The 2018 Honda Legend has been introduced in Japan, where it is available in a sole Hybrid EX variant priced at 7,074,000 yen (RM257,596), including an 8% consumption tax. If the flagship sedan for Japan looks awfully familiar, that is because you’re thinking of the Acura RLX.

The new Legend is basically the same thing as the American-made model, and features the same revised styling. On the outside, there’s a new pentagon-shaped grille accompanied by Jewel Eye headlights, a sculpted bonnet, new front bumper, new LED taillights, rear diffuser and chrome exhaust finishers.

On the inside, improved materials are used for various parts of the cabin along with new trim colours. Aside from that, the layout is unchanged from before, but there are now Honda logos in place of the Acura ones – including on the exterior.

Under the bonnet, you’ll find the same Sport Hybrid Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (Sport Hybrid SH-AWD) powertrain. The system is made up of a direct-injection 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine that makes 314 PS at 6,500 rpm and 371 Nm of torque at 4,700 rpm.

This is supplemented by a three electric motors – one for each rear wheel while the third is integrated within the seven-speed DCT automatic transmission. The total system output is rated at 382 PS and 463 Nm, with the sedan providing a fuel economy of up to 16.4 km/l (JC08).

Honda also improved the chassis by expanding the use of adhesives, and tuned the suspension to deliver better ride and handling. The carmaker also added its Honda Sensing suite, which includes a range of active safety and driver assist functions – Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with automatic emergency braking, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow, among others.