It was previewed at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2024; now, a full year later, the sixth-gen Honda StepWGN e:HEV hybrid is open for booking in Indonesia ahead of a GIIAS 2025 launch. No price nor details yet; we’re sure more will be revealed as July 24 creeps closer.
Japan has Air, Spada and Spada Premium Line variants. Confusingly, the car we saw at GIIAS last year (below) was badged a Spada but wearing the Premium Line’s 17-inch multi-spoke wheels (perhaps the Premium Line badge was omitted for some reason). The car in the photo above is definitely a Spada, with those 16-inch alloys and a grille that’s bigger and flashier than the Air’s.
Anyhow, the StepWGN e:HEV gets an Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system similar to that seen on the Civic e:HEV and CR-V e:HEV. A 145 PS/175 Nm 2.0 litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine largely generates electricity for a 184 PS/315 Nm electric motor to drive the wheels, but the ICE can provide direct drive via a lock-up clutch at higher speeds for better efficiency.
It’s a very practical seven-seater – the second row can move sideways and slide fore and aft, and the third-row seats can be stowed into the floor for a flat boot. Power doors on both sides, of course, but the funky Waku Waku Gate (a tailgate with a small sideways-opening door for rear passengers to Step into the WGN) – first introduced in 2015 – is sadly no more.
Honda StepWGN e:HEV previewed at GIIAS 2024
