Test drive Honda Stream 2003 - 2006 Minivan

Honda Stream car overview

General
Recently, Honda Stream (stream) has taken away almost all buyers - Toyota Wish (Wesh). If you recall the records of giant sales for several years from the start of launch, we can say that Stream made more than a sufficient contribution to the development of Honda. However, Honda could not silently observe how Wish is sold in such volumes, and for this reason, exactly three years after launch on sale, that is, this fall, Stream was first undergoing a large partial modernization. At first glance, it seems that the new Stream received only the modernization of appearance, but in fact, its content was comprehensive and significant, in accordance with what the company itself says: it is very close to the complete change of the model.
I will say about the change in internal and external equipment later, however, changes in the construction of the body also go beyond the limits of partial modernization. For example, the opened part of the rear door, the roof arc and other areas, and in the new modification of Absolute, have been significantly strengthened. In addition, due to the new design of the front seats and pillows, the stability of planting increases and fatigue decreases. A 2-liter I-VTEC type engine operating on poor mixtures is replaced by the usual of the same type. At the same time, the size of the catalyst was reduced, which made it possible to equip a flat floor not only on the previous model with a 1.7-liter engine, but also on all other modifications.
 
Exterior and interior
In appearance, the front headlights with convex caps are striking, reminiscent of the headlights of the Honda Fit model. But in fact, almost all the details of the front are replaced. In addition, the headlights and the back of the door were subjected to changes in the back. Previously, it was attracted to the fact that everything from the front to the specific rear headlights was combined with the lines of the side windows, most attracting the eyes in Stream, but now, frankly, such a feeling of unity was somewhat weakened. Now there are so many straps around that in order to significantly change the image of the model while maintaining the main body design, I had to go to such changes.
The interior, basically, remained the same, with the exception of the above -mentioned front seats, but the panel trimmed with aluminum, switching handles, dashboard, etc. Bought a new design. If the manufacturers have made so much effort, I would like, as in Wish, the number of operations for folding the third row of seats was reduced from two to one, but this will be expected with the full change of the model.
 
Performance
The ABSOLUTE modification, which has also received a sustainable reputation for Odyssey, is a brand in which, so to speak, the aspiration of Honda developers is invested, like Type R in sports models. Namely, Stream Absolute (having only a 1.7-liter engine) is not just a cheap option in which sports tires and fairings were attached to the base model. Detailed measures were taken to strengthen the body: the rear cross was added, the floor was strengthened, the joints between the middle racks and the roof were reinforced, the closed section of the front frame was used. This is such thoroughness that when we look at this from the side, we say: why reach this, making another modification?. In addition, special suspension and brake options are used, and the chassis is made so that they are completely different from the basic modification of Stream. In fact, Stream Absolute is moving great in sports. And yet, the sharp shocks that are characteristic of the sports modification of the previous Stream and the Odyssey Absolute model of the old generation are softened, and flexibility has been added. Perhaps this is caused by increased body stiffness and progress in the technology of suspension adjustment. However, the author, who is already in the fourth ten, really thinks: does Stream need all this?. It seems that if the author will buy Stream, he will choose a regular 2.0-liter modification more flexible and comfortable, as well as allowing to feel more than sufficient sports.
Of course, Absolute is a very good job that allows you to feel the energy of the developers. But the chassis of the usual advanced Stream also has a high degree of completeness, which is not inferior to the Toyota Wish model to its sworn enemy. In addition, this time the noise level is reduced, and even with diverse use at high speeds, as is appropriate for Honda, with the help of 5-speed automatic transmission, the voltage is not felt at all. Probably, in order to completely dump Wish three years after the birth of Stream, a complete change of model is necessary. But it is clear that now the performance of Stream is still of higher quality - at least in design.
 
 

 

Source: CarView.co.jp