Most of the backdoor of van type car is opened vertically from down to upward. On the other hand, there is only few types of car such as “Kangoo” which has the backdoor opened from sideway horizontally. Actually both has its advantages and disadvantages, therefore Honda's engineer had the idea that to "It should be nice if the backdoor can be opened in both vertically and horizontally." They have developed the big backdoor which is specially equipped with a smaller "exciting gate" attached on it. We had a test drive of this seven-seater minivan, "STEP WGN (WAGON) HYBRID" which is equipped with this “exciting gate”. I have tried the performance and would like to share the experience with you!
You can use a cargo room even in a small place!!
Step Wagon is a minivan whose first generation model was released in 1996, which is 22 years ago. During that time, a minivan’s design was designed based on the design of a freight van.
However, Honda has changed this conventional concept and designed a minivan with a common design with ordinary passenger cars. Since the design was simplified, the price was managed to be reduced and is cheaper, thus it gain the big popularity from public. Since then, it became the minivan manufacturing standard around the world. The current model is the fifth generation, and this exciting gate is the greatest feature of this model.
Please refer to the above photograph. Overall it looks just like a normal minivan. However, when you look at the back of the car, you can see the vertical cutout line on the backdoor. Actually, this is the exciting gate. If you try to pull the door knob at the left end part, you can open it vertically just like you open the door of the house.
I have also tried to use this door, and found it is very convenience and useful. First, the door can also be opened when the back of the car is near to the wall. Normally we will find difficulty to open, and need to drive to widen the gap from the wall. In the case of using this horizontal gate, you can easily open the door even in such a narrow parking space. Since the size of the door is small, you can just open it horizontally and put in your stuff conveniently.
Passengers can get in and get off from there also
Step Wagon is equipped with a mechanism which can store the second and third row seats to the car floor with only one touch. The combination of this mechanism and the exciting gate is so convenient to driver and passengers.
I tried to put in a large quantities of blankets, futon, laundry to be brought to coin laundry shop, and found that I can load a large luggage easily through this sideway open door, just like the normal car. Since Step Wagon has large cargo space, 3 normal size luggage can be fitted easily. Besides, you can even load a bicycle or a small motorbike. Furthermore, if you have parked the car in narrow place where you cannot even open the side door, you can get on or get off from the car through the exciting gate. An internal door handle and key lock system is equipped for that purpose.
Oh yeah, besides the exciting gate, please allow me to introduce the features of Step Wagon Hybrid. The main power unit is an electric motor with a maximum output of 184 ps. Normally the car runs just like the Electrical Vehicle, which using the power which combining the electric power obtained by turning the generator with a 2 liter engine and the electric power which is stored in the lithium ion battery. When the speed goes up, the car may run with the power of both engine and the electric motor.
Acceleration power is amazing, which equivalent to 3 to 3.5 liters V type 6 cylinder engine. This time I drove approximately 3,300 kilometers, and notice that the fuel economy was really good which is roughly 18 km for each liter of gasoline. It is an amazing result for a car model with 1.8 ton heavyweight. Since the car usually runs with electric motor, the quietness of the room is also outstanding.
Regarding this exciting gate which was innovated by as a creative Japanese product, what is your opinion to this product?
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