Forbidden Fruit: 2026 Honda Stepwgn e:HEV now in SE Asia

When it comes to minivans, Honda has some selections in the form of the Odyssey and the Stepwgn. While the Philippine market was fortunate to get both the USDM and JDM versions of the Odyssey several years ago, the Stepwgn is strictly a right-hand drive (RHD) model, which means it's limited to select markets that drive on the left side of the road.

Well, Thailand is the latest market in Southeast Asia to get the Honda Stepwgn, and it's being offered as an e:HEV. You read right, the three-row minivan is powered by Honda's electrified 2.0L engine that's shared with the Civic and CR-V e:HEV models. The engine runs on the Atkinson cycle and mainly serves as a generator for the onboard lithium-ion battery that powers the electric motor.

The motor itself makes 184 PS with 315 Nm of torque and provides (almost) instantaneous acceleration. At higher speeds, the engine can connect with e-CVT to directly power the front wheels, just like the Civic and CR-V e:HEV.

Design-wise, the Stepwgn features a boxy yet stylish exterior and comes with a pair of distinct LED headlights with a bold grille, complete with a blue halo on its Honda logo. It also comes with stylish LED daytime running lights, power sliding rear doors for easier ingress & egress, and two-tone alloy wheels.

Hop inside and the Stepwgn e:HEV welcomes you into a comfy cabin. The second row is fitted with captain seats with ottomans for extra comfort. It also has 60:40 split-folding third row seats, three-zone climate control, a digital instrument panel, a button-style gear selector, and a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay.

With Thailand the third market in Southeast Asia to get the Honda Stepwgn (after Indonesia and Singapore), we can only wish Honda would somehow decide to make it available for left-hand drive (LHD) markets. For now, all we can do is admire from afar and be glad that the Stepwgn is growing in popularity.