Honda has built its reputation on delivering reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles that consumers can depend on. While the brand has gradually elevated the luxury features in its mainstream lineup, American buyers seeking true luxury have traditionally looked to Acura, Honda’s premium division.
This dynamic primarily applies to the U.S. market, where Acura serves as Honda’s upscale brand. In international markets, however, Honda sells premium vehicles that never make it to American or Japanese showrooms. Among these exclusive models, one particular Honda stands out for its exceptional luxury appointments that rival—and in some cases exceed—what you’d find in a Lexus.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Honda, and other authoritative sources, including Car Buzz.
What Is A Honda Elysion?
It may look like your run-of-the-mill Honda Odyssey with fancy wheels, but in reality, the Honda Elysion is a different entity. The Elysion is a passenger van that was first introduced in 2004. It could seat up to eight passengers and rivaled other luxury vans like the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand at the time. Honda did base it on the third-generation, Japan-spec Odyssey minivan with which it shares its underpinnings, but it has a completely different exterior design and interior layout.
The second generation of the Honda Elysion is now based on the fifth-generation Odyssey, and it is only available in the Chinese market. It was originally released in 2015 and underwent a facelift in 2019, which included a new hybrid powertrain. Much more than an Odyssey with fancy wheels, the Elysion has a few luxurious tricks up its sleeve that could make a Maybach jealous. Or at least shake its head in approval. One such trick is the Elysion’s hybrid powertrain, which pairs an electric motor with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine.
2024 Honda Elysion Powertrain
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Engine |
2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid |
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Horsepower |
211 hp |
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Torque |
232 lb-ft |
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Transmission |
E-CVT |
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Motor power |
181 hp |
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Motor torque |
232 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
Front-wheel drive |
The Honda Elysion Is Surprisingly Luxurious
Hybrid powertrain aside, what sets the Honda Elysion apart from any Odyssey in any market is its luxurious interior. While the Odyssey was built to be a family hauler, the Elysion takes a step further by adding Lexus levels of luxury to its cabin space. It may only carry up to seven passengers, but step inside the Elysion and you will quickly find that quality trumps quantity.
Honda Elysion’s Interior
The Elysion’s cabin showcases premium materials typically reserved for high-end luxury vehicles. Quilted leather with intricate stitching wraps the seating surfaces, while the second-row captain’s chairs feature power recline functions and fully extending leg rests for maximum comfort. Quilted leather extends to the door panels, complemented by rich wood grain accents across the dashboard and additional cushioning in the headrests. Buyers can choose from three interior color schemes: red, black, or white.
A single glance at the Elysion’s interior reveals its target audience: business executives who demand comfort during their travels. The exceptionally plush second-row seating arrangement makes this clear, transforming what would typically be passenger space into a mobile luxury lounge designed for those who value premium transportation experiences.
The Elysion Is Filled With Technology
In addition to having a first-class interior, the Honda Elysion is filled to the brim with technology. Some of the main features include the usual:
- Dual-zone climate control
- Panoramic roof
- Wireless charging
- Automatic sliding doors with hand gestures
The Elysion also features Honda Connect 3.0, which integrates the car with your cell phone. Some of the standout features include:
- Speed alert when the car is driven by someone else
- Security alarm detection
- Automatic collision detection
- Find My Car
- Geo-fencing alert — alerts you when the car is outside a certain perimeter
- Car Status: diagnostics, fuel, battery, etc.
- Remote vehicle control: controls stop/start, air conditioning, and lights
In addition to this new technology, the Elysion also has the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, like the Odyssey has. Some of the most notable features include road departure mitigation, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control with low-speed follow, and a multi-view camera system.
Is The Honda Elysion The Same Thing As An Odyssey?
Although the Honda Elysion and Odyssey have similar body styles, it’s clear that the Elysion is on another level. Regardless, there’s still plenty to love about the Honda Odyssey that we have here in the U.S. Admittedly, the Odyssey’s design may be getting long in the tooth, but the Japanese automaker has made some updates to it for the new model year.
2025 Honda Odyssey Updates
For 2025, the Honda Odyssey has received some new updates. The front and rear ends get a fresh new look. There’s a sporty new grille up front with new fog light surrounds and a new rear bumper design. Honda says that the vertical reflectors are taken straight from the discontinued Acura NSX, so there’s a tiny bit of supercar DNA in this van. There are also new wheel designs, including 19-inch rollers for the top-trim Odyssey Elite.
Honda also updated the Odyssey’s in-cabin technology. A new 7-inch instrument panel sits in front of the driver while a new 9-inch touchscreen keeps the passengers entertained and informed. There is also a new 12.8-inch rear screen to keep the rear-seat passengers happy.
Speaking of the second row, the Honda Odyssey features a Magic Slide system, which allows for the second-row seats to slide side-to-side or back and forth for a multitude of seating configurations. They are also well-bolstered and comfortable, just not as comfortable as the Elysion seats with their built-in ottomans. The second-row seats can also be removed for more space. However, they are pretty heavy. The editors at Car and Driver noted that each seat weighs 68 pounds, which could be unwieldy for some.
The Honda Odyssey also has a few in-cabin features the Elysion doesn’t have. There are household power and HDMI outlets for entertainment systems and a PA system that allows the driver to talk to the rear-seat passengers, in case the kids get unruly while in transit.
No Hybrid Option
Unlike its distant cousin, the Elysion, the 2025 Honda Odyssey is motivated by the same 3.5-liter V6 engine that it’s always had. It produces 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that sends the power to the front wheels. There is no all-wheel-drive configuration or hybrid option. But we hope there will be in the future.
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2025 Honda Odyssey |
|
|
Engine |
3.5-liter V6 |
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Horsepower |
280 hp |
|
Torque |
262 lb-ft |
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Fuel economy |
19 city mpg, 28 highway |
Can A Honda Elysion Be Imported To The U.S.?
The Honda Elysion made its debut in 2004 and was sold exclusively in Japan. As stated, it rivaled other luxury vans like the Toyota Alphard, which was solely for the Japanese domestic market. In 2012, the Elysion was introduced to the Chinese market and the current generation has been in production since 2015. To date, it’s no longer being sold in Japan and is only being made by Dongfeng Honda, which is a collaboration between Dongfeng and Honda.
Anyone looking to get into a Honda Elysion would have to import one from China. However, that would currently be impossible given the U.S.’ rule on importing 25-year-old cars. In that case, any interested parties would have to wait another 25 years to get into one of these luxury vans, which may not be worth it by then.
However, we did find a few clean Elysion examples from the early 2000s, which could be purchased from a Japanese importer. But, even those examples would still be illegal to import, since they are not yet 25 years old. That said, it could be much cheaper and easier to purchase a new or slightly used U.S-spec Honda Odyssey and then upgrade it with better leather and customized seats. Of course, it won’t be factory fresh like the genuine Honda Elysion, but it’s close enough.