By Andy Hum

Local Honda authorised distributor, Kah Motor, has launched the new Honda Freed, a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) based on the Honda Jazz’ platform.

Assembled in Indonesia, the Freed resembles the Jazz, but stands taller at 1,735mm (210mm taller than the Jazz), wider by 5mm at 1,700mm and is also longer by 295mm, giving it a length of 4,215mm. Its wheelbase, at 2,740mm, is 240mm longer than the Jazz’, and is exactly the same as the Stream’s.

But unlike the Stream, the Freed has a 2+2+3 seating arrangement, meaning two seats in the middle row and three, with a 50:50 split-folding mechanism, for the last row. Its doors also open differently, sliding open to reveal a 600mm space for passengers to climb in and out. Honda says that the Freed was designed to accommodate 185cm-tall passengers all around, so headroom even for those seated in the last row should be adequate for most.

Power comes from the 1.5-litre engine also found in the Jazz, producing 118hp at 6,600rpm and 146Nm of torque at 4,800rpmm, while gear changes are performed through its five-speed automatic transmission. With an engine that size, the Freed has one of the smallest naturally-aspirated engines among the MPVs in Singapore.

The Freed will come in two trim levels – the basic 1.5 and the 1.5EX. The higher-end 1.5EX model costs from $84,800 with COE, and comes with power sliding rear doors, operable by remote control, automatic climate control, LED-powered side-mirror indicators and variably intermittent front wipers. Prices for the basic model have yet to be announced.

With its price tag of $84,800, it is interesting to note that the Freed arrives in the local market as the most affordable Japanese MPV, with its next closest competitor being the Mazda5 which costs $88,488 with COE and has a 2.0-litre engine, but seats only six.