Honda CR-V 2007 Review

By: Craig Rad
Compact Recreational Vehicle. This is the name which has given the acronym CR-V to one of Honda's most popular releases. And it is, indeed, both compact and fun to drive. For the past decade, the Honda CR-V has proved to be a reliable family car: affordable, spacious, without appearing too large, and, best of all, safe. The new, 2007 model, however, is taking these features to new lengths.

The CR-V 2007 is slightly wider and lower than its predecessor, which gives it an extra touch of stability in turns, and also shorter, mainly because the spare wheel is no longer attached to the back, as in the previous two generations.

The standard safety equipment included in the car is amazing: Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure on the front end, a total of six airbags (dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, front side airbags with passenger-side occupant position detection system, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor), active front-seat head restraints, stability control system, ABS, break assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System. This model has received a 5-star frontal and side impact rating from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This functionality-oriented crossover SUV has four doors and five seats, including a fold-and-tumble rear seat which can easily be adjusted to hold two child seats, for that ever-expending family. All the seats are equipped with three-point seatbelts.

The 166-hp, 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC 4 cilinder engine (10 hp more than the 2006 model), five speed automatic transmission, the MacPherson strut front suspension handles, the traction-enhancing Real Time 4-wheel drive, the Drive-by-wire throttle system, are all features which add up to ensure an increased sense of stability, while offering, at the same time, an amazing driving experience.

As Honda has already accustomed us to, the CR-V 2007 allows for reduced emissions, fuel economy and noise reduction, thanks to its trademark variable valve timing and lift electronic control, i-VTEC, and to its aerodynamic design.

Customers can choose from three models: the LX, the EX and the EX-L. For those in search of a more stylish look, the EX-L is the best choice, thanks to its leather trimmed seats and its optional navigation system equipped with a rear view video camera. The model comes in 10 colors, from the Taffeta White to the Nighthawk Black Pearl, to suite any driver's preferences and personality.

Although its competition, such as the Toyota RAV4, the Mazda CX-7 or the Hyundai Tucson, may offer either more space, a better driving experience or lower prices, Honda CR-V, especially the 2007 model, remains a top choice of the customers in search of all these features and extra safety guarantees.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


Source: http://www.flixya.com/post/anuwatt/23319/Honda_CR-V_2007_Review

Honda SA Launched its First Ever Diesel-Powered Honda CR-V

It was only recently that Honda SA has introduced its first diesel-powered model, the CR-V 2.2i-CTDi, which is powered by a 2.2 liter 16-valve engine that revs up 340 Nm of torque at 2,000r/min. This new addition to the CR-V range is claimed to consume only 6.5 liters of diesel on the combined cycle.

Likewise, the CR-Vs i-CTDi engine was also claimed to feature optimized combustion chambers linked to a continuously variable swirl control valve, a common rail, direct-injection diesel delivery system, variable nozzle turbocharger and water-cooled exhaust gas regulation (EGR) valve. This turbodiesel unit is said to provide a remarkable smoothness and refinement?attributed to the vibration-reducing technologies comprising of off-set cylinders, second-order balancer shaft, pendulum-type engine mountings and acoustic engine cover that are incorporated in the engine.

The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, and according to Honda the automaker that brought the world top-of-the-line Honda floor liner, the 2.2i-CTDi is capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in under 10.3 seconds and reach top speed of 187 km/h. In urban driving conditions, the diesel-powered CR-V has a fuel consumption figure of 8.11/100 km at a constant 100km/h and 5.71/100 km for out of town driving.

The new powerplant is also equipped with Real Time 4WD system, which engages when needed by transferring torque to the rear wheels as soon as the control unit senses the need for additional traction.

According to Honda SA Marketing Divisional Manager John Laurence, ?This derivative makes the perfect vehicle for people who are looking for the benefits of a diesel SUV, but are not willing to put up with the unrefined nature these types of vehicle have shown in the past."

The interior specifications of the new Honda CR-V includes front and rear parking sensors similar to those equipped on the RVSi model; Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) which is an add-on to the VSA that Corrects trailer swing by adjusting power and braking force to the wheels separately; ABS with EBD; dual-stage front-,side- and full length curtain airbags and active front head restraints make up the iCTDis safety package.

