Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) once offered a comprehensive lineup including the Accord and CR-V. Now, the company has three models – Amaze, City and Elevate. New Gen Amaze is speculated to be in development and there is potential for Honda to expand its Indian portfolio. Should the just-launched Honda Freed be a prospective offering? We think so.
MPVs in India have been a popular choice for large families or just general purpose. We have Renault Kiger in the sub 4m segment, Maruti Ertiga, XL6, Mahindra Marazzo and Kia Carens in compact segment and a few premium ones higher up the range. At 4,310mm in length and 2,740mm in wheelbase, new Honda Freed will rival the likes of Ertiga, Carens, Marazzo and XL6.
Price-wise, new 3rd Gen Honda Freed costs between JPY 2.5 million and JPY 3.4 million. Roughly Rs 13 lakh and Rs 17.8 lakh, in today’s currency exchange. With the 3rd generation model, Honda Freed gets an all-new design language, offered in two different flavours – Air (standard) and Crosstar (crossover DNA).
While overall silhouette is identical, Crosstar gets crossover elements like body cladding all around along with unique front fascia with a distinct grill, bumper design and added fog lights. This new iteration packs a flat bonnet, upright face, rectangular conventional headlights with twin LED DRL bars.
Both Air and Crosstar get rear sliding doors, but wheel designs are unique. At the rear, we now get vertical pixel-style LED tail lights and a massive tailgate that scratches the entirety of this vehicle’s rear section. Honda Freed Air can be had with 2+2+2 or 2+2+3 seating layout options. However, Crosstar can be had with either 2+3 or 2+2+2 layouts.
Honda Freed Crosstar 5+2 has a large modular boot area that can be utilised for outdoor activities and even a pegboard. On the inside, there is a large central free-standing infotainment screen, dashboard-mounted gear selector, 2-spoke steering wheel, a fully digital TFT instrument screen, ventilated seats, electronic parking brake, rear AC vents with dedicated blower, a lot of cubby holes, swivelling front passenger seat, fabric-clad plastic trims and other attributes.
While the new Honda Freed ticks all the boxes for being a versatile MPV, many more boxes are remaining to tick, where powertrains are concerned. There are two powertrains to speak of. Firstly, it gets a 1.5L NA petrol L15D 4-cylinder DOHC engine (117 bhp and 142 Nm), paired with a CVT gearbox.
Secondly, Honda Freed also offers the e:HEV hybrid system (LEB) with a 1.5L NA petrol engine and a 121 bhp and 253 Nm electric motor driving front wheels. Honda is offering AWD option with both NA petrol and Hybrid powertrain options. Fuel efficiency is 16.1 km/l with petrol-only and 25 km/l with petrol hybrid (both WLTC claimed).
Who wouldn’t want a Honda vehicle that offers seating options of 2+3, 2+2+2 and 2+2+3, powertrain options between petrol and petrol hybrid, drivetrain options between FWD and AWD, fuel efficiency between 16.2 km/l to 25 km/l along with packing a modern interior, funky crossover exterior and sliding doors? Right?
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