Honda Stream Review (2001 to 2005)

Quick Summary

If the idea of trying to be 'Daddy Cool' at the school gates is too much to bear, a used Honda Stream may well appeal. It's understated but when push comes to shove it's a finer driver's car than many so-called hot hatches. You'll be happy, the kids will love it but your better half may well have to issue an occasional admonishment if you get a little enthusiastic. If you've got a family but hate the idea of a pipe and slippers mini-MPV, your chariot awaits...

Overall:

Models Covered: 5dr Mini-MPV 1.7, 2.0 petrol (S, SE, SE Sport)

THE MINI MPV FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T…

Amid a welter of same-old mini-MPVs, the Honda Stream stands out like a beacon. Not for its looks as it's a fairly low-key thing, more for its driving characteristics. Think of it as a mini-MPV for people who resent having to buy one and you're a little closer to hitting the nail on the head. Unless the responsibilities of parenthood have flattened every ounce of mischievousness from your system, chances are you'll love the way the Stream drives. With used models now beginning to filter onto the market in meaningful numbers, the concept of seven seats and a good time have just become that little bit more affordable.
Used Honda Stream for sale

History of the Stream

* What You Pay
Used Honda Stream for sale

Honda Stream Road Test

Fire up that smooth 16-valve four-cylinder engine and you'll hear no fruity exhaust trumpet, just a near imperceptible hum at tickover. Te 2.0-litre engine in particular is something of a work of automotive art. This is one of the latest i-VTEC Honda engines and is a generation on from the first VTEC units with their 'buy one get one free' engine characteristics. These powerplants operated a system where the cam profile changed at a point two-thirds of the way up the rev range, giving you a docile, fuel efficient engine at the lower reaches and an aggressive, performance profile at the top end. The i-VTEC (intelligent VTEC) does away with this binary step, instead offering a seamless, graduated transition from one phase into the other. The 2.0-litre Stream certainly benefits from this technology, borne out by its sprint to 60mph taking just 9.2 seconds for the manual version, or a less impressive 11 seconds with the sequential automatic box. A top speed of 127mph should be enough for most families of seven. Amongst MPV rivals, only the quicker versions of Vauxhall's Zafira offer performance this lively but the base figures only tell half the story.What makes the Stream genuinely innovative is the fact that Honda's engineers have set out to make it genuinely fun to drive. Coming from a company that's brought us the S2000 and wild Type-R models, perhaps that shouldn't be a huge surprise, but after the thrusting 187 inches of mediocrity that was the Honda Shuttle, our faith has been restored. Do fun and MPVs have to be mutually exclusive concepts? No. The Stream rides well, is pleasantly roll-free in corners and the two-litre engine is always up for fun. The steering, whilst feeling slightly artificial at city speeds, weights up nicely on the move and enables the Stream to move to the top of the MPV class for driving satisfaction. This may be construed as damning with faint praise, but the Stream is worthy of comparison with most medium range saloons in the twisty bits, its low centre of gravity belying its lofty altitude.
Used Honda Stream for sale

Buying a Honda Stream

Very little: the car tends to prove predictably reliable. A full service history is preferable. As with all MPVs, check for parking bumps and scrapes, plus interior damage caused by over-enthusiastic children.
Used Honda Stream for sale

Honda Stream Typical Pricing

A typical valuation for a 2001 Y-plated Stream 1.7SEwould be around £5,900 with a similar vintage 2.0i VTEC SE Sport retailing at around £6,300 for a tidy example with average mileage. Insurance for the Stream is reasonable, the 1.7-litre versions rated at Group 9 with the 2.0-litre model still looking reasonable at Group 12.
Used Honda Stream for sale

Honda Stream Parts

(based on a 2001 1.7SE- approx ex-Vat) A full exhaust system (excluding catalyst) is around £450. Front and rear brake pads are around £60 per set respectively. A starter motor is around £295, a radiator around £210, an alternator around £310 and a front headlamp around £175.
Used Honda Stream for sale