New 5th Generation Honda Stepwagon

[Acidz]

Hi Acidz,

It's a combi...but I can't remember the model liao :P

 

Thanks :) Found the model - it's a Combi Joytrip.

[Stepwgn2015]

 

Oh Stepwgn2015 , have not congratulated you yet...congrats!

Thanks Blooper77!

[Stepwgn2015]

Today I "accidentally" used more strength on my right foot and went past 3k RPM... Very smooth and quick response!

Odyssey (old model) beside me was trying to keep up.

No turbo lag at all!

 

Car is very stable, but bumpy, compared to my previous Wish (which was on 18" rims)...

Noise level...I can't compare cos my previous car was sound proofed on 5 doors.

Also need some adjustment to get used to the ride height...I got a shock looking at the passenger of the van beside me in the eye.....usually cannot see....

 

Grand Picasso

Just on the side note:

Sometimes I drive a Grand Picasso and Grand Picasso actually drives more car like. Very pliant and planted, with little body roll and absorbs bumps really well. But got big problem with the gear box....its like a manual gear trying to be auto...but doing really bad job.

If you try to floor the accelerator of the GP from start, the car will almost stall. Because you did not hit the biting point first...So only way is to step partially just before biting point then wack...But its supposed to be auto...

But consumption of GP diesel is easily 17+, 18 any day and beyond 3rd gear, its all really smooth and nice.

 

 

 

[Blooper77]

Stepwagon2015. Glad u are enjoying your new ride.

 

Good to hear it's got no turbo lag too.

 

Heard that Diesel engine wear out faster especially in start stop traffic like sg.if u cruising all the time on NS highway then ok...

[Nightjar]

Today I went to Tuas and back via the PIE and AYE. At 90kmph the rpm was about 1900, very little engine noise. I stayed mostly in lane 2, only used lane 1 for passing. There were many big trucks, goods vans and trailers using lane 2 as if it's their default lane, so quite a lot of passing to do. But overtaking those travelling at 90kmph is effortless as the turbo engine is responsive.

[Vinljp]

Are you done with a tank of petrol? Or not even half? Hee...

 

Do share with us your fuel efficiency.

Seems like you travel much on expressway?

 

Today I went to Tuas and back via the PIE and AYE. At 90kmph the rpm was about 1900, very little engine noise. I stayed mostly in lane 2, only used lane 1 for passing. There were many big trucks, goods vans and trailers using lane 2 as if it's their default lane, so quite a lot of passing to do. But overtaking those travelling at 90kmph is effortless as the turbo engine is responsive.

[Nightjar]

Are you done with a tank of petrol? Or not even half? Hee...

 

Do share with us your fuel efficiency.

Seems like you travel much on expressway?

 

 

I'm into my second tank this week but the first tank was like 3 quarter tank rather than full tank.

 

When I took delivery of the car the odometer showed 39km and the average fc shown on the meter was 4.4 km per litre. Really don't know what they did with my car to result in this poor fc figure. After using for one day covering 50km it became 9.5 kmpl. Then at the end of the 3 quarter tank the fc became 11.5 kmpl. I think this figure is somewhat dragged down by the initial high consumption of 4.4 kmpl.

 

I don't travel much on PIE & AYE. Today is special. Anyway I should be able to report a better fc at the end of the 2nd tank of petrol.

[Blooper77]

Nice to hear more about engine performance

 

btw who is next on this list to get his ride?

 

 

Time to update the list:

1) Philosurfer - Blue
2) bb1314 - Purple
3) Vinljp - Purple
4) Blooper77- Grey
5) Edix3x2 - white
6) Stepwgn2015 - white
7) Nightjar - white

Did I missed anyone?

 

[Porche]

Went to see this car, huge ride. But price may as well get a harrier if i have that kind of money

Went to see this car, huge ride. But price may as well get a harrier if i have that kind of money

[Blooper77]

I think harrier is 5 seater right?

 

People who buy Stepwagon got a lot of cargo to carry around.human cargo...

[Stepwgn2015]

Harrier and Stepwagon not exactly same category leh...

 

I was initially considering Sorento. Super solid build quality.

But although its third row is much bigger now, access to it is not possible when 2nd row is occupied by child seats....

