All New Honda Stream

Second generation Honda Stream

Honda announced the release of an all-new Stream. Featuring a low-floor platform, the new Stream combines stylish compact exterior with a comfortable interior and powerful driving performance. With a low overall height of 1,545mm*, the new Stream has a modern dynamic look and fits conveniently into most restricted-height mechanical parking lots. The new Stream will go on sale from Friday, July 14 at Honda automobile dealers throughout Japan.

The new, second-generation Stream is a 7-passenger car with the versatility and functionality to make getting around a true pleasure. Along with its vibrant, low-slung styling, it delivers total comfort and a feeling of integration wherever the driver and passengers come in contact with the vehicle - whether getting in and out, steering, throttle response, or changing the seat arrangements.

Body frame rigidity has been enhanced for improved driving performance, and the front sub-pillars have been eliminated to attain a significant increase in visibility. The floor design has also been significantly improved to create a flat foot area from corner to corner and a significantly lower floor for the third row of seats. These innovations mean improved passenger comfort as well as a lower center of gravity for superior handling. Both powerplants - the newly developed 2.0l i-VTEC engine with CVT and the 1.8l i-VTEC engine with 5-speed automatic transmission - deliver powerful, smooth driving performance from low-to-mid speeds.

The sporty RSZ, available in both 2.0-liter and 1.8-liter versions, comes equipped with 17-inch aluminum wheels and a custom-tuned suspension for extra driving enjoyment. The RSZ's custom aerodynamic parts, black interior, and other attractive design features combine to enhance the car's sporty driving image.

All models have earned Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport certification as Low-Emissions Vehicles, with emission levels 75% lower than those required by 2005 standards, while the front-wheel-drive models exceed Japanese government fuel economy standards for 2010 by 10%.

The new Stream is also available with the most advanced Honda safety technologies, including IHCC** (Intelligent Highway Cruise Control), which controls vehicle speed and distance to the car ahead to reduce the burden on the driver, and CMBS2 (Collision Mitigation Brake System) + E-pretensioners2, which uses millimeter wave radar technology to detect the possibility of a collision and then help avoid or reduce the force of the collision.

* 4WD model height is 1,570mm (micro antenna excluded from both measurements).
** Available as a factory option on all FWD models

Key Features of the New Stream

Styling

The new Stream’s dynamic styling features an agile, low-slung form that expresses functional beauty reminiscent of a coupe.

• The low overall ride height imparts a vibrant aesthetic, while the sporty, dynamic exterior design belies the utility of the extra third row of seating.
• The RSZ boasts an even more sporty image thanks to its custom aerodynamic parts.
• Packaging
• The comfortable interior breathes relaxation and quality from every nook and cranny.
• The wheelbase has been increased by 20mm1 and the pedal layout adjusted to increase the tandem distance between the second and third row seats by 30mm1, giving more room to third-row passengers .
• The side sill has been redesigned to obtain an extra 20mm1 of width for passengers in the first and second rows. For the third row, the use of a slim fuel tank permits a lower floor, while the reduced cross section in the rear frame results in more width. The adoption of a separate rear frame and floor panel construction allows for a floor flat all the way out to its edges on both sides.
• The floor tunnel has been eliminated for a significant gain in leg room. Exhaustive efforts to remove even minor bumps and gradations in the floor overall result in a completely flat floor that creates a relaxing space, no matter where the passenger is sitting.

1: Honda calculations. All comparisons are with the previous model.

Interior

The new Stream’s interior combines a sporty driving environment with a refined, modern quality.

• The instrument panel features two oversized meters positioned for easy viewing, along with a center panel angled toward the driver for enhanced ease of use. The internal configuration of the instrument panel has been made more compact to secure more room for the driver’s legs, while the portion of the dashboard on the passenger’s side employs soft materials to give the passenger a heightened feeling of security.
• The instruments and center-console cup holders are finished with ring-shaped metal rims to impart a modern feel. Blue lighting at night creates a change from daytime ambience.
• A telescopic tilt steering wheel and seat height adjuster allow the driver to find just the right driving position.

Utility

The new Stream’s simple, easy utility features are designed for maximum ease of use.

• The seat mechanisms are designed for easy operation. The second-row seat is equipped with an easy-to-use walk-in slide mechanism that allows third-row passengers to enter the vehicle comfortably, while both the second- and third-row seatbacks can be folded down for increased luggage space.
• A variety of storage compartments are located around the cockpit and for each of the three rows of seating. Shape, volume, and positioning of the compartments have been designed for maximum ease of use.
• The luggage area features two separate, lidded compartments left and right, for greater versatility to suit a variety of uses.

Powertrain

The intelligent powertrains deliver strong acceleration and near-perfect linear response.

• Newly developed 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine and 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine.
• The i-VTEC system further improves on Honda’s original VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) technology to allow the engine to retard intake valve closure timing under low engine-load driving conditions. Valve control is complemented by a DBW (Drive By Wire) system that provides optimum throttle valve control, significantly reducing pumping losses. This results in greater energy efficiency, for a major improvement in fuel economy while cruising. At the same time, improved intake efficiency and a higher compression ratio create ample low-range torque, while comprehensive friction reduction measures and precise air-fuel ratio control result in outstanding fuel economy.
• Both engines achieve excellent fuel economy of 14.8km/l2, exceeding Japanese government fuel economy standards for 2010 by 10%3, along with outstanding exhaust emission performance certified by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as being 75% lower than that required by 2005 standards.
• The increased energy efficiency of the i-VTEC variable valve timing control system is further enhanced by a 3-stage variable-length intake manifold on the newly developed 2.0-liter engine to deliver torquey performance at all engine speeds, while the 1.8-liter engine employs a variable-length intake manifold that optimizes intake ram effect.
• 2.0-liter models are equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with torque converter4. The torque converter delivers powerful, snappy off-the-line performance to go with the CVT’s smooth, seamless acceleration.
• 1.8-liter models come with a 5-speed automatic transmission that takes advantage of the engine’s performance characteristics to achieve both powerful acceleration and outstanding fuel economy. The upgrade to a 5-speed transmission from the previous Stream’s 4-speed transmission permits both a wider overall range of gearing and closer gear ratios.
• The RSZ comes equipped with a paddle shifter with intelligent control. Operating the paddle shifter when the transmission is in Drive automatically flips the transmission into manual mode. The transmission then detects driving conditions, paddle-shifter and throttle operation to automatically return to auto mode, so anyone can enjoy carefree, sporty shifting. What’s more, the RSZ (2.0l FWD) with CVT also comes with a 7-speed manual-shift mode to make the most of the CVT’s remarkable shifting freedom. Intelligent shift control captures the driver’s sensibility more faithfully than ever.