The new Honda Odyssey minivan is more aerodynamic than the previous version thanks to several styling tweaks including a more rakish windshield.

But the overall design is controversial with the rear third of the vehicle mismatched with the front two-thirds giving the minvan the look of two vehicles welded together. The uneven side panels create a "lightening bolt" affect that actually started winning us over before our seven-day stint ended.

Honda says they exposed the sliding door track to create more rear-seat shoulder room. And we have to hand to Honda. It seems its designers made the track exceedingly big to show that it wasn't a mistake. The design also allowed a bigger window for third-row passengers, Honda says.

Inside the Odyseey can be purshased with such features as a wide-screen high-definition DVD player for rear-seat passengers.

Love it or hate it, you must admit Honda has created a "new look" for the traditional minivan.

MotorwayAmerica photos by Jim Meachen