Seizing A Market Nobody Wants - Is Acura Hard At Work On A Premium Minivan?

No one wants?! Is this why there are so many Touring Odysseys and Limited AWD Siennas out there? Or why there are so many 7-passenger SUVs?

Good points. But those top trim levels probably represent less than 5% of total sales. And SUVs have very different image and ability.

The real question is this: What is the pricing ceiling that a buyer is willing to pay for a minivan? The Touring Elite Odyssey starts at $45k and the Limited AWD Premium Sienna starts at $47k. I think realistically, an Acura minivan could approach $60k, or more. Maybe the pricing of those top trim levels in the Odyssey and Sienna is where buyers draw the line for a minivan. I guess we'll have to see.

I highly doubt Honda/Acura will make any attempt at a premium-level minivan. Or at least I hope not. If they do, someone needs to slap them back into reality.

Small possibility that its a larger than MDX SUV? Small possibility.

I think they are just going to take an Odyssey, put it in a fancy frock, and sell it at an inflated price. It doesn't take a lot of R and D money or retooling to do that,so they should be able to sell a low volume and still make some money on them.

It'll sell well to certain demographics... especially if it's marketed well.

Looking at the door handles, it looks like a minivan sliding door.

Elsewhere it is said this is a Honda Odyssey mule with an Acura nose on it to begin testing of an SUV larger than the MDX and not a minivan.

Minivan sales are soft and heavily incentivized whereas premium SUVs are selling well and without heavy incentives. THAT would argue in favor of an SUV larger than the MDX.

They could even call it the VDX.

Acura must be desperate for sales. Just another Honda "dolled" up. Acura can not make a larger SUV because Honda's largest platform is the Pilot. Unless Honda/Acura outsources like the did with the Honda Passort/Isuzu Rodeo. Or the 1998 Acura SLX was a modified Isuzu Trooper.

We already have luxury minivans and don't need another with Acura name.

Toyota Sienna and Honda Odessey fully loaded are luxury enough, no need for Lexus or Acura or any dilussional pretending-to-be-luxury badges on already near perfect minivans.

why ruin good thing

Luxury marques are about more than just the trim level, they are about the whole experience including sales and service. Lots of busy parents do not have the time nor the patience to be screwed around by moronic dealerships.

Unless it looks like the Italdesign Columbus, I'm not paying more than $30k for a van. Who in their right mind pays $40k+ for the privilege of driving a FWD box truck with rear seats and ZERO utility?

How does a minivan NOT have utility?? Have you seen the inside of one with the seats out/folded down??

I have. I've also seen a number of them lowriding because the suspensions are not designed for heavy loads.

Buick sells quite a number of Luxury Minivans in China - so it just might be possible that Honda intends to compete there

As far as Minivan Loads - if you remove 5 seats that would be for passengers you get that amount of utility - the weight of 5 people plus the seats you removed. While they are not trucks - they will transport that new Washer and Dryer - or Big screen TV - or Grandfather clock - with no problems - and even the occasional piece or three of Plywood - or that PVC pipe you need to fix the leak. Yes - some people overload them - but that is like saying that everyone drives their Ferrari over 150mph on the highway - it is not true.

I'd love to see Audi interpret the minivan. AWD with a lower stance than the Q range could be fun. Not sure about Acura - the Odyssey lightning stripe isn't going to look any better with a beak added up front.