Initially appearing to be an Indonesian oddity, the Honda StepWGN is looking increasingly more likely to be offered to the remainder of Southeast Asia, having been teased in Thailand ahead of the country’s Motor Expo on November 28. The mid-size MPV, still CBU fully imported from Japan, is ready to battle rivals similar to the C28 Nissan Serena e-Power.
As per its home market, the StepWGN will probably be offered exclusively in e:HEV hybrid form – presumably the identical 2.0 litre version as Indonesia. There, the automotive is powered by a 184 PS/315 Nm electric motor, with the 145 PS/175 Nm petrol engine acting as a generator and performing occasional driving duties at higher speeds due to a clutch.
For the uninitiated, the StepWGN is in its sixth generation, with the newest version being the primary to be offered officially in Thailand since 2012. It incorporates a clean, boxy design that dispenses with its predecessor’s cool Waku Waku Gate tailgate-integrated side-opening door.
The horizontal design theme continues inside with a straight bottom window line that runs throughout the automotive, improving outward visibility. The seven seats are configured in a 2-2-3 configuration, with the second-row captains chairs available with ottomans and in a position to be slid all the way in which forwards and back. The raised third row is split 50:50 and may, in fact, be stowed into the boot floor to create a flat load bay.
Expect the StepWGN to be priced around the identical level because it is in Indonesia, where it retails at 629,000,000 rupiah (RM115,800/1,221,000 baht). That may put it below its also imported-from-Japan rivals similar to the Serena, which costs a whopping 1,690,000 baht (RM215,900).
Could the StepWGN be coming to Malaysia next? Honda Malaysia is actually not shy to usher in Japanese-market models, including the previous-generation Odyssey. Nonetheless, the automotive will probably be up against more serious competition over here, as the brand new Serena (any minute now, ETCM) is predicted to be CKD locally assembled and thus cheaper.
GALLERY: Honda StepWGN at GIIAS 2025
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