But the most unique feature of the diesel version Honda CR-V is the Double Deck?luggage configuration, which utilizes a shelf to divide the cargo bay into an upper and lower luggage area. It helps to hide items from snooping eyes especially when the retractable tonneau cover is not in use and at the same time it allows for neat piling and sub-division of luggage. With the Double Deck?it makes retrieval of items at the very bottom of the luggage easier.

To make access to items on the lower level much easier the shelf was hinged across the width. In the double deck mode, the shelf rests on a protruding edge formed by the luggage area side panels. It can also be reverted to a conventional arrangement by simply lifting the shelf out of the CR-V altogether.

Graham Eagle, Honda SAs General Manager of sales and Marketing said, We anticipate the turbodiesel-powered CR-V to attract conquest customers currently driving D-segment saloons, as well as those from the C/D SUV segment. In particular, it will meet the needs of those customers seeking premium-class cross-over vehicles."

The Honda CR-V 2.2 iCTDi is priced at R326 900. The price will also include a five-year/90,000 km service plan, a three year/100,000 km warranty, and one-year roadside assistance program.

Source: http://googlesyndicationurldtwscrs.blogspot.com/2007/08/honda-sa-launched-its-first-ever-diesel.html

The Niche The Honda CR-V Has

In over 160 countries spread all across the globe, the Honda CR-V is being sold and marketed. And in most of these markets, the Honda CR-V has already gained much fame and reputation as a vehicle that just takes on the challenge and works out real fine.

The version of the 2007 Honda CR-V is actually all part of the vehicles third generation. And it looks like there is no stopping the changes and the type of features that this vehicle is going to have. The engineers straight right out of the plants and facilities of the company do make sure that the vehicle holds the most capable Honda auto parts to outfit the vehicle and the performance driven engines that they could create. After all, the Honda CR-V is the brands compact sport utility vehicle that reaps in more sales for the company.

What would also be new for 2007 is that the Honda CR-V would now be coming in two variations. One would be the popular SUV type of vehicle. The other one, the new one, would be just like the usual however this one would be coming as a two wheel drive. Plus, the 2007 version would be coming with a total redesign. Plus, with a new sheet metal, the Honda CR-V would be coming with an even better drag coefficient. Its exterior has also been changed for you can notice the new and rounder shape. You would also see that the front end has gotten quite sharper and the headlamps have been made to be profiled.

But these are not the only things you would find quite desirable with the new Honda CR-V. If previous models had a rear door that opened at the side, you would now find that such a feature has been deleted. In its place, a liftgate was installed. Mitsuru Horikoshi is the head engine of Honda and on the changes done to the Honda CR-V, he says, Such a decision wasnt easy. The old rear door was also used to support the spare tire. So, we had to integrate it and we chose to place in the trunk, which allowed us to install the new liftgate.

Source: http://loewsalfjgnac.blogspot.com/2007/08/niche-honda-cr-v-has.html

2008 Honda Fit / Honda Jazz production spyshots

These are supposed to be a collection of scans from both officials brochures and magazines with spyshots of the upcoming 2008 Honda Jazz, which will most likely see the light of day as the JDM Honda Fit at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October this year.
Some will be relieved that the new Fit doesn't have the CR-V's double grille like the previous artist impressions of the car, though the double grille has kind of grown on most people I know even though they too thought it was a little awkward-looking at first.
Looking through the scans, it seems that the engine for the new Honda Jazz/Honda Fit is now called an i-VTEC engine. It comes in both 1.3 liter and 1.5 liter forms, with the 1.3 liter for the G and L trim levels, and the 1.5 liter motor reserved for the Fit RS. Power output is respectable and leads me to believe this might be derivatives of the new R-series 1.8 and 2.0 liter engine family. The 1.3 liter i-VTEC engine puts out a nice 100 PS at 6,000rpm and 127Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, while the 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine makes 120 PS at 6,600rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4,800rpm.
At the moment it's not very clear whether the new Jazz/Fit will have i-DSI technology or not, as i-DSI may have been integrated into this new small displacement i-VTEC family, or perhaps the i-DSI family still exists but to be used in non-JDM markets.

