Perhaps it’s time to put the minivan on the endangered species list. Ford and General Motors have already ceased production of the family haulers, Chrysler – the inventor of the modern minivan formula – is in bankruptcy court, Hyundai has announced the death of the slow-selling Entourage, Nissan plans to cancel the Quest, and the factory that builds the Volkswagen Routan halted assembly around the same time many of us were shopping for 2008 holiday gifts and has no firm plans to restart anytime soon. If all of these models were to vanish from the landscape, minivan buyers would be left with the Kia Sedona, the Toyota Sienna, and this popular choice, the Honda Odyssey.

Here is a summary of the changes to the 2009 Honda Odyssey:
• Odyssey EX-L gets a standard power tailgate
• Odyssey EX-L’s optional navigation system includes Bluetooth HandsFreeLink wireless connectivity

The 2009 Honda Odyssey is available in LX, EX, EX-L, or Touring trim. The Odyssey LX seats 7 passengers and is equipped with the basics: air conditioning, stereo with CD player and auxiliary input jack, cruise control, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks with remote, privacy glass, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, floor mats, and 16-inch steel wheels with plastic wheel covers.

The popular Odyssey EX can be told apart from the LX by its alloy wheels, body-color exterior trim, roof rails, and 8-passenger seating capacity. The EX also includes triple-zone automatic climate control, a six-disc CD changer and six stereo speakers, power sliding side doors, heated side mirrors, a HomeLink programmable transmitter, an 8-way power driver’s seat with manual lumbar support, an outside temperature display, and numerous other comfort and convenience items. The EX-L trim level adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power moonroof, a power tailgate, an automatic dimming rearview mirror with reversing camera display, a 4-way power front passenger’s seat, and XM satellite radio with a free 3-month trial. Purchasing the Odyssey EX-L is also the path to a DVD entertainment system with a rear 115-volt power outlet, and a navigation system with Bluetooth HandsFreeLink technology.

The 2009 Honda Odyssey Touring is the most luxurious model. It has all of the EX-L model’s standard and optional equipment, plus 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and chrome tailgate trim. The Touring also includes programmable windshield wipers, memory-linked driver’s seat and side mirror positions, front and rear parking sensors, power adjustable pedals, a 360-watt premium audio system, a programmable multi-information display, a compass, a miles-to-empty indicator, and enhancements to the tire pressure monitoring system that comes on all Odysseys. The Touring can also be equipped with Michelin PAX run-flat tire technology.

The 2009 Honda Odyssey is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine driving the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. The EX-L and Touring models benefit from Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management technology, which shuts down two or three of the engine’s six cylinders under low-load conditions to save fuel and cut down on emissions. These models also include active noise cancellation technology for a quieter cabin. On the LX and EX models, the V-6 makes 244 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 240 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,000 rpm. On the EX-L and Touring models, the V-6 generates the same horsepower at slightly fewer revs and a little more torque, measuring 244 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 245 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,900 rpm. Fuel economy ratings are 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway for the LX and EX models and 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway for the EX-L and Touring models. Our review vehicle, an Odyssey Touring, averaged 19.1 mpg in mixed driving.

Standard safety equipment on the 2009 Honda Odyssey includes dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for the front seat occupants, and side-curtain airbags for outboard occupants in all three rows of seats that remain inflated for an extended period of time depending on information from the Odyssey’s rollover sensors. Additionally, the Odyssey comes standard with four-wheel-disc ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and Brake Assist; stability control; and traction control.

Every Odyssey is made to adhere to the tenets of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) philosophy, which includes a structure designed to deflect crash energy away from occupants combined with improved compatibility with external elements of various sizes and shapes, such as pedestrians and other vehicles. However, if a buyer wants Bluetooth cell phone pairing technology for safer, hands-free communication, the pricey EX-L or Touring trim level is a requirement. And to gain access to parking sensors, an enhanced tire pressure monitoring system, and Michelin PAX run-flat tire technology, buyers must select the most expensive Touring trim level.

J.D. Power and Associates says the 2009 Honda Odyssey competes against other minivans such as the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona, Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna, and Volkswagen Routan.