Automotive

2014 Honda Odyssey has a built-in vacuum

2014 Honda Odyssey has a built-in vacuum
HondaVAC in action
HondaVAC in action
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite grille
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite grille
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite holds eight passengers
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite holds eight passengers
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is equipped with a 3.5-liter engine
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is equipped with a 3.5-liter engine
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite boasts several structural and safety upgrades
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite boasts several structural and safety upgrades
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite rear view
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite rear view
The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite interior
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The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite interior
HondaVAC in its bulkhead compartment
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HondaVAC in its bulkhead compartment
HondaVAC
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HondaVAC
HondaVAC's cannister
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HondaVAC's cannister
HondaVAC in action
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HondaVAC in action
HondaVAC in action
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HondaVAC in action
HondaVAC has an integrated hose
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HondaVAC has an integrated hose
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If you’re like me and have kids and dogs, then a day out can leave the car looking as if the interior was marched through by a battalion of crisp-munching soldiers. To help deal with this everyday reality and eliminate the need to hunt down a hand vac, Honda has installed a built-in vacuum system into its 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite. Unveiled at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, it's the latest iteration of Honda’s eight-passenger van.

The 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite is front-wheel drive with a 3.5-liter V6 putting out 248 bhp (185 kW). For greater fuel efficiency, it uses Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) that switches between using three, four and six cylinders for greater fuel efficiency.

The current model has a series of structural and safety upgrades such as driver assistive technologies, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and an Expanded View Driver's Mirror. There’s also keyless entry and an infotainment system that links to and is controlled by Honda’s Aha smartphone app.

So far, the 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite looks like just another people carrier, but what sets it apart is that it has its own built-in vacuum system. Developed in conjunction with Shop-Vac, the HondaVAC runs off the van’s electrical system and consists of a powerful vacuum motor and a replaceable filter and canister bag. These are all tucked into the side bulkhead of the cargo compartment along with an integrated hose and nozzle attachments. According to Honda, the HondaVAC can run continuously when the engine is running and up to eight minutes on battery power.

The 2014 Odyssey will go on sale at Honda dealerships nationwide this summer (Northern Hemisphere).

The New York International Auto Show runs to April 7.

Source: Honda

View gallery - 13 images
3 comments
3 comments
Mick Perger
What a great idea ..... Compressed air would be handy too...........
warren52nz
Great idea! I guess the logical follow on would be a built in car wash.
Mike Donovan
The GLK has a small air compressor and 120 AC inverter ; other MB models probably have it too