Source: http://paultan.org/archives/2007/08/28/2008-honda-fit-honda-jazz-production-spyshots/

Maruti Heads on with Honda Products

Maruti is trying to tighten its loose ends in SUV and in premium sedan segment. This New Delhi's one of the leading automobile manufacturers is also taking heads on with the products of Honda, this after sx4 that was launched against the city in premium sedan- now in SUV.
Maruti is ready to drive into another Honda defense structure after the sx4. Soon, it will launch its SUV which is the new grand Vitara to take on the Honda CRV. This happens to be Maruti's second experiment with the Vitara. It first launched the Vitara in 2003 but sold a menial 380, as compared to the Honda CRV, which has sold more than 7400 units since its launch in the same year. Even Hyundai Tuscon has sold 1626 units since its launch in 2005. Maruti hopes that the new 2 litre Vitara, which is priced between Rs 14-16 lakh, will bring home the numbers.
Maruti Udyog MD Jagdish Khattar said that it is small and compact and they are offering it with a price which will be very attractive.
The new grand Vitara, known as the Escudo in Japan, will be available in both the automatic and manual versions.
The new Honda CRV is a more powerful vehicle but it also comes with a heavy price tag of almost Rs 18 lakh.
Car enthusiasts along with analysts are interested to see if Maruti can win over customers with an aggressive pricing strategy.
About Maruti Udyog Limited
New Delhis' Maruti Udyog Limited is one of the leading automobile manufacturers in India as well as the market leader in the car segment, both in terms of volume of vehicles sold and revenue earned. It is a leading four-wheeler automobile manufacturer in South Asia and was the first company in India to massively produce and sell more than one million cars. And it is largely credited for having brought in an automobile revolution to India.
Though the actual production commenced in 1983, Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) was actually established in February 1981. It has produced more than 5 Million vehicles through 2004. Marutis are sold in India and various other countries, depending upon export orders. Suzuki in Pakistan and other South Asian countries sell cars similar to Marutis (but not manufactured by Maruti Udyog).
Yearly, the company exports more than 30,000 cars and has an extremely large domestic market in India selling over five hundred thousand cars annually. More than a million units of this car have been sold all over the world so far. Maruti Alto currently tops the sales charts.
As of May 10, 2007, Indian government sold its complete share to other financial institutions, making the government longer a stake holder in Maruti Udyog. About Honda
Honda is well known for its diverse line up of quality automobiles and car parts under Honda such as Honda CRX parts and Acura name plates, and for its motorcycles, ATVs, power products, marine engines, and personal watercraft
Tokyo Japan's Yuri Kageyama writing for the AP reported that Honda's car navigation system already takes the fastest route to a destination through avoiding traffic jams. Now, drivers will get information with regard earthquakes and warnings of heavy rainfall ahead on roads.
Shown to reporters in Wednesday, Honda Motor Co.'s service will be offered beginning with the redesigned Fit subcompact which is set to go on sale in Japan later this year. Executive Manabu Nishimae said that there are no plans so far to offer it overseas. He told the reporters that their company believes that information services are an essential part of a quality of a car.
Drivers pay mobile phone bills for relaying data, though the service is for free. For frequent users, data transmission cards for a set monthly fee of about $8 are available. Over 530,000 drivers use the current navigation service in Japan, and that figure is nearly 40 percent of Honda owners.
E-mail warnings with the latest upgrade will be sent to a pre-assigned address when car with the system is in an area of a strong earthquake. It is handy in a quake-prone nation like Japan. Icons of exclamation marks pop up on the monitor if heavy rain is forecast on a planned route.
Japan's No. 2 auto manufacturer and Honda Civic parts maker also upgraded its map system so that updates take just a few minutes to be downloaded. Disks with map data had to be changed up to now.
Based in Tokyo, Honda said that it found a way to compress data so that portions of a map, such as new roads, get relayed piecemeal. Furthermore, it said that driving time is cut on the average by 20 percent.
All the major automakers in the world offer car navigation services that include some that give guides to nearby restaurants. Not only that, some automatically calls ambulances in cases of accidents and connect to human operators.
One of the featured capabilities of Honda's system is that it collects information from individual Honda cars on the road. In the new earthquake notification service, for example, the system will be able to show which roads have been shut down.
General Manager Takeshi Imai said that this kind of detailed information could even tell drivers exactly which lane of a freeway is congested. He further said that Honda's telematics is already moving toward its next level

Source: http://riverside-honda.blogspot.com/2007/09/maruti-heads-on-with-honda-products.html

Button Opens Honda Score Sheet At Last

Jenson Button scored Honda's first point of the 2007 Formula One season in France on Sunday. After eight rounds into this year's season, the team finally secured their first point of the year, with eighth place for Button. The victory is a timely boost for the Briton prior to his home grand prix next weekend at Silverstone.

