All-New Honda Freed launched in Japan: Designed for Everyday Comfort

Honda has unveiled the all-new Freed, a spacious and comfortable vehicle designed for everyday use. The Freed is available in two distinct variations: Freed Air and Freed Crosstar. Each variation boasts a unique design to cater to different preferences.

With the grand concept of “Smile: Just Right Mover,” the third-generation Freed was developed with an aim to create a vehicle that brings smiles to people by being supportive of people’s everyday lives and feelings when they use this vehicle.

Packaging

In order to maintain the easy-to-handle body size unique to Freed, one of the popular features of the previous generation model, an increase in the overall vehicle length was limited to only 45 mm due to the installation of the e:HEV two-motor hybrid system. In addition, the shape of the first-row seats has been modified to further enhance usability by improving the walk-through and accessibility to the second-row seats.

With the adoption of in-wheel meter display and other design features, a horizontal and noiseless dashboard was realized, enabling the vehicle to offer clear forward visibility. Moreover, the all-new Freed features a bright cabin where all occupants have an open feeling made possible by various packaging design ingenuities such as the adoption of a flat horizontal beltline across the entire body, a continuous field of view from the front to the sides and the rectangular and bigger quarter windows for the third-row passengers.

The new design which places the base of the front pillar directly above the tire makes it easier for the driver to visualize the position of the tires and thus to grasp the width of the vehicle. In addition, the adoption of single front pillar and the repositioning of the door mirror have improved the diagonal forward visibility and made it easier for the driver to see pedestrians, thereby ensuring a greater peace of mind while driving.

The structure of the third-row seats was made lighter and thinner, without compromising seating comfort. Moreover, lowering the position of the seats when they are flipped up and making them almost perpendicular to the floor, minimized the volume of the seats protruding into the cargo space. The distance between the two flipped up seats was increased by approximately 160mm (6 inches) compared to the current model, further enhancing the ease of use and versatility of the cargo space. 

Design

The all-new Freed will be available in two types: the Freed Air with a high-quality, sophisticated and simple design, and the Freed Crosstar with a dynamic and playful design. The unique characteristics of each type are being highlighted, so that customers can choose the type that best suits their lifestyle and preference.

As for exterior styling, the entire vehicle was designed with simple forms and high-quality design, while also featuring styling that was developed to convey a sense of trust and user-friendliness as an everyday vehicle.

The front-end design of the all-new Freed features sharp-looking headlights and front grille, which create a confident look while also expressing friendliness and owners’ pride.

The design of the sideview is characterized by the flat, horizontal line that runs from the headlights, through the character lines, all the way to the rear license plate garnish. The sharp character lines were made possible by advanced stamping technology. With these features, a simple yet high-quality side view was realized.

The rear-end design was created with an aim to enable people to imagine the outstanding driving experience and spacious cabin of this vehicle through the exterior design alone. It features a trapezoidal form with a good stance and a sense of stability, as well as the vertical layout of the rear combination lights which are positioned lower than the position of the rear lights for the previous model.

Based on the trusted design perfected for the all-new Freed Air, the Freed Crosstar features various dedicated parts and garnishes including a front bumper, wheel arch protectors and side sill garnishes, all in black, as well as a front grille, rear lower garnish and roof rails, all in high-intensity silver color. These dedicated features express the ruggedness of the Crosstar type that supports the more active lifestyle of customers while leveraging the individual character of the all-new Freed.

The interior was designed with a simple configuration with little visual noise, enabling stress-free driving and operation of vehicle features, aiming to create a space where the occupants feel relaxed and comfortable. The 7-inch TFT LCD (thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display) meter displays selected essential information such as speed and current time, to provide optimal visibility and comprehension. The center panel was designed with two zones side by side – one for switches related to driving and the other for switches for the HVAC controls and other functions – to enable the driver to operate the switches intuitively while driving.

Dynamics

The dynamic performance of the all-new Freed was developed to enable all occupants to enjoy the vehicle with peace of mind, enabling even inexperienced drivers to drive with confidence and achieving a calm and comfortable ride for passengers to feel no sense of uneasiness. The body rigidity balance was optimized in pursuit of straightforward and reassuring handling performance that faithfully responds to the driver’s intentions. Moreover, higher ride comfort was realized by reducing suspension friction to suppress vibration when driving on rough road surfaces or over bumps.

