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The Honda Odyssey is the best choice for Honda fans looking for a minivan to take around the US. The Japanese minivan options are much more varied, with models like the adorable N-Box N-Van, the subcompact Freed is the JDM version. Odyssey , and the boxy Step WGN.
Today’s focus is on the Step WGN, as there is a brand new model in Japan. It looks as quirky and boxy as ever, but it is still upright and compact like its predecessors. The 2022 Step WGN offers three models: the Air, Spada and Spada Premium Line.
The new Step WGN has lost one of its most amusing features. The original three-way tailgate was a fun feature of the new Step WGN. The 2022 model has a simpler design and the door opens upwards. The original version featured two asymmetric doors that opened sideways and could be opened in one piece upwards. It was known as the Waku Waku Gate. This literally means “pleasing” or “thrilling”.
Honda stated that the Step WGN’s other body made it longer, wider and taller. Honda chose a minimalist exterior, with more upright angles. There are also fewer lines. The Air model features rectangular headlights and a slim grille with minimal brightwork. The Spada Premium Line has more chrome, a bigger grille, tailgate spoiler and a deeper front pron.
The interior is what makes the Step WGN stand out. The interior is spacious and offers ample headroom. Large windows also make the van brighter thanks to its larger body. The dashboard at the front follows Honda’s straighter look in the all new HR-V, and Civic. The center stack is dominated by a large floating screen. There’s also a shelf above the glove box. The Step WGN’s digital instrument cluster is like most cars today.
The second row of Step WGN is made up of two captain’s chairs. These seats, unlike most others, can be moved side-to-side from forward and back. Honda claims that this allows the second-row seat to be more in front of parents so they can reach their children easily. Both the third and second-row seats can also be reclined flat to make a bed.
Honda has not yet revealed powertrain specifications. It will be available in hybrid and non-hybrid models. Honda’s latest hybrid e-HEV drive system is available for the gas-electric model. The hybrid Step-WGN uses a push-button selector for the gears, while the nonhybrid uses an ordinary lever.
Honda is unlikely to make a Step WGN left-hand drive model. It is unlikely that this model will be exported outside of Japan. It could, at most, be offered in Hong Kong or Macau, much like the previous model.