"It's not the point really, it's a relief to drive a car that feels good," Button said at Magny-Cours. This is a good starting point really for us... we've got the basics right, which is good." Button was a race winner for the first time in Hungary last August after 113 starts. Since then, Honda has suffered a gloomy season. Sunday's race was the Briton's first appearance in the top ten since he ended last year on a high with third place in the final race in Brazil.

"To finish six seconds behind the quickest Renault and not too far behind the BMWs is a good step forward, definitely, and something that we can really build on for future races," Button said. "I thought there was a possibility of a point but I didn't expect to be so close to those cars in front. It's not where we want to end up but it's a good step forward and that's what we needed. This point is very well deserved for the team and they should be happy with it for the moment."

Honda has modified the front suspension and brought new aerodynamic developments to Magny-Cours after testing the previous week and was confident before the weekend that they would take a step up. Honda AEM cam gears and other racing parts were meticulously enhanced to produce amazing performance.

Honda team boss Nick Fry said that the team could consider themselves the fifth or sixth fastest on the grid now, despite being only ninth in the standings. "We are still a long, long way off beating a Ferrari or a McLaren," he noted. "People shouldn't expect us to go from point to the front of the grid, that's not feasible. The nice thing about today is that we got our single point on pure race performance."

The team introduced a number of mechanical and aero updates to their struggling RA107 at last week's Silverstone test and, though no one in the team was predicting huge gains this weekend, there was unadulterated improvement in the performance.

Button and teammate Rubens Barrichello came away from Saturday's Magny-Cours qualifying session satisfied with their respective grid positions - 12th and 13th - and confident that their race pace should be even better. And so it was proved. Both men gained three places at the start of the race, but it was Button who seemed more at home with his revised machine, with fastest laps than both the BMW Saubers.

"It was an enjoyable race today and we've shown that the car has improved a lot with the new package. It's nice to have a car which gives me the confidence to push and I'm pleased with my fastest lap time relative to our competitors. This shows that our race pace is improving, although we still need to work on our qualifying pace," said the Briton. "Once we can get on top of that, we will be in a much stronger position to compete for points going forward. All credit to the whole team today as a faultless race with good pit stops helped me make the most of our strategy. A good weekend and I'm looking forward to another one at the British Grand Prix next week."

The top model segments of the recent 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates was dominated by Honda models. Four vehicle models from the Japanese automaker ranked as the highest in their respective categories including the Honda Fit (Sub-Compact Car, tied with Toyota Yaris equipped with Toyota radiator, Honda CR-V (Truck / Multi-Activity Vehicle (MAV) Segments), Honda Ridgeline (Midsize Pickup), and the Honda Odyssey for the Van segment. In addition, the 2007 Honda Civic also earned an award, ranked 3rd in the Compact Car segment.
The 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study is based on the survey results conducted by J.D. Power staff. The staff surveyed customers who purchased or leased 2007 model year vehicles and asked their assessment for the vehicle during the 90 days of ownership.

According to Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power and Associates: "Vehicle models with strong customer appeal tend to be in higher demand, which diminishes the need for dealers to incentivize to boost sales. Offering larger incentives decreases the profitability of vehicles, so it's important for manufacturers to incorporate those 'must-have' features and design elements that will entice buyers, which also reduces the need for large customer cash rebates."

Oddes added: "Whether due to fresh designs or innovative features, APEAL scores tend to be highest for models when they are first introduced. It's essential for manufacturers to get new-vehicle launches right, since vehicles with high appeal scores generally command a higher gross profit and sell more quickly. Two of the redesigned models -- the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (in a tie) and Honda CR-V -- also earned awards in the 2007 Initial Quality Study, and are examples of how manufacturers can learn from preceding models to improve in both initial quality and appeal."

