The new Honda Freed MPV has been revealed ahead of its market launch in Japan next month. The Honda Freed is a popular three-row minivan from the Japanese carmaker that's sold in multiple international markets including a few in the ASEAN region. The Freed shares underpinnings with the Honda City sedan that is sold in India.
- Freed MPV gets petrol and hybrid powertrain options
- In 2012, an earlier generation of Freed was evaluated for India
- Freed shares its underpinnings with City sedan
Honda Freed: the India connection
The Freed MPV was being evaluated for India in 2012 as Honda’s answer to the Ertiga. Internally codenamed 2NH, the model would have had India-specific changes and a lot in common with the City and the Jazz of that time. If launched, the uniquely styled Freed MPV could have been a strong rival to the Ertiga, but Honda instead chose to bring in the heavily localized Mobilio MPV in India in 2014.
New Honda Freed: exterior and interior
Honda Freed has been completely overhauled for 2024 and the first details shared by the automaker show that the MPV will get two distinct styling packages.
The standard Freed gets a simple and practical design with horizontal lines, a large glasshouse and an overall uncluttered look upfront and at the back. The more rugged-looking Freed Crosstar gets a different grille and bumper design, more faux brushed aluminium inserts all around, a different alloy-wheel design and slightly altered headlamps.
The new Freed has a length of 4.3 metres and a wheelbase of around 2.74 metres, which is longer than that of the City sedan available in India. It gets a three-row cabin and a long list of creature comforts. The cabin has a flip-up third row; the Freed Crosstar has a five-seat option, too, with more focus on boot space. The dashboard dons a large free-standing infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster for the driver. Freed also has roof-mounted climate vents for second-row passengers.
New Honda Freed: powertrain details
The new Freed is available in petrol and petrol-hybrid powertrain options. Honda has not released full powertrain details yet, but what is known is that the Freed will get Honda’s e:HEV hybrid technology comprising a 1.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors. The entry-level Freed will feature a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit mated to a CVT gearbox.
Honda Freed: will it come to India?
As mentioned above, the Freed almost made it to India about a decade ago. However, Honda is currently focused on the City and the Elevate SUV for the Indian market. The brand will introduce the new Amaze later this year and is also working on an Elevate EV for a future launch.
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