Powertrain

The hybrid versions of the all-new Freed will be the first Freed models to be equipped with the e:HEV, Honda’s original two-motor hybrid system. The all-new Freed will also be available in gasoline-powered versions equipped with a 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine.

The engine for the e:HEV versions realizes both excellent driving experience and fuel economy at a high level by increasing maximum thermal efficiency by more than 40% compared to the hybrid version of the previous generation Freed. Such high thermal efficiency was achieved by realizing faster combustion and lower friction. The e:HEV versions offer high-performance even while driving in the low-speed range, which is a unique feature of driving by motor, while at the same time realizing a calm and smooth ride that all occupants can enjoy with peace of mind.

The gasoline-powered versions are equipped with a quiet, port-injected engine. The transmission efficiency of the CVT (continuously variable transmission) was improved by reducing friction, and the low ratio setting made it possible to realize smooth acceleration even with multiple passengers.

The Honda original Real Time AWD is available on both hybrid and gasoline versions to provide stable driving even on snow-covered roads or inclement weather. Especially when combined with the e:HEV system, the Real Time AWD provides more stable driving in various road conditions by quickly and optimally distributing a large amount of torque, which is a feature of driving by motor.

Safety and Peace of Mind Features

Honda SENSING advanced safety and driver-assistive system is standard equipment on all types of the all-new Freed. Adopting the system equipped with a front wide-view camera and a total of eight sonar sensors placed in the front and rear parts of the vehicle, the all-new Freed pursues greater safety and peace of mind for customers.

List of Honda SENSING functions available for the all-new Freed:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Collision Mitigation Throttle Control
• Rear Collision Mitigation Throttle Control
• Low Speed Brake Function
• Unintended Acceleration Mitigation
• Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) System
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Lead Car Departure Notification System
• Traffic Sign Recognition
• Auto High Beam Headlights
• Adoptive Driving Beam Headlights
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Blind Spot Information System
• Parking Sensor System
• Cross Traffic Monitor

Wheelchair-accessible and Passenger Lift-up Seat Variants of Freed Crosstar

The wheelchair-accessible variant is equipped with an electric winch (with speed adjustment and course correction function) and the Super Flex Slope. This vehicle was developed in pursuit of convenience for caregiving, as well as for everyday shopping and leisure activities, with an aim to create a vehicle that can be used by a wide range of customers for various uses as they undergo lifestyle changes. Moreover, this vehicle will be the first among all Freed variants to feature rear heater ducts (for wheelchair space) as well as a rear air conditioning unit to offer a comfortable cabin environment for occupants in second-row seats and wheelchair accessible space.

In addition, starting with the all-new Freed, the wheelchair-accessible variant is lined up as a type-designated vehicle, eliminating the need for customers to bring in their own vehicles for vehicle registration, which will shorten the delivery time for these variants.

For the lift-up seat variant, every function is electrically operated including turning and lifting/lowering of the passenger seat, making it easier and less stressful to get in and out of the vehicle for a front passenger who uses a wheelchair and/or cane. Moreover, the seatback angle and seat position can be adjusted electrically for ease of seat adjustment. Furthermore, wheelchair users can also use the front passenger seat to enjoy a more comfortable ride, especially during long-distance rides.

2024 Honda Freed Air Color Options:

The new Honda Freed Air is available in 9 color options – Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Meteoroid Gray Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Twilight Mist Black Pearl, Premium Crystal Garnet Metallic, Seabed Blue Pearl, Sonic Gray Pearl and Fjord Mist Pearl.

2024 Honda Freed Crosstar Color Options:

The new Honda Freed Crosstar is available in 8 color options – Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Meteoroid Gray Metallic, Twilight Mist Black Pearl, Premium Crystal Garnet Metallic, Seabed Blue Pearl, Sonic Gray Pearl and Desert Beige Pearl.

Honda Freed Price in Japan:

Source: Honda