Honda releases roomier, fuel-efficient Step WGN minivan

SEE ALSO: Full Step WGN Specs

TOKYO October 11. 2009; Japan Today reported that Honda Motor Co released a roomier and fuel-efficient Step WGN minivan Friday as it aims to boost domestic sales by expanding its lineup of increasingly popular energy-saving models.

The fourth-generation, eight-passenger minivan, which uses an improved engine and a continuously variable transmission, has a fuel economy of 14.2 kilometers per liter and is eligible for government tax breaks and subsidies for fuel efficient cars. It has a bigger interior space with an increase in overall length and height and is equipped with under-floor storage, into which third-row seats can be folded.

The full-model change in the Step WGN, which debuted in 1996, is the first in four years as Honda aims to increase its competitive edge against rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co.