAC as the basis to write it around.
My one lament is that the HondaVAC is offered only at the top end Touring trim level, which makes you wonder if a vacuum is really worth paying close to $50K for. If Honda were to consider dropping the option further down to say all the EX trims, my guess is that they’d sell a boat load of them.
While the environmentalist in me still laments the lack of alternative propulsion within the minivan category, I know that technological limitations make things a work in progress. Fuel efficiency continues to improve and most automakers are committed to reducing the overall weight of their vehicles within the next few years. By that advancement alone, improvements to fuel efficiency will be found.
It may be some time (if ever) before we see a hybrid or full EV version of a minivan, but for now I’ll need to deal with the fact that things are slowly getting better with the powertrain and fuel consumption, but always getting better with creature comforts and family convenience.
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