Honda Odyssey L
Honda combined six- or seven-seat space with a low floor, ordinary hinged doors and a sedan-style front-engine chassis.
1996 Honda Odyssey RA1.jpg · TTTNIS · CC0 1.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
The first Odyssey was announced on 20 October 1994 and went on sale the next day. The L grade sat at the top of the launch range and could be ordered with either six captain-chair seats or seven bench-seat places. The exact RA1 identity fixes this candidate to front-wheel drive, not the similarly styled RA2 Real Time 4WD.
Look a little closer.
The first Odyssey used ordinary hinged rear doors rather than the sliding doors most people now expect on a minivan.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
RA1 versus RA2 is the drivetrain boundary
Honda’s specification matrix pairs E-RA1 with FF and E-RA2 with 4WD across S and L grades. An exterior photograph usually cannot prove the type code, so captions should not infer RA1 solely from body appearance.
Source: Honda Fact Book — 1994 Odyssey full specifications ↗Low-floor space without a van-like powertrain
Honda placed the engine transversely at the front and developed a compact rear in-wheel double-wishbone suspension. That protected third-row room while keeping the floor and overall height low enough for sedan-like entry and road manners.
Source: Honda — New Odyssey launch release ↗A four-speed automatic tuned for passenger load
The launch control logic extended fuzzy shift selection into second gear on climbs and selected lower ratios for descents and urban deceleration. The aim was better gear choice as passengers and luggage changed, not simply adding more ratios.
Source: Honda — New Odyssey launch release ↗Where these facts come from
- Honda — New Odyssey launch release
- Honda Fact Book — 1994 Odyssey full specifications
- Honda Fact Book — 1994 Odyssey engine and chassis notes
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 2, 2026.