Honda stole the 2013 New York International Auto Show

How do you improve upon one of the most acclaimed vehicles in America? You give it something not available anywhere else. Introduced at the New York International Auto Show, the 2014 Odyssey features a sleeker look, a full suite of hi-tech offerings, and the only in-car vacuum. That's right, the new Odyssey will offer an all-new vacuum—HondaVAC™—on the Touring Elite trim.

Yes, Honda stole the 2013 New York International Auto Show this week with a vacuum cleaner. A built-in vacuum cleaner, to be exact. Honda said the 2014 Odyssey minivan is now equipped with an integrated vacuum system, called the HondaVac. If the name seems familiar, it’s because the Honda version was developed with the experts at Shop-Vac, the folks who’ve saved your basement more than once.

Basically, it looks just like a hand-held vacuum, if one was designed to fit into a car. As Automobile explained it, “The vacuum canister is tucked into the driver’s side cargo area wall, as are a variety of nozzle attachments. Like most other Shop-Vac wet/dry vacs, the HondaVac boasts both a replacable filter and canister bag. The built-in vac doesn’t need to be plugged in or recharged, and can run for eight minutes off accessory power.”

If you start the engine, Automobile says, the HondaVac can run without interruption. The HondaVac is only available on the 2014 Odyssey Touring model, whose price hasn’t been announced. But the 2013 Touring Elite model starts just above $44,000, according to Honda’s Web site.

The new Odyssey Touring Elite will also include:

Updated Styling

- New grille, hood and fog lights
- Revamped headlights, and refreshed taillights with LED light bars
- New side mirrors, including an Expanded View Driver’s Mirror
- New wheel designs

Contemporary Convenience

- High-Definition (HD) Radio®
- 7" audio touch-screen
- HondaLink™, a new cloud-based system that provides access to different media programs, including Pandora®[1] and SMS text message function[2]
- Programmable Remote Entry System with Smart Entry and Push Button Start

Progressive Technology

- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)[3]
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)[4]

The Odyssey has long set the standard for what a van should be. With innovations like HondaVAC™, the 2014 Odyssey will raise the bar even higher when it goes on sale this summer. To keep up with all the latest Odyssey news, register for our emails and "Like" the Odyssey on Facebook.