We were in Indonesia earlier this year to briefly try out the new Honda Freed around Honda Prospect Motor’s test track. It was a very short drive but it did give us some sufficient first impressions of Honda’s compact “premium” MPV.
The Honda Freed is the first time in a long time that a car manufacturer has attempted to sell a decidedly JDM styled vehicle here in Malaysia. You see, it is quite clear that our taste buds and those of the Japanese domestic market are quite different. There are plenty of little vehicles that look like the Mitsubishi TownBox all over their streets yet when the Proton Juara was introduced here, we couldn’t get used to its styling.
But for some reason when JDM large MPVs are brought into Malaysia they gain “luxury vehicle” status. Let’s face it – the Alphard is not a particularly good looking vehicle. It’s a gigantic box. But its large and it can ferry many people with comfort, from the first row all the way to the third row. For an MPV – the more space, the better. And the vehicle must also be able to transport all that cube inches of interior space safely, efficiently and a bonus would be swiftly.
The Freed looks pretty much like a JDM car and it is not the first time Honda has made a vehicle that looks like that. It actually looks like a smaller version of the StepWGN, which is another JDM-only model, although you can easily buy one through a grey importer here in Malaysia. I was actually quite surprised when Honda announced that it would be making the Freed in Indonesia. That also meant that Honda was definitely going to sell it throughout the ASEAN market. Would we be able to get used to its looks?
But still, the idea of a Honda in the compact MPV segment was appealing to me – Hondas generally drive quite decently and having a more exciting choice in a market full of Nissan Grand Livinas and Toyota Avanzas made me look forward to it. A Grand Livina type of vehicle with the DNA of what typically defines a Honda is something that I was guessing that Malaysians would find quite appealing. But then I heard the indicated price range and I was a little disappointed. It wasn’t going to be an MPV that everyone would be able to consider side by side with its competition, but more of a price level up.
At RM113,980 it isn’t a super big margin over the 1.8 litre Nissan Grand Livina but this was a 1.5 litre MPV so it would be more logical to compare it to the 1.6 litre Nissan Grand Livina instead. And that’s a huge price difference – the 1.6 litre GL is under RM90k. Is the huge mark-up because of the more generous equipment level really worth it when an MPV is essentially a box that’s supposed to bring as many people as you can as comfortably as possible?
The larger 1.8 litre engine in the Nissan may not be a horsepower king with less than a 10 horsepower advantage on top of the Freed’s, but when it comes to normally aspirated engines there’s no replacement for displacement and the 1.8 litre engine has much more torque (174Nm at 4,800rpm) for you to move all your passengers around easier.
So how does it do ferrying people in it? One of the factors we have to look at would be its size. The Honda Freed has a really long wheelbase – it is the longest variant of the Jazz/City platform. And normally a long wheelbase equates to lots of space on the inside. But for the Freed, the extra long wheelbase is because its wheels are tucked seriously to the far reaches of the car’s body. That explains why although the Freed has a longer wheelbase than the Grand Livina, the Grand Livina’s overall length still ends up being longer than the Freed’s – because of the overhangs. As a result, the interior room of the Freed is not that particularly large for its exterior dimensions.
I am a large guy and I can definitely fit into the second and third row but I wouldn’t exactly call it comfortable. In the third row, my knees were touching the rear of the second row. The only consolation is the rear of the seats are soft-ish. The seating position feels a little high in all three rows which is good if you like to have a commanding position of the road and even your passengers are able to enjoy this.
The third row doesn’t fold flat onto the floor. Instead, you hang it from the sides of the vehicle like the old Pajero third row. At least the resulting luggage area has a flat floor. I haven’t tried personally but Honda’s press images have photos of two bicycles being able to be fit in there.
The low-ish floor because there’s no folded down third row taking up space and the tall roof likely makes the rear luggage area of the Freed one of the most flexible in terms of the dimensions of stuff you can fit in. The opening to access the cabin from the rear of the car is also suitably large – that’s why as some of you have commented there is not much of a rear bumper on the Freed. However because the entire interior is one big ‘room’, there’s no option for a luggage cover if you decide to use the third row as a permanent storage area.
