Minivan wars: Honda charts new course for its Alabama-made Odyssey - AL.com
Honda's Alabama auto plant is preparing to roll out a redesigned Odyssey minivan, the latest salvo in a shrinking, yet fiercely competitive market. The Odyssey represents about 40 percent of the output at the Japanese automaker's Talladega County plant, which employs 4,000 people and supports thousands more jobs at area suppliers. Since 2002, annual minivan sales have shrunk from more than 1 million, a 6. 4 percent market share, to about 556,000, a 3. 4 percent market share, last year, according to the car-shopping website, Edmunds. Along with the Odyssey, the segment is dominated by Chrysler's Town & Country and its Dodge Caravan, as well as the Toyota Sienna. In the past five years, the lead has changed five times in annual U. S. minivan sales. The Odyssey took the crown in 2013, but it fell to fourth place last year. Meanwhile, automakers continue to improve their minivans, often turning the family haulers into virtual living rooms on wheels. In a memorable upping of the stakes, Honda added a built-in vacuum cleaner to the Odyssey two years ago. Minivans have a lot of extras, which means automakers can charge more for them, Acevedo said. Source: www.al.com
