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SAN DIEGO – Designing a better minivan, arguably the market’s most practical vehicle, is a task akin to building a better mousetrap: difficult, if not impossible.

But Honda Motor Co. Ltd. mostly pulls it off with the new ’11 Odyssey, which retains the features minivan owners love but boasts a few “surprise-and-delight” additions.

While plenty has changed from the outgoing model, immediately noticeable is the ’11 Odyssey’s “lightning bolt” beltline, a design cue Honda says “distinguishes” the vehicle’s profile.

It’s distinguishing all right, but perhaps not in the way Honda intended. The risky design, which looks as if two different vehicles were slammed together, is disconcerting. But that doesn’t mean it won’t appeal to the younger buyers the auto maker is targeting.

Another potentially alienating styling element is the exposed rail system for the sliding doors, long a feature of Honda minivans. This is more than a design cue, however; it actually serves a practical purpose.

With most other minivans, the rail, and the motor for the sliding door, is hidden along the lower edge of the side rear window. But Honda contends this layout interferes with shoulder room and requires third-row windows to be narrower, a compromise the auto maker was unwilling to make.

While unsightly, Honda’s decision to position the rail lower on the body for better passenger comfort is the correct one, a triumph of function over form that’s critical in this market segment.

The interior is decked out in quality materials but is a bit cluttered. Switches are easy to reach and operate, although there are too many of them and they are scattered about in a visually unappealing way.