Like my previous Wish....my helper had to access third row though the boot.

 

I suppose when you have 3 kids, need to be more pragmatic :)

[Chillipadi]

Like everyone else, I'm also looking out for a suitable successor to my 2.0L Edix. Went to the respective showrooms and tried the usual suspects, Stepwagon, Biante, M5, Esquire, Noah & Voxy.

 

My family of 4's personal requirement requires 2 child seats to be mounted on second row and 1 adult to sit between the 2 child seats. No child seat in front seat (due to airbag) or 3rd row (unless ample 'boot' space). Adult (wife) needs to care for baby in second row. Occasionally, 2 more adults (parents) will need to be ferried. This is unique to my family and may be different from your needs.

 

My take on the above MPVs.

 

2nd row seats

Only certain models have bench seats for 2nd row which will rule out certain models or variants. Biante is most suitable as it has the widest and most comfortable center seat on 2nd row. Captain seats are out. Stepwagon is too narrow at 1.7m width compared to Biante's 1.77m body width. Biante can split center bench to 2 'captain seats' if required to have an access lane to 3rd row without folding or sliding 2nd row seats.

 

3rd row seats

Stepwagon's rear seats are easy to keep and folds flat to form boot space. M5 is the same as well but smaller than Stepwagon. Toyota triplets are usually 2 seats folded upwards to the side which may rattle once the spring is loose. Biante's rear bench 3 seater seats cannot fold flat but it folds and slides forward as much as you want it to go. It shares the same sliding rail as the second row seats which is the only MPV with that sliding rail system. Its a like it or not thing. So technically, you can reduce some leg room for 2nd row and 3rd row to have decent boot space which double up as safety crumple zone for rear collision.

 

Special features

Stepwagon's waku waku door is great. A plus point. Trays and cup holders on Stepwagon is very generous. Biante has only 2 cup holder for front passengers and no tray. Biante's cockpit view is airy and clear. Stepwagon is a little cramped.

 

Engine

2.0L vs 1.5L TC. No comments on engine performance as I did not test drive. 1.5L TC has $5000 CEVS rebate which eats into PARF. Not a good thing in my opinion. Biante's i-Stop technology has a pricy 2nd battery that will need some attention during maintenance.

 

Price

Biante is most value for $ at 137k. Stepwagon price varies with variant from $138k-$148k (depending on COE options). Toyota triplets are more expensive than Biante.

 

X-factor

Was drawn to Stepwagon initially but Biante was my top choice after my window shopping. Toyota triplets are too 'normal' for my liking.

 

Currently there's no clear replacement for my Edix which has ample 2nd row space for 3 full sized adults. If I have to change, I'll make do with Biante.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Chillipadi

[Kteokteo]

wow Chillipadi very good analysis.

 

you got one more choice to choose now...i just happened to find out too.

Nissan Serena S-Hybrid. Think there was a brief mentioned in this thread earlier on a HK magazine comparing Honda/Nissan/Toyota. It is being brought in by T8 Gallery, interestingly...a member of Tan Chong Group. i guess this will give people assurance on warranty & servicing. I read a review by a Malaysian auto review, the hybrid implementation is a little different from those of Toyota and Honda. Quite simple and don't see lots of electronics related to it. Don't use those huge batteries like Toyota or Honda.

The pricing looks attractive.

 

http://www.stcars.sg/singapore-car/cars/nissan-serena-s-hybrid-11767/info

 

http://www.t8gallery.com.sg/

 

http://www.t8gallery.com.sg/about.aspx

 

http://paultan.org/2014/11/28/driven-2014-nissan-serena-s-hybrid/

 

 

 

 

 

[Stepwgn2015]

Just completed first tank...the odo says 12.8km/l...not sure if this is right? About 70% expressway.

 

BTW, the turbo roaring at 3k RPM is quite addictive...this is a pretty fun "bus" to drive :P

 

[Tonyking]

wow Chillipadi very good analysis.

 

you got one more choice to choose now...i just happened to find out too.

