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Automobile

October 26, 2000

Honda Introduces Sporty & Stylish New "Stream" Minivan

Tokyo, October 26, 2000 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of its new "Stream" minivan, for sale by all Honda automobile dealers on October 27, 2000(*1). The Stream takes advantage of Honda's latest flat-floor and low-center- of-gravity packaging techniques to achieve a cabin interior capable of comfortably seating up to 7 adults, while at the same time ensuring a high-level fusion of stylish exterior appearance and sporty driving performance.

The Stream has been developed to achieve a " new value 7-seater" concept that Honda hopes will spur an appreciation for the all-new possibilities contained in 7- seater minivans. Development was based on three themes: 1) "a design anticipating the style of a new century", 2) "sporty performance even for personal use", and 3) "an innovative new approach to minivan interior space comfort and refinement".

(*1) 2.0-liter 4-wheel drive model to be launched January 18, 2001

Stream iL w/ optional equipment

Based on the same "global compact platform" used in recent Civic models, the Stream takes advantage of flat-floor and low-center-of-gravity packaging techniques not found in other minivans to achieve the kind of driving and handling performance, utility, and comfort characteristic of sedans. Safety features include Honda's G-CON technology, which allows the Stream to meet the world's highest collision safety standards, as well as pedestrian-protecting designs and technologies that augment the minivan's excellent overall safety performance.

The Stream is powered by Honda's new DOHC i-VTEC engine (the first of Honda's new "i-Series" generation of more "intelligent" powerplants) that takes aspects of engine performance including good fuel economy, cleaner emissions, and enhanced driving enjoyment to even higher levels than ever. Powered by the DOHC i-VTEC engine, the Stream achieves the class-topping fuel economy of 14.2km/liter while also earning recognition for environmental friendliness in the form of the Japanese Ministry of Transport's "Low Emissions Excellence" award for all types.

Naming

The name "Stream" in English suggests the idea of "flow", including the ever- changing flow of the trends and fashion according to the times. This name was chosen to suggest the creation of a completely new style of 7-seater minivan that is ideally suited to the changing new needs of the 21st century, and that is characterized by an elegantly flowing, low-center-of-gravity design that both anticipates the way the vehicle will drive and suggests a high-level fusion of style, comfort, and driving performance unachieved in any previous minivan.

Primary Features of the Stream

Packaging
	The Stream's compact engine, new high-performance strut-type front suspension with simplified construction, and high-mounted steering gear box all contribute to achieving a short-nosed design without sacrificing running or safety performance.
	Chassis components redesigned for improved under-floor layout and a Reactive Link Double Wishbone Suspension combine to ensure a significantly lowered floor, which contributes in turn to the realization of a stylish form within which all seats offer comfortable sitting space.

Exterior
	The Stream's exterior is based on a "dolphin" motif and pursues a style befitting the model's "new value 7-seater minivan" concept, including the achievement of a futuristic design characterized by a sense of integrated solidity defined by elegantly flowing lines.
	Side windows designed with a round motif give a look reminiscent of a coupe.
	Exhaustive pursuit of aerodynamic performance contributes to sporty driving.
	Total of 9 body color variations.

Interior
	Simple, elegant monotone interior design.
	Sporty cockpit features including titanium-finish panels and "3-eye" meter array.
	Front seat row designed for improved seat hold and ease of walk-through.
	Along with specifications designed to provide fatigue-avoiding comfort even during long-distance rides, the second-row seats are equipped with independent forward-backward 240mm-slide mechanisms for easy "walk-in" boarding and de-boarding.
	Third-row seats realize sitting comfort suitable even for full-sized adults.

Utility
	Collapsible third-row seats (reversible third seats) fold down to provide an easy- access flat-floor rear cargo area similar to that found in station wagons.
	Manufacturer's optional (except G type) third seat-row rear air cooler augments the capacity of the vehicle's high-performance air conditioning system.
	A high-performance odor-removing air cleaner that filters exhaust and other impurities from air taken in from outside is standard equipment (manufacturer option on G type).

