5 for ‘15: A Handful of Great Rides From 2015 – The Kiinote
December is the time of year to look back and reflect on the last 12 months—at least that’s how I convince myself that that blur of a year indeed stretched 365 days. For me, most of twenty-fifteen was spent in Japan, where my wife’s Fulbright Scholar grant led our family and where I got to experience many memorable machines. Some of them—the go-kart Honda S660 kei car and the retro-fantastic Toyota Land Cruiser 30th Anniversary pickup—I covered in this space. But I’d be remiss not to mention five others that left a lasting impression.
Honda Jade
Save for a few stylish, utilitarian people-movers—e.g., the Audi Allroad, BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon, and VW Golf SportWagen—wagons can’t seem to escape the black hole in the land of the red, white, and blue. In Japan, though, they’re beloved. Based on the Civic platform, the Jade is a sleek, sporty offering with a deceptively roomy six-passenger, three-row cabin and Honda’s new 1.5-liter, turbo I-4 making 148 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. I like the HR-V, but I’d take the Jade any day of the week.
Honda StepWGN
Competing in Japan’s MPV segment of mini minivans, the StepWGN is 12.5 inches narrower and 16.5 inches shorter in length than a U.S. Odyssey yet still accommodates up to seven passengers in comfort. The coolest feature is a dual-mode tailgate that allows 60 percent to be opened laterally (to load passengers into the third row or cargo when a car’s parked close to the rear bumper) or 100 percent vertically. Ingenious. Better yet, the third row disappears flat into the floor, and the standard 1.5-liter turbo packs a punch. Without a doubt, it’s the best minivan I’ve driven.
Nissan NV350 Caravan
Classified as a cab-over-engine midsize commercial van, Nissan’s NV350 Caravan accounts for roughly 25 percent of the 100,000-unit segment in Japan. The Caravan isn’t especially big—in its largest form (high roof, long wheelbase), it’s 34.7 and 15.0 inches smaller in length and height, respectively, than a U.S. NV2500 high roof—but nonetheless accommodates up to 14 passengers. It’s relatively narrow, too—just 5.9 inches broader than a compact NV200, making it easy to maneuver through Tokyo’s tight confines. The available 2.5-liter diesel good for 263 lb-ft at 1,400 rpm makes me wish the Caravan is the NV we got.
Subaru Crossover 7
Formerly known as just the Exiga, the Exiga Crossover 7 follows Subaru’s Outback philosophy, which is to start with a wagon, jack up the suspension, and throw on cladding. It works. I borrowed a Crossover 7 for a family adventure up to the historic mountain town of Nikko, and let’s just say the Griswolds got nothing on us Kiinos. Seating for seven? Check. Family truckster styling? Check. A tried-and-true flat-four paired with all-wheel drive and paddle shifters? Checkmate.
Toyota Vellfire Hybrid
If Toyota ever had the harebrained idea to slap a Lexus badge on a van and market it to affluent snowbirds and upscale livery outfits, it’d look no further than the Vellfire Hybrid. My tester exhibited a bold chrome-laden style that would make a Sienna run for cover and a posh cabin decked out in enough wood, leather, aluminum, and quilted captain’s chairs to give an LX 570 an inferiority complex. With a 2.5-liter, 150-hp I-4 and two electric motors propelling all four wheels, the Vellfire Hybrid teams V-6 oomph with 30-mpg economy. The 2017 VX 250h—I’m dreaming about it already.
If you could drive any of these five cars, which would it be? The Honda Jade, Honda StepWGN, Nissan NV350 Caravan, Subaru Crossover 7, or the Toyota Vellfire Hybrid?
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