Luggage space is quite limited when the rear seats are being used. You’re left with a triangle shaped storage area if your third row is reclined to a comfortable position. So 4 seater + 2 seater + luggage = not a good idea, unless you mount a storage box on top of the Freed.
The Freed has automatic sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle and they can be opened from the remote control. We tested the door for safety functions and etc and yes, they stop opening when they detect an obstruction. The little opening that’s required for the doors to slide rearward into is neatly integrated into the feature line that rises from the front to the rear of the Freed so it’s not unsightly. Opening and closing the doors takes about 5 seconds.
However no matter how “cool” auto sliding doors may be, because the Freed in itself isn’t a very long car compared to larger MPVs which typically employ these sliding doors, the doors and door opening aren’t that wide.
It’s a serious struggle to access the third row by sliding and reclining the second row forward. The walkthrough cabin created by the four captain chairs in the first and second row isn’t just a feature – it’s a necessity in order for you to get into the third row comfortably. It’s the same when exiting the vehicle. I personally consider this a minus point.
How’s the passenger comfort? We drove the Freed around a short test track for a few laps, both as drivers and passengers. The Freed’s suspension is on the softer side – expected as it is an MPV after all. The steering is also pretty light and very easy to control and meneuver, but perhaps a little too light at higher speeds.
It performs well under normal driving but under spirited driving there is alot of understeer and tyre squealing – perhaps better tyres will improve that. We also found it easy to recover from any silly antics.
First and second row comfort is decent and I couldn’t find fault with the seats for the short drive that we had. However the third row ride comfort was quite bouncy and I began to feel a little sick in the stomach, which was disappointing considering the magic that Honda pulled off with the Honda Odyssey. In the third row of the Odyssey you could be in the third row with the driver really gunning the B roads, causing the Odyssey to bank left and right as rapid successions of corner after corner got dealt with, and your tummy would not complain.
In the Freed, the third row is located right above the rear torsion bar suspension thanks to the long wheelbase and short overhangs. The bounciness isn’t harsh but it can get quite rapid in frequency. There are only front air conditioning vents in the Freed but during our short test you could still feel some air flow in the third row.
The engine and transmission are both smooth and responsive to both throttle input and downshifting but as expected the combo has to work hard under the vehicle and passenger’s weight if you are not in the mood for a cruise, and things can start getting a little loud in the cabin at high revs but there’s no vibration. The brakes are pretty good though – we had a brake test area as part of the test track and they were strong and responsive even under a four person load.
And then you have the interior. The design of the double deck dash is quite appealing, and the multi-info display has a real time fuel consumption indicator which we now find a necessary feature in all modern cars. We get the better looking digital air conditioning controls compared to the triple knob manual controls we saw in our Indonesian test drive cars. There are loads of little cubby holes and storage areas here and there, which is something good.
However the moment the dashboard ends, you get door panels which are basically just bare plastic on all doors. Feels hard to accept all of this when you see the word “premium” thrown at you in all the Freed litreature. It this what premium is supposed to be?
What the Freed has ended up being is is a high spec compact MPV that also comes with a high price. And it’s still not as high spec as we’d hope it to be – where’s the VSA stability control that doesn’t seem to be an available feature globally on any of the cars (Jazz, City) that spawn from this small car platform?
I wish Honda had took a more conventional approach to making a compact B-segment MPV instead of the “mini Alphard” that the Freed ended up being. The Freed is a very different formula from its competitors but I don’t think this is a better formula as ultimately its still a small vehicle.
Honda used to make a station wagon version of the last generation City/Jazz called the Honda Airwave. Imagine if what they made was a more ‘conventional’ lower riding Honda Airwave with 2-3-2 third row seating (as opposed to the Freed’s 2-2-3), regular doors and a more affordable price tag?
[zenphotopress number=999 album=1082]
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Fuyoo… digital rev ala S2000… it’s been awhile since it was ard.
s2000 rev counter on a van
power nya
What an oddly design for a MPV. The front look nice, but the rear look wierd.
The back reminds me of an express bus.
This is still a rubbish car..RM 113 for 1.5 l MPV? What a joke!
Haa, you are then a rubbish……
This is a honda car……Do you think it is another Proton or perodua?
