Honda Jade (2019 Minor Change)

The Honda Jade MPV has been on the road for three years now and with the latest facelift, there's a lot of catching up to do with this Fit-based questionable MPV that was criticized for being less spacious with third-row seats present at the back. Anyway, what's new on this 2019 minor change Honda Jade, you may ask?

2019 Honda Jade

For the 2019 minor change, the Honda Jade now boasts a new front grille, new front lamps, and new front bumpers as well as updated rear lamps and redesigned wheels. In the RS version, now available in both turbo and hybrid variants, you can see only the RS badge on the front black side mirrors, black rear wing, darker metallic details, and some sporty 18-inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels.

2019 Honda Jade interior

2019 Honda Jade interior

The interior of the Jade's almost untouched, meaning there's still the same cubby holes to store stuff, the same choice of five or six seats, where the latter has two on the back that eats away boot space, a big problem for the Jade, the same digital instrumental panel, and so on, meaning there's no slight changes around here.

2019 Honda Jade

On the driving side, the 2019MY Jade still retains the choice of a 1.5L VTEC TURBO engine mated to a CVT and a hybrid with a 1.5L petrol engine connected to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery while mated with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. Turbo variants have a JC08 Mode-calculated fuel economy of less than 18kmpl while hybrid variants get 24.2kmpl. Honest but irrelevant in today's trends where WLTC Mode is soon becoming a thing on Japanese roads. Apart from that, handling's refined with the addition of double wishbone suspension at the back while RS variants get sporty front and rear dampers. Plus, on the turbocharged RS variants, they made it more responsive with the addition of a fully open acceleration step-up shift control that allows drivers to feel direct acceleration by letting the engine reach high rpm earlier with the smoothness of its CVT. Then, there's the brake-operated step-down shift control which increases the deceleration by applying the engine brake according to the brake above a certain level, which is handy while going downhill, and lastly, the Agile Handling Assist that promises smooth running with less steering operation while driving through curves.

Promising to be the safest MPV in its class, the 2019 Jade's advanced types of Honda SENSING suite of safety tech are now standard such as CMBS, false start suppression function, pedestrian accident reduction steering, out-of-road departure suppression function, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, front car departure notice function, and road sign recognition, making it a certified "Safety Support Car S Basic+" for use on Japanese public roads.

The 2019 Honda Jade now starts at 2,398,680 Japanese Yen (around $24,000 or 1,200,000Php) for turbo variants with hybrid variants start at 2,898,720 Yen (around $29,000 or 1,540,000Php).

Photo: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.