I had an exceptional experience driving the Honda Odyssey Elite. My journeys took me all around the Washington DC metropolitan area, and as far west as Cincinnati, Ohio. On the way, I traveled via I-270 to I-70 through the Appalachian hills to I-81 in the northeastern part of West Virginia, then to I-76, stopping through Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and reaching Cleveland, Ohio. We have an office and presence at Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon University, where there are great engineering schools.
I ventured south to Cincinnati and eventually to Oxford, where Miami University of Ohio is based. We were there to explore how our startup, Toyz Electronics, could help manufacturers in Ohio, like Honda, attract better talent for big initiatives. Honda for example has a partnership with Sony to produce an electrified vehicle in Ohio with PPG paints as one of its suppliers. This far-reaching conversation was expansive.
The trip was exceptional. Our CMO, a Cleveland native, got a chance to ride along. We explored the impeccable entertainment system, which included the Amazon Fire Stick plugged in and syncing my Amazon Fire account seamlessly into the vehicle. I also enjoyed the fit, finish, and comfort of the Elite model.
My sister has been a huge fan of the Honda Odyssey, having owned both the Pilot and the Odyssey. My brother also has a CR-V among his fleet of vehicles, so Honda has been a staple in our family as a people hauler. My mother also enjoyed it as we drove to the DC and Baltimore areas during the Thanksgiving holidays.
We celebrated with my uncle, the former ambassador to Japan from Nigeria, Ambassador Folorunso Otukoya, who celebrated his 70th birthday. We were able to bring food, meet people, and transport goods in the Odyssey Elite.
Initially, I wanted to take this to Syracuse, but taking it to Ohio, where Honda has significant manufacturing, was a great decision. We discussed workforce development and the ecosystem, and Honda was very excited. We will be working directly with the State of Ohio, JobsOhio, and PPG Paints, which sponsors us and partners with Honda.
Our contact there works on the Honda account, so we had a great conversation about their work and the future. This vehicle is manufactured in Lincoln, Alabama, but the Accord and several other high-selling volume cars are manufactured in Ohio.
Underneath the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 280 horsepower, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. There’s a lot of safety technology like active driver assist, adaptive cruise control, and collision warning. It’s also fuel-efficient, getting an EPA-rated 28 miles per gallon on the highway. I’ve not been a minivan guy, but driving the Honda Odyssey Elite really opened my eyes.
It seats adults comfortably, has a lot of cargo space, a great entertainment system, excellent fit and finish, and great ride quality. Overall, it’s a terrific vehicle to have. For more information, visit Honda