Source: http://riverside-honda.blogspot.com/2007/09/button-opens-honda-score-sheet-at-last.html

Japanese Automakers Lead US Sales

The Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., and the Toyota Motor Corp. grabbed a notable record share of U.S. sales in June. The increase in sales is attributed to the rising demand for fuel-efficient cars.

Sales increased 23 percent for Nissan, 11 percent for Honda and ten percent for Toyota. Meanwhile, the market share for the General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group dived to a record low 50.3 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Japanese gained as new products and improvements in quality surveys for U.S.-based rivals failed to translate into higher sales. Additionally, U.S. demand and the yen's 2.7 percent decline against the dollar may prompt Japanese automakers to increase their profit forecasts.

"Gas prices are tied to Japanese car sales in the U.S., so high prices in May boosted sales, particularly of small cars,'' said Takashi Aoki, who manages about 130 billion yen at Mizuho Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. "Japanese carmakers will probably revise their earnings forecasts at mid-year because of the weak yen."

Satoshi Aoki, Honda's chairman, said that the automaker may raise its profit forecast for the current fiscal year because of the yen's decline. With gasoline prices still near $3 a gallon, U.S. consumers view vehicles from the Asian companies more favorably, said Jack Nerad, Kelley Blue Books' senior market analyst.

"There is still the perception of quality and reliability for the Asians that the domestics don't seem to be able to match," said Nerad, who is based in Irvine, California. "Any fuel-price increase is always a positive for the Asians, and the Japanese specifically, again mainly based on perception."

The Nissan tail light shines at its brightest in June as the company reported its biggest monthly gain in more than a year. The record was bolstered by an 83 percent surge for Altima sedans and higher sales of Sentra small cars and Versa subcompacts. The new coupe version of the Altima midsize car added 2,286 sales, said Fred Standish, Nissan's spokesman.

Toyota was significantly backed by the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Prius hybrid, as gasoline prices surged $3 a gallon in the U.S. for a third straight year. The average price is $2.953 nationwide, compared with $2.926 a year earlier, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

Prius sales increased 83 percent to 17,756. Toyota also posted gains of 33 percent for the Yaris small car and 11 percent for the Camry sedan. Sales of the redesigned Tundra pickup more than doubled to a record 21,727, as the Japanese automaker boosted incentives June 15 on the truck to as much as $3,500 or no- interest loans for as long as 60 months, citing competing offers.

"Our incentive actions are being driven by the segment,'' said Jim Lentz, the executive vice president of Toyota's U.S. sales unit. "We still use incentives only tactically, when necessary.''

Toyota overtook GM in global vehicle sales in the first quarter. The Toyota City, Japan-based company is also gaining on Ford to become No. 2 in the U.S. In June, Toyota sold a record 245,739 cars and light trucks in the U.S., 200 fewer than Ford. In the first half, the Dearborn automaker held a 39,558-vehicle lead, about a tenth of its 319,208-unit advantage a year earlier.

Jesse Toprak, an auto analyst at Santa Monica, California- based Edmunds.com, called the Tundra discounts "unusually'' high for a Toyota model that is fewer than six months old. "It shows us how determined Toyota is to grab market share in the profitable truck segment,'' he said. Toyota's market share in June rose two percent from a year earlier to 16.9 percent.

The Saturn brand lineup has been revitalized to make it more appealing to auto buyers. As part of General Motors' aim to win back consumers, they have turned to German automaker Opel to help Saturn design its new vehicles. Aside from redesigning existing templates, Opel also introduced an all-new vehicle model in the form of the Saturn Outlook.

Aside from the Outlook, the revitalization of the Saturn lineup is also anchored on the Saturn Aura. The midsize sedan was recently named the 2007 North American Car of the Year, taking the distinction over the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. Complementing the Aura in Saturn's lineup is the Saturn Vue.

The nameplate is the best selling Saturn automobile. For the 2008 model year though, Saturn decided to redesign the crossover SUV. The compact Vue is now being seen as a serious competitor to established nameplates such as the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. The redesigned Vue is also in direct competition with the Hyundai Santa Fe.

While the previous Vue is a good vehicle in terms of design, handling, and performance, its competitors offer more than the norms. Thus the redesigned Vue's design was made to look even better than its predecessor. The performance is also improved. Indeed, although the new Vue shares its name wit its predecessor, it is a whole new vehicle on its own.

