All About Japan Autos

Suburbanites rejoice! A minivan with an all-new, hip look is hitting the market. The 2011 Honda Odyssey goes on sale September 30.

Taking on the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Town & Country, Honda’s 2011 Odyssey will start at “$28,580 for the base LX model up to $44,030 for the top-of-the-line Touring Elite,” reports The New York Times. Comparing the Odyssey to the base Sienna and base Town & Country, the Odyssey costs more but has some standard features that are options on the other guys.

Although it may seem like the approximate, $1,000 increase in price over older Odysseys is steep, KickingTires points out “If you think some of these prices sound high, consider that 70% of previous-generation Odyssey owners bought the EX-L trim level or higher.” The 2010 EX-L Odyssey starts at $33,405.

But before you go splurge on a decked-out 2011 Honda Odyssey, consider that “Honda has no four-cylinder Odyssey, no all-wheel drive version, and doesn’t camouflage the sliding door track as do Toyota and Chrysler,” writes USAToday. If you want those key features, you’re going to have to look elsewhere.

If you’re in the market for a new or used car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.