Nissan Serena S-Hybrid. Think there was a brief mentioned in this thread earlier on a HK magazine comparing Honda/Nissan/Toyota. It is being brought in by T8 Gallery, interestingly...a member of Tan Chong Group. i guess this will give people assurance on warranty & servicing. I read a review by a Malaysian auto review, the hybrid implementation is a little different from those of Toyota and Honda. Quite simple and don't see lots of electronics related to it. Don't use those huge batteries like Toyota or Honda.

The pricing looks attractive.

 

http://www.stcars.sg/singapore-car/cars/nissan-serena-s-hybrid-11767/info

 

http://www.t8gallery.com.sg/

 

http://www.t8gallery.com.sg/about.aspx

 

http://paultan.org/2014/11/28/driven-2014-nissan-serena-s-hybrid/

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Just booked a Nissan Serena S-Hybrid last Monday. I have driven this car last December while in Japan and was hoping that they will bring in to Singapore. The introduction of Spada certainly caused me to take another look, but in the end still book a Serena based on the following reasons:

 

1. Although T8 Automobile is a PI, it is wholly owned by Tan Chong Motors. So all servicing and warranty will be covered by Tan Chong. In fact T8 Automobile resides in Tan Chong Bukit Timah.

 

2. The 'S-Hybrid' Version. Nissan uses regenerative braking technology as a way to eke out extra gas mileage from a regular gasoline engine. Called the S-Hybrid -- standing for “simple and smart” -- the system features an upgraded version of the ECO stop-start motor found in current generation Serena minivans, which replaces the alternator found in conventional cars. Despite its name however, it is not a true hybrid system: the motor cannot provide any power to move the car along, only recapture it. Nor does it store energy in a large hybrid battery pack. Under braking, the engine stops and the ECO motor engages to generate electricity that recharges a pair of 12-Volt batteries. The generated power is then used as required by the car to run its 12-volt accessories and computer systems. So you dont have to worry about changing a real Hybrid battery that cost quite a fair bit. To put it in layman's term, there are 2 car batteries in this car. one for the car, and one for the all electrical components of the car. So when the car needs to move off, the ECO motor acts as a starter motor, restarting the gasoline engine and letting the car move away.

 

3. Forward Emergency Braking System. This system determines that the odds of collision is high, or that a collision will occur, the warning lamp and buzzer will urge the driver to take evasive action to avoid collision, and if in case the driver is unable to safely decelerate, the emergency brake will automatically apply to avoid or reduce the damage caused by collision.

 

4. Lane Departure Warning System. This technology assists in maintaining safety by alerting drivers when it detects that the car has strayed from its intended lane. The system recognizes the lane in which the car is traveling. When the driver unintentionally drifts out of the travelling lane, the system alerts the driver with a visual warning on the display and an audible signal.

 

5. Engine auto-stop systems. The system improves fuel economy by automatically stopping the engine when the car stops, and restarting it when the driver removes his or her foot from the brake. It utilizes the ECO Motor (Energy Control Motor) system. The ECO Motor is a setup where the engine is restarted directly via the belt. By using the belt system, the crank's coupling pulley is rotated directly, improving start time and reducing engine noise.

 

6. Availability of accessories and cheap spare parts from Malaysia. Although Singapore is selling the JDM version, there are many similarities to the CKD version that is sold in Malaysia. with the good exchange rate, I have just ordered rear spoilers, visors and rear bumper protector for a fraction of the price as compared to bring the parts in from Japan.

 

7. The Price. At the end of the day, for a PI / AD warranty car, the car still sells cheaper than Spada. And they are pretty aggressive in terms of giving me the best trade in price as compared to the PI I asked for the Spada, as well freebies. Maybe i think they are try to promote the model. I think I am the first few who made a purchase.

 

8. I think Serena is the only MPV that can configure the seat into either 7 or 8 seater. In fact it has 14 configuration to the seats arrangements. So based on my needs i can decide to configure it to be 7 or 8 seats.

 

Spada will remain in my mind one of the best designed and practical MPV. There are many areas Spada is better than Serena. At the end of the day, the 10 days I spent driving this car in Japan swing my decision to the purchase. I hoped to collect my car by end of October. Really hoped to have a meet up with the Spada owners here and we can admire each other ride and learn more.

 

 

[Tonyking]

Like everyone else, I'm also looking out for a suitable successor to my 2.0L Edix. Went to the respective showrooms and tried the usual suspects, Stepwagon, Biante, M5, Esquire, Noah & Voxy.

