Honda to end production of Australia-bound Odyssey

Honda has announced it will cease production of the right-hand-drive version of its Odyssey people-move when its Japan plant closes next year.

The Sayama plant outside Tokyo is the birthplace of the Australian delivered Odyssey. The facility has produced the model in its current generation since 2014, including the facelifted version revealed earlier this year.

Though the intention to close the plant has been known since 2017, Honda's recent announcement has set a final date of March 2022, and as a result, production of both the Clarity and Legend will finish from that time.

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The first-generation Honda Odyssey won the Wheels COTY award in 1995

A Honda Australia spokesperson told WhichCar the closure will not immediately impact Australia, as the local arm of the manufacturer will continue to take stock of the Odyssey into next year.

"As the business progresses towards the planned closure, there are no immediate changes which will impact Honda Australia or our customers," said the spokesperson.

"We will continue to take the Odyssey from Japan until it reaches the end of its lifecycle in 2022."

Honda will still produce the Odyssey at its Guangzhou plant in China, though this model will be left-hand-drive only, essentially confirming the end for the Australian version as we know it.

Just 1091 Odysseys were sold in Australia throughout 2020 – a 35 per cent drop compared to 2019 – but it remained as the second-most popular sub-$60,000 people-mover, behind the Kia Carnival which sold 6493 units.