Honda Motor Co., Ltd Japan. has announced that they have begun sales of the new Jade RS, which is equipped with Honda’s new VTEC Turbo engine. The Jade RS is meant to be a higher performance variant of the Jade MPV. Turbocharged MPV? Sounds like fun..
Under the hood lies a 1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC engine, with 150 PS and 203 Nm of torque. Honda claims that the new turbocharged engine “generates torque equivalent to that of a 2.4-liter engine in the normal rpm range”. The new engine is mated to a new CVT with paddle shifters. Under the Japanese JC08 mode, the Jade RS is able to deliver an excellent fuel economy of 18km/litre.
Exterior wise, the new Jade RS sports a new front grille featuring a unique mesh design. Dark chrome plating can be found on the fog light garnish, outer door handle and tailgate molding. The RS emblem is affixed to the front grille and on the rear tail gate of the Jade RS. Honda has fitted a unique set of 17-inch aluminium wheels on the Jade RS.
Buyers can opt for either a black or brown interior and seat material is a combination of fabric and Prime Smooth. The leather wrapped steering has red stitching for that added sportier feel, while the pedals are of an exclusive design.
Honda has also stiffened the front and rear suspension of the Jade RS, as it is now 15% and 20% stiffer, respectively. The springs and dampers has also been revised to deliver a sportier driving experience. Also new to the Jade RS is the Agile Handling Assist (AHA) electronic control system, which employs the use of brake vectoring to improve corner traceability. Last but not least, Honda has stiffened the central tunnel by adding a tunnel brace to enhance the rigidity of the floor area.
Honda will be offering a single variant of the Jade RS, and will retail for 2,530,000 yen (RM75,311 before tax, excise duty & GST).
What do you think of this hot MPV? Could this be a good addition to Honda Malaysia’s lineup locally?
Source: Honda Japan media site.
Honda Jade RS photo gallery
