Myth or legend?

SINGAPORE — If you heard the technical brief for a luxury machine with nearly 400bhp, four generators of motive power and two sources of energy, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the vehicle manufacturer’s badge contains some kind of horse.

The weird twist is that it’s got a ‘H’ but not a horse in sight. This is Japanese carmaker Honda’s new, fourth-generation Legend, a top-rung luxury sedan, larger and more expensive than the same manufacturer’s Accord.

It’s been missing from local price lists for nearly a decade, as the third-generation machine was never sold here, but now it makes a big re-entry.

It debuted at the Singapore Motorshow last week and as the beginning of this story suggests, it’s a tech wonder: The new Legend is a hybrid, and has a 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 engine with an electric motor mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Those bits send power to the front wheels while two additional electric motors power each rear wheel individually, allowing for better handling.

It should be said that other AWD cars, such as the BMW X6 M50D and Porsche 911 Turbo, can do this party trick too, but they typically cost a lot more.

Large and luxurious

As a large, luxury hybrid, the Legend is heavy, weighing in at about two tonnes, but it masks that weight well. The hybrid system can output 380bhp in total, which is nothing to sniff at, but from behind the driver’s wheel, this is delivered as refined, linear thrust.

It’s an experience that is, for both driver and passenger, best described as unruffled and effortless.

Want to get ahead? It’s there. Want to stop? The brakes are superb with none of the typical hybrid brake vagueness. Want to go around corners at great speed? The all-wheel drive and torque vectoring does the job easy, all while being hugely refined and comfortable.

Like all hybrids, it claws back energy when braking and shuffles power around when it’s needed. At low speeds, or to maintain highway cruise momentum, the rear electric motors are used. If full acceleration is needed, both the engine and motors are deployed for maximum thrust.

The Legend is crammed full of technology for other purposes too. It’s the first local Honda that has Honda’s Sensing safety suite, comprising adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance and semi-autonomous braking. In what Honda says is a world first, the car can detect pedestrians and automatically brake or even steer away from them to avoid a collision.

For the enjoyment of the occupants, there’s a 14-speaker Krell premium sound system, a sunroof, air-conditioned front seats, dual-screen infotainment/control console and of course, masses of room.

IN GOOD COMPANY

The kicker is that it’s the most expensive model Honda has sold here for quite some time, with its sticker price more than enough to buy two of the next most expensive Honda model, the Odyssey MPV.

But here’s the legend to understanding the Legend: In the United States, the car’s sold under Honda’s luxury marque as the Acura RLX.

When looked at in those terms, the Honda Legend isn’t actually that unusual. The Japanese have a penchant for making big, comfortable hybrids that can go fast. In the Legend’s league are the Lexus GS Hybrid and Infiniti Q70 Hybrid, both with very similar power and performance specs.

The Lexus still has the most brand clout and looks the least stodgy, but performance wise, they’re all quite similar machines.

In any case, it’s probably better to ask, would you pay S$1,000,000 for a Honda? Because that’s about what the new NSX sports car could cost, were it to be imported here, according to insiders. In that respect, the Legend looks like a proper bargain.

HONDA LEGEND HYBRID

Engine: 3,471cc, 24V, V6, 308bhp, 369Nm

Electric Motor: Front 48bhp, Rear 2x37bhp

Battery: 1.3kWh lithium-ion

System Total: 382bhp

Performance: 210kmh, 0-100kmh: 5.9s, 7.6L/100km, 169g/km CO2

Price: S$348,999 with COE

On Sale: Now

PROS: Superb driving dynamics, loads of features, clever hybrid drive system

CONS: Badge snobs can look away now