The is a seven- or eight-seat minivan originally sold in Japan as a competitor to the Toyota Alphard and the Nissan Elgrand. The Honda LaGreat, marketed in the United States as the Honda Odyssey, featured popular styling but was considered impractical in Japan due to its relatively large dimensions. The Elysion was designed with styling cues from the LaGreat but made smaller to be competitive in the Japanese market.

The Elysion was introduced to the Chinese market in June 2012. Japanese production ceased in October 2013, but the model continues to be manufactured and sold in China. Honda derived the vehicle name from Elysium, the paradise of classical Greek mythology.

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First generation (RR; 2004)

The first-generation Elysion was previewed at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show as the "ASM" concept, and went on sale on 13 May 2004. A mild restyle was introduced on 29 September 2005, adding Aero and VG Premium trim levels. On 13 January 2006, the G Aero HDD Navi and VG HDD Navi Aero editions were introduced. A further styling revision was made on 21 December 2006, accompanied by an interior update.

The Elysion was offered with either a 2.4-litre DOHC direct-injection K24A with i-VTEC producing , or a 3.0-litre SOHC J30A V6 with i-VTEC producing . The V6 was also available with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). The top-spec Prestige model used the J35A V6 from the Honda Legend, producing with the option of all-wheel drive; all-wheel-drive variants had power reduced to .

Concept The Elysion was first shown as the Honda ASM concept at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show and entered production approximately six months later with revised headlights, a redesigned front grille, and updated interior trim. It was officially launched for the Japanese domestic market in mid-2004.

Safety The Elysion body structure combines high-rigidity steel with Honda G-Con technology and a double-platform floor with a low centre of gravity.

The top-specification VZ model is equipped with an intelligent highway cruise control (IHCC) system and a collision mitigation sensor (CMS) using front-mounted millimetre-wave radar to warn the driver of an imminent collision, automatically pre-tensioning the seatbelts and priming the brakes. The radar also provides a night-vision display of objects ahead on the vehicle's 8-inch navigation screen. Additional safety equipment includes ABS, vehicle stability assist (VSA), traction control, sideslip control, and adaptive front-lighting system (AFS) with projector HID headlights.

Powertrain The 2.4-litre i-VTEC K24A produces and of torque, sharing its specification and gearing with the contemporary Odyssey. The 3.0-litre V6 J30A uses VCM to deactivate three cylinders on one bank under light load, with a dashboard ECO indicator illuminating during three-cylinder operation.

All first-generation Elysion models are fitted with ventilated disc brakes at all four corners with ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD).

Trims and specifications Six trim levels are available, along with two special Aero HDD editions. Three 2.4-litre front-wheel-drive trims are offered: M, G, and X. Three 3.0-litre front-wheel-drive trims are also available: VG, VX, and VZ. Four-wheel drive is an option on all models.

Chinese market Honda announced the introduction of the Elysion to the Chinese market in 2012. The vehicle was launched on 7 June 2012 with a 2.4-litre i-VTEC K24Z5 engine and five-speed automatic transmission, assembled locally by Honda's Chinese joint venture Dongfeng Honda. It was positioned as a corporate people-mover.

Second generation (RC; 2015)

Previewed by the Honda Concept M at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, the second-generation Elysion for the Chinese market is based on the fifth-generation Odyssey. It was unveiled at the Guangzhou Auto Show on 20 November 2015 and launched on 9 January 2016. It is longer and lower than the first generation.

The second-generation Elysion is produced and sold exclusively in China by Dongfeng Honda, where it was sold alongside the fifth-generation Odyssey produced by Guangqi Honda.

A hybrid variant went on sale in September 2019, featuring a revised front grille and bumper. The model received a facelift in December 2021, with the hybrid variant redesignated the e:HEV Sport Hybrid.

References

External links Official website (China)