The car pictured here is Honda's new Jade RS, the replacement of its mighty-popular Stream.
But quite unlike the Honda Stream, the Jade RS is a first of sorts because of the Japanese marque's foray into mainstream turbocharging and interesting use of cabin space.
While Honda's Japanese Domestic Model Kei cars run on turbochargers, the Jade RS is the first from local distributor Kah Motor, which features the new force-fed 1.5-litre engine and CVT gearbox, developed under Honda's Earth Dreams technology.
For those who are familiar, Honda's history is contemptuously dictated by screaming atmospheric VTEC engines; think Type R badges from 1997 to 2011.
The introduction of its new VTEC Turbo engines could go two ways - Honda loyalists either hate the idea or are open to the new powertrain's potential.
So, has Honda lost its soul? Can the Jade RS prove to be a potent replacement to the Stream? We find out.
Exterior
The Jade RS is fronted by Honda's 'Solid Wing Face' design identity, which fuses a spindle-shaped, mesh-type front grate to a pair of LED headlamps.
Behind, sporty rear combination lamps indicate a sense of unity to the rear windows through a flowing design.
The Jade RS is also longer, wider and lower as compared to Toyota's Wish, meaning that it's got more road presence than the competition, and a meaner stance.
The Jade RS is fronted by Honda's 'Solid Wing Face' design identity, which fuses a spindle-shaped, mesh-type front grate to a pair of LED headlamps.
Behind, sporty rear combination lamps indicate a sense of unity to the rear windows through a flowing design.
The Jade RS is also longer, wider and lower as compared to Toyota's Wish, meaning that it's got more road presence than the competition, and a meaner stance.
Interior
The highlight of the Jade RS' cabin is Honda's design principle of 'Man Maximum Machine Minimum', depicting the car's ingenious use of space.
Cabin design is clean and the dash two-tiered dash reminds us of the 2006 Civic FD, while sensibly-placed controls prove that Honda hasn't lost its knack for ergonomics.
As part of the car's 'smart touch' interior, the Jade RS receives a 7.0-inch high-definition capacitive media interface, which renders intuitive control at your fingertips. Smartphones can be linked to the system via USB, HDMI and Bluetooth.
However, the silver-edged, lumber-grained interior decorative panels are more 'retirement home decor' than RS.
From the driver's eight-way powered seat, you enjoy a lofty view of the road ahead and a sedan-like diriving position, which as Honda claims, contributes to an exhilarating driving experience.
But the real magic begins when you begin toying with the Jade RS' seating configurations.
The second row, which seats two, is adjusted using Honda's newly-adopted mechanism known as 'V-slide captain's seats'.
In simpler terms, the seats slide back and forth in a V-shaped line to create more space; move the seats back and they join to give you a comfortable, frontal view.
One problem, however, is how tough climbing into the third row is. Lest you're tiny or a contortionist, securing a seat in the back means a game of Twister.
Using that space for storage makes more sense, because the 50:50 split-folding seats are tucked away easily using a strap. When you do, iceboxes and foldable bicycles should fit; perfect for a family of four's adventures.
The Drive
This turbocharged 1.5-litre, four-cylinder plant produces 148bhp and 203Nm of torque, sending the Jade RS from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds.
Despite figures hinting that the Jade RS isn't quite as fast as we'd thought, the car in reality and on the road, picks up faster than on paper.
But that said, don't expect any hint of 'VTEC kicked in yo' and turbo surge because the powertrain, comprising the Earth Dreams Technology CVT, is so incredibly linear that you'd easily forget the car packs a turbo.
The downside to this powertrain is that even in Sport, it isn't much fun due to the nature of CVT autoboxes. Its upside is a combined fuel economy of 12.5km/L despite us driving largely in an un-economical fashion.
Where the car lacks in powertrain excitement, it makes up for in rock solid dynamics. It has more hatch than MPV cornering abilities, as we tested along the quiet stretches of the East Coast Park, while the car's Agile Handling electric aid utilised brake vectoring to improve corner traceability.
This turbocharged 1.5-litre, four-cylinder plant produces 148bhp and 203Nm of torque, sending the Jade RS from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds.
Despite figures hinting that the Jade RS isn't quite as fast as we'd thought, the car in reality and on the road, picks up faster than on paper.
But that said, don't expect any hint of 'VTEC kicked in yo' and turbo surge because the powertrain, comprising the Earth Dreams Technology CVT, is so incredibly linear that you'd easily forget the car packs a turbo.
The downside to this powertrain is that even in Sport, it isn't much fun due to the nature of CVT autoboxes. Its upside is a combined fuel economy of 12.5km/L despite us driving largely in an un-economical fashion.
Where the car lacks in powertrain excitement, it makes up for in rock solid dynamics. It has more hatch than MPV cornering abilities, as we tested along the quiet stretches of the East Coast Park, while the car's Agile Handling electric aid utilised brake vectoring to improve corner traceability.
And as you'd expect from most Honda's, the Jade RS' sporty characteristics do not infringe on comfort, instead balancing performance and ride quality.
On fast-paced highways, the Jade RS manages to remain calm and despite having a mere 1.5-litre engine capacity, doesn't tire easily and is quiet enough for babies to enjoy a nap.
The Jade RS also features some interesting, active safety features as standard, namely Electric Brake Distribution, Emergency Stop Signal and Vehicle Stability, which helps maintain traction by regulating the engine's output.
Conclusion
So, has Honda lost its soul? Can the Jade RS prove to be a potent replacement to the Stream?
Certainly not. As technology advances, the brand has taken the right step down the turbocharged route. Considering what marvels it has done before, one can only imagine the wonders now that it's embraced turbocharging.
While the future for Honda's new powertrains isn't crystal clear just yet, the Jade RS is a sign of great things to come from. Just imagine what the marque can do to its future performance cars.
