thanks for the most informative info, Caviller! I will probably be the first to say this on this site, but I think I'm glad I now own a '01 and am not waiting for '02. Most often I have a 9 yr old in the rear, a near 5 yr old in a booster w/ reg. seatbelt (latched) in the rear, and two rear-facing infants in the middle. I don't think I need/want side airbags. SO often both my girls are asleep in the back, leaning against the side, and I would be worrying about the safety of sensors, are they working, etc. By the time I buy my next Odyssey, there will be (I hope) 10 more years of research on their safety.