It is not a national car…….
Besides, the price is priced perfectly, if not…..how much do you think this should be priced??? 60k, 80k, 100k?????
Even when not compared to national cars, just comparing it with Avanza, Grand Livina etc. will already reveal that this car is an overpriced piece of junk. But H and T worshippers will always buy their idols
this car is a big NO to me..
batter buy the naza rondo…. 2.0 for RM80k only… or the naza citra 2.0 for 60k only maa…
rubbish (maybe for the 1.5 l) may not be all right, remember that the price tag is forced upon again…
so nice la.. but as usual la the price is a major issue..
Rubbish on Malaysian road….for that price
Premium…where is touch screen GPS, bluetooth, steering audio remote, cruise control. What, ‘premium’ torsion beam suspension?
Agreed. Nothing premium at all. Looking at the way the seats are mounted on the vehicle and its fully flat floor, it reminds me of those cheap Nissan Vanettes!!!
And that fugly dash.. what were they trying to do, compete with the Citroen Pallas for retro funkiness??
stream and odyssey is beautifullllll…… mables….. What happen with this one??? Designer quit oredi???
same designer for previous city…designer mabuk
JDM car…japs like these kinda design…what can do you expect?..Same goes before stream/wish/odyssey made into the market..what do we know about MPV? What comes in mind was a ford econovan or nissan vanette..then came unser..
unser, econovan, vannette is demn cheap. They are van tat looks like van and priced like a van and tat is acceptable. But this H Greed is called premium MPV and priced like 2 full size van, looks like a minivan, feel cheap like a minivan, drive like a minivan,
anyway! ALZA still ok about RM…! berbaloi lah good desingn, engine also power, but the first thing is PETROL save he..he..
it is just the price make the issue, else it will sell like hot cakes. it should sell below rm90k
the rear looks so flat and squarish…hodohnya…yea…odyssey is beautiful
actually the reason was like this..at the factory they were making the final design of the freed..then suddenly as the dateline catching up..the person who design the rear felt sick and mc..so they just tepek2 the clay and present it. hehehehe.
for odyssey also still not ok, because why u know, at EURP. they use for ZOMBI car he..he.. sorry.
Honda, the power of dreaming it can sell an overpriced, Indonesian made (cheaper labor), 1.5L, under-spec MPV here. WAKE UP!!!
Should be called “Honda Greed”.
hahaha….aGreed too…haha…
pun! haha
Spot on!!..
Honda Freak
price is high for an Asean make vehicle.
what to do.. our Gomen has to protect ALZA market…so they price up import MPV, pity maLAYsian. can’t afford 2008-2009 best mini MPV in JAPAN
japanese with their wierd taste.last time mitsubishi townbox also a best seller
How much G price up?..if u can let me know exactly…
of course la, we malaysian, our gomen proted ALZA, good for malaysia people also, ok what!
i got a chance to test drive freed. all i can say is it drive plainly interm of engine and suspension.
at 1350kg suprisingly the car is heavy, heavier than avanza so 1.5 not that spritely for 1350kg.
2nd and third row seating is to the minimal for my dimension, to some extent my knee rubs the seat infront.
steering without leather looks cheap and less meaty, all plastic door panel add to the cheap as a whole ,not to mention the seating fabric is plain without pattern.
the interesting part is a table-dash, it feels homey as what mpv have to be, cool and relax.
its a 110-120 cruiser low rpm ivtech.
this is not ment for spritely driving and people wouldnt want to,
sad part its a compact van, all plastic around, with unrealistic price.
say it premium but its just an entry level.
I agree with awak on a cruiser type of vehicle. Actually, engine power was adequate and my test drive from Changkat Jering to Kamunting toll was enough to tell me it was a great drivetrain. Unlike some other MPV which struggles to even move, the Freed felt rather responsive. There is a certain light and airy feeling in the car. Typical Honda refinement except very cheap materials all about… especially plastic door cards, no leather seats from RM113k… fucking high price..
if 1.5liter is good enough then i think the other mpv that you are saying is 1.3liter myvi?lol
you are so so funny
too expensive for this grade of vehicle
Design vs price = out