New Honda Freed – Of Triangles & Squares
Kuala Lumpur, 22 April 2010 – The new Honda Freed, a new compact MPV was launched today in a grand ceremony held at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur today. Mooted as a 4-seater with ideas, the Freed is actually a full seven-seater, and opens up a brand new segment for Honda Malaysia.
The Freed was launched two years ago in Japan, and made its way into Indonesia in 2009, and after a successful introduction in Thailand, it is available for sale from today. In the last 10 days, the sales people at Honda have been taking orders, and 150 units are already booked. In Thailand, monthly sales are about 400 units, whilst in Indonesia, more than 12,000 units have been sold since the Freed was launched last July.
The design of the Freed seemingly started as a triangle and a square put together as a design concept. The idea was to have a mini-van type of front end, with the characteristic down-sloping front end of the Honda (like the Jazz and the City), with a utilitarian square box at the rear end to maximize the cabin space. In effect, it looks like a slightly tall car from the front, whilst providing a large storage box at the rear.
The overall effect is a love it or hate it type of shape – but honestly, it grows on you after a while, especially when you see just what a great package the Freed offers.
Three rows of seats – the front two are very much like that you would find in any Honda, large and comfortable – with the difference being that in the Freed, you do sit a little higher, and thus have a great view of your surroundings, something the ladies would like very much. The middle row consists of two ‘captain’ chairs, individual seats with arm rests – this allows a walk-through cabin, giving children plenty of room to romp.
The third and final row can’t take three passengers, but fold up against the sides to give additional space for storage, making the Freed a versatile vehicle that can be easily converted to carry people or goods as necessary.
Powered by the same 1.5 litre i-Vtec engine found in the Honda City, the Freed boasts of 118PS of power – why it is 2 PS less than the City is a mystery, but a little bird told me that there has been some re-tuning of the engine for better lower end torque. It is also a confirmed fact that the final drive ratios have been ‘shortened’ to provide low end get-up-and go. What is good about the drive train is that it also has the same 5-speed automatic transmission found in the City.
The front doors are normal doors, but the rear passenger doors are replaced by sliding doors, one on each side of the Freed, and the great thing about them is that they are electrically powered. Activation is very simple, and the handles respond to even the lightest touch. There is also a safety mechanism that will stop the door closing if it meets an obstruction, such as a foot or an ankle.
On the whole, the Freed makes a great vehicle for young people who require more than just a car. Retail price is just a shade under RM113K, and there are accessories available from Modulo for those who want to do a little dressing up.