Dynamic Performance

Engines

2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine
A newly developed 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine combines Honda's original VTEC (Variable Timing Electronic Control) technology with VTC (Variable Timing Control) to achieve highly intelligent engine performance. (*2) Other features including a variable-length intake manifold system, a rear dual exhaust system, a lean-burn NOx-adsorbing catalyzer (front-wheel drive version), and a lower secondary balancer combine to help the engine realize high power output (113kW) 154PS (front-wheel drive version), good fuel economy (14.2 km/liter), cleaner emissions, and quiet operation, not to mention powerful acceleration and sporty running. Further, a newly designed engine structure has allowed the engine to be made approximately 10% more lightweight and compact than Honda's conventional 2-liter engines.

1.7-liter VTEC engine
Honda's VTEC mechanism closes off one intake valve on each cylinder during low- and mid-range engine speeds to achieve high fuel economy 14.2 km/liter (front-wheel drive version). Moreover, the engine is also designed to maintain strong torque that contributes to highly responsive handling.

(*2)VTEC varies how much and for how long the valves open. VTC uses a hydraulically controlled actuator gear on the intake camshaft to vary exactly when they open (their "phase") based on information from electronic driving- condition sensors.

Transmissions

Electronically Controlled 5-Speed Automatic Transmission +S-Matic
The 5-speed automatic transmission is the first in its class (5-number,3-seat- row, 2.0 liter), to also offer an "S-Matic" sequential mode that allows the driver to enjoy the feeling of manual shifting when desired, realizing a high-level integration of constantly smooth shifting and highly responsive performance to match a wide variety of driving conditions. Also, a newly developed ultra-flat torque converter and other features ensure highly efficient transmission performance that contributes to the Stream's high fuel economy.

Electronically Controlled 4-Speed Automatic Transmission
Transmission includes an active-lock mechanism that ensures good torque performance while also helping to maintain high fuel economy.

(*3)4-wheel drive versions use a 4-speed automatic transmission with S-Matic

Body

The Stream offers the large, easily accessible rear opening characteristic of minivans, but also features a high-rigidity surround-type body that achieves torsional rigidity equivalent to that of a sedan. Enlarged cross-section body frame members, additional stiffeners, and reinforced joints and connection points greatly increase torsional and bending rigidity to contribute to highly stable-feeling driving.

Detailed measures to block noise and vibration transmission include the strategic placement of various sound-blocking and sound-absorbing materials throughout the car to effectively reduce engine, road, and other noise and vibrations, resulting in an extremely quiet cabin interior while driving.

Chassis

	Front Toe Control Link Strut Suspension enables an efficient use of space, while contributing to good driving stability.
	Rear Reactive Link Double Wishbone Suspension contributes to expanded rear seat space and cargo capacity.
	Both front and rear suspensions feature rigidity levels set specifically for the Stream in order to realize an ideal combination of high driving stability and riding comfort.

Safety Performance

	The Stream's newly developed body incorporates Honda's G-CON impact- absorption technology in order to put its collision safety performance on par with the highest standards in the world. Crash testing included frontal full- wrap collision at 55 km/h, frontal offset collision at 64 km/h, side collision at 55 km/h, and rear collision at 50 km/h.
	Further, Honda's collision safety testing for the Stream also included car-to- car collision testing (*4) using independently set target values. Throughout these car-to-car crash tests (which were designed to provide conditions considerably harsher than those found in conventional stationary-barrier testing) the Stream was able to clear all target values, assuring the highest levels of safety enhancing performance.
	Body-design measures to reduce pedestrian injury were expanded to offer lower body and leg protection in addition to head protection, further advancing pedestrian safety.
	Driver- and front passenger-side SRS airbags are included as standard equipment on all types, with front-seat i-side airbags for the first seat row available as a manufacturer option.
	ISOFIX child seat restraint anchor bars for both the left and right second row seats are included as standard equipment on all types.

(*4)Collision vehicle: up to 2-ton class passenger car; mutual collision speed: 50km/h; offset: 50%

Environmental Measures

	Polluting exhaust gas components (HC, NOx) have been reduced significantly to result in emissions values 50% lower than levels stipulated by 2000 regulations. This extremely clean-running performance has been recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Transport's "Low Emissions Excellence" award.
	Both the 2.0-liter and 1.7-liter versions of the Stream offer class-topping fuel economy already in compliance with fuel economy standards set for 2010.
	Recycling from the production stage has been taken into account, resulting in recyclability of nearly all interior parts and materials, as well as a 90% or higher recyclability rate for the car as a whole.

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