With Opel's help, the Vue was designed with clean but muscular lines. European car styling cues have been integrated into the designing of the vehicle. The revision in the exterior design of the Vue made it look bulkier. With rounded of edges, the new Vue exudes an aura of friendliness yet the wheels are positioned that it gave the Vue an aggressive stance.

The redesigning of the Vue does not hide the fact that it comes from Saturn. The snub-nosed Vue with its grille accented by the Saturn badge is unmistakably a Saturn. Another Saturn-trademark is the headlight configuration which seems to have a jagged edge. This is something that was dome to the headlight of the 2007 Vue. The redesigned Vue though has that jagged edge in the headlight more pronounced.

Car buyers can choose from a wide choice of Vue variants. Two trim levels, two drive configurations - the Red Line and the Green Line - are the choices for auto buyers. The Red Line is the more sports-oriented Vue while the Green Line is a hybrid Vue. If one is looking for performance from a Vue, the Red Line is the obvious choice. With its responsive steering, good stability, and maximum stopping power provided by Saturn brake calipers, the Red Line is aimed for performance enthusiasts.

The Green Line, on the other hand, uses General Motors' "mild hybrid" technology. This means that while it is equipped with an internal combustion engine ad an electric motor, it cannot be driven by battery power alone. Nevertheless, the Saturn Vue Green Lien provides better fuel economy than its base model. With tax incentives offered with hybrid vehicles, the Saturn Vue Green Line is being considered by many as the cheapest variant of the Vue.

The changes made to the Saturn Vue in terms of performance and design would go a long way to making the compact SUV a strong contender in its segment. Going up against established nameplates such as the RAV4 and the CR-V, the Vue is equipped with what it needs to come out on top

Source: http://riverside-honda.blogspot.com/2007/09/japanese-automakers-lead-us-sales.html

Honda Stream coming to US in 2009

Winding Road is reporting that the next-generation Honda Stream mini-MPV may be sold in the U.S. Having just been redesigned last year, the next Stream won't arrive until 2009, and even then we doubt it will receive anything more than a refreshening. Nevertheless, Honda appears intent to make some money off of this MPV that's based on the same platform as the Civic and CR-V. It's reportedly been a big hit in Japan since it debuted in 2000, though the recent redesign has met with mixed reviews. Though the JDM version can seat up to seven or eight people, Winding Road reports the U.S. version will probably get only two rows of seats. In Japan, the Stream is available with either a R18A 1.8L i-VTEC engine and five-speed auto or an R20A 2.0L i-VTEC engine mated to a CVT transmission. Whether those engines will be offered in the U.S. in unknown, though we would expect at least the larger of the two motors to make the journey to our shores.

Considering Honda's success with the Odyssey in the minivan segment, the Stream may do very well in the U.S. It appears smaller than a minivan, but larger than, say, a Mazda5. The current trend of segment-bending tall wagons and CUVs could carry the Stream right along.


Source: http://honda-cr-v-car.blogspot.com/2007/09/honda-stream-coming-to-us-in-2009.html

Honda Stream coming to US in 2009

Winding Road is reporting that the next-generation Honda Stream mini-MPV may be sold in the U.S. Having just been redesigned last year, the next Stream won't arrive until 2009, and even then we doubt it will receive anything more than a refreshening. Nevertheless, Honda appears intent to make some money off of this MPV that's based on the same platform as the Civic and CR-V. It's reportedly been a big hit in Japan since it debuted in 2000, though the recent redesign has met with mixed reviews. Though the JDM version can seat up to seven or eight people, Winding Road reports the U.S. version will probably get only two rows of seats. In Japan, the Stream is available with either a R18A 1.8L i-VTEC engine and five-speed auto or an R20A 2.0L i-VTEC engine mated to a CVT transmission. Whether those engines will be offered in the U.S. in unknown, though we would expect at least the larger of the two motors to make the journey to our shores.

Considering Honda's success with the Odyssey in the minivan segment, the Stream may do very well in the U.S. It appears smaller than a minivan, but larger than, say, a Mazda5. The current trend of segment-bending tall wagons and CUVs could carry the Stream right along.

Source: http://www.lacame04.com/sources-say-honda-stream-coming-to-u-s-in-2009_44665.html