While I'm on the topic of mythical US Hondas, it's 2009, and I don't see a single Honda Stream anywhere.
In 2007, Winding Road said the sweet, CRV- and Civic-based, 6-8-Japanese-sized-passenger, mini-minivan was coming to the US in 2009. Then last year, they said it again, even though they still didn't know about engine or AWD options, only that it'd have two rows of seats, not three. So yeah, 5-passengers.
But wait, doesn't that overlap a bit with the Accord-based Crosstour not-a-wagon, which we know is coming? And then there's this: an unsourced, undated report from USNews & World Unsourced, Undated Reports that says there's no such plan. Too bad, because Japan is getting a redesigned Stream any minute now. Oh, look, they already got it!
Here's a 5-min. movie of the last two people in the world driving a Stream through the depopulated streets:
Previously, 2007: Cars You Couldn't Have But Soon You Can, Vol. I: Honda Stream Coming To The US
Never: NEW! JDM Honda Stream
I have a feeling the next 5 years are going to be crap for car buying. Automakers don't have the money to produce every model they can think of anymore and with a combination of uncertain gas prices (They're up! They're down!) and a crappy world economy, they are going to be playing it safe and boring the hell out of me.
If only GM can remain delusional long enough to produce the CTS-V Sportwagon before they implode, I'll be happy.
But I think the single thing that would help US enthusiasts AND the worldwide car industry would be if the EU and US reconciled safety and mileage standards so that a car could be sold in either area with no modifications.
I meant emissions standards, not mileage. I can't see us having the same mileage standards in my lifetime.
The last two Streams are sweet; the sharp design almost makes up for the horrible first generation one with the current CR-V-like curved rear side glass.
I'd like to have these here just so we have an alternative to the Mazda5 that has an engine that feels like it's from this decade.
That's why when we launched the blog at Cars.com I said "no reporting rumors" because lots of folks take them as gospel.
WR probably isn't the best source for even the rumors. A Jalopnik or Autoblog usually sniff them out better.
Also I wouldn't take much of Auto News' future product stories either. They're often inaccurate.
From what I know Honda is only focusing on the Accord Crosstour, the CR-Z sport hybrid and fit hybrid as future vehicles.