 

My family of 4's personal requirement requires 2 child seats to be mounted on second row and 1 adult to sit between the 2 child seats. No child seat in front seat (due to airbag) or 3rd row (unless ample 'boot' space). Adult (wife) needs to care for baby in second row. Occasionally, 2 more adults (parents) will need to be ferried. This is unique to my family and may be different from your needs.

 

My take on the above MPVs.

 

2nd row seats

Only certain models have bench seats for 2nd row which will rule out certain models or variants. Biante is most suitable as it has the widest and most comfortable center seat on 2nd row. Captain seats are out. Stepwagon is too narrow at 1.7m width compared to Biante's 1.77m body width. Biante can split center bench to 2 'captain seats' if required to have an access lane to 3rd row without folding or sliding 2nd row seats.

 

3rd row seats

Stepwagon's rear seats are easy to keep and folds flat to form boot space. M5 is the same as well but smaller than Stepwagon. Toyota triplets are usually 2 seats folded upwards to the side which may rattle once the spring is loose. Biante's rear bench 3 seater seats cannot fold flat but it folds and slides forward as much as you want it to go. It shares the same sliding rail as the second row seats which is the only MPV with that sliding rail system. Its a like it or not thing. So technically, you can reduce some leg room for 2nd row and 3rd row to have decent boot space which double up as safety crumple zone for rear collision.

 

Special features

Stepwagon's waku waku door is great. A plus point. Trays and cup holders on Stepwagon is very generous. Biante has only 2 cup holder for front passengers and no tray. Biante's cockpit view is airy and clear. Stepwagon is a little cramped.

 

Engine

2.0L vs 1.5L TC. No comments on engine performance as I did not test drive. 1.5L TC has $5000 CEVS rebate which eats into PARF. Not a good thing in my opinion. Biante's i-Stop technology has a pricy 2nd battery that will need some attention during maintenance.

 

Price

Biante is most value for $ at 137k. Stepwagon price varies with variant from $138k-$148k (depending on COE options). Toyota triplets are more expensive than Biante.

 

X-factor

Was drawn to Stepwagon initially but Biante was my top choice after my window shopping. Toyota triplets are too 'normal' for my liking.

 

Currently there's no clear replacement for my Edix which has ample 2nd row space for 3 full sized adults. If I have to change, I'll make do with Biante.

 

 

 

Maybe you can drop by T8 to test drive the Nissan Serena Highway Star. (Yes PI car but can test drive coz its subsidiary of Tan Chong) Its cheaper than any of the price listed here. (cheaper than the listed price, ask them for best price). The OMV is also higher than Biante and Spada. Hoped to see more Spada and Serena on the road!

Edited September 30, 2015 by Tonyking

[Chillipadi]

Its an interesting find for the Serena. Just by looking at the specs and photos, it is as narrow/wide (1695mm) as the Stepwagon. Center seat on 2nd row which can double up as arm rest for driver is good. But may be uncomfortable if used as a seat in second row with all the protrusions. Its just my personal preference to have a decent centre seat for 2nd row. Last row folds up like the Toyota triplets which I don't fancy. If OMV is high and price is low, its worth the consideration!

 

 

Maybe you can drop by T8 to test drive the Nissan Serena Highway Star. (Yes PI car but can test drive coz its subsidiary of Tan Chong) Its cheaper than any of the price listed here. (cheaper than the listed price, ask them for best price). The OMV is also higher than Biante and Spada. Hoped to see more Spada and Serena on the road!

 

[Tonyking]

Its an interesting find for the Serena. Just by looking at the specs and photos, it is as narrow/wide (1695mm) as the Stepwagon. Center seat on 2nd row which can double up as arm rest for driver is good. But may be uncomfortable if used as a seat in second row with all the protrusions. Its just my personal preference to have a decent centre seat for 2nd row. Last row folds up like the Toyota triplets which I don't fancy. If OMV is high and price is low, its worth the consideration!

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Yes purchasing of cars is definitely for each its own. It's a big ticket item and it must suits you and your family's needs. Just sharing my personal purchase here. Sorry if I have spent too much time sharing in a Spada's thread.

 

All the best to your car purchase!