Honda Step WGN Gets Refreshed Look, More Tech For 2018

Khodrocar - For those who love the Honda Odyssey but yearn for a bit more room and crazy Japanese features like a Waku Waku Gate (yes it’s a real thing, we’ll explain in a bit), we present the Step WGN. Unfortunately, unless you live in Japan you won’t be able to buy this quirky-yet-cool family machine, but it’s still worth checking out because, well, look at it.

The Step WGN entered the Japanese market in the mid-1990s, with the current model getting a complete makeover in 2015. For this mid-cycle refresh, the not-quite-a-mini van gets an updated face in the form of a new grille and front fascia with LED head lights. The tail gate spoiler is also tweaked to add a bit more sport in the design. On the green side, Spada models get Honda’s dual-motor sport hybrid system, while all hybrids get new suspension tuning. Honda Sensing safety systems are also now available as standard equipment across all Step WGN models.

Power wise, Honda offers a 1.5-liter turbocharged mill for the entire lineup, save for the Spada Hybrid which gets a 2.0-liter engine to run with its electric motors. Front-wheel drive is standard with all-wheel drive available, all controlled through a CVT automatic.

Right now, one might be wondering why this oddly proportioned van would be an option over the much-loved Odyssey. In case you can’t tell by its shape, the Step WGN is bigger, with better accommodations for eight passengers. It’s so big that Honda offers a wheelchair accessible model right from the factory, and then there’s the Waku Waku Gate, which is a Japanese expression for "exciting.

The new Honda Step WGN is now available in Japan, with prices starting at ¥2,455,920 or $21,830 in U.S. dollars.