2016 Honda Odyssey Special Edition bows

Honda is introducing a new variation of its popular Odyssey minivan for 2016 that offers several high-end features at a more affordable price. On sale this week and slotting between the existing EX and EX-L, the Odyssey Special Edition features the segment-exclusive HondaVAC in-vehicle vacuum cleaner — currently available only in the top-line Odyssey Touring Elite — as well as a rear-seat entertainment system (RES) with a 115V AC power outlet and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. 

Also: Class of 2016 — New Cars Ready to Roll 

Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of Honda Sales, says the new Odyssey SE was created in response to consumer requests for a family hauler that offered these highly desirable features to buyers on a more real-world budget. Opening at $34,255, the Odyssey SE is $950 more than an EX but commands $2,550 less than a leather-lined EX-L and is a whopping $11,375 below a Touring Elite. Like the EX-L RES and Touring, the rear-seat entertainment system in the new Odyssey SE has a 9.0-inch VGA screen and not the higher-res 16.2-inch WVGA display that remains exclusive to the Touring Elite. 

Also: Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards of 2015

Winner of our 2015 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy: Minivan, the Honda Odyssey carries over otherwise unchanged. Sole powertrain for this stylish front-driver remains the 248-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 backed by a 6-speed automatic transmission, a combo that serves up 19/28 mpg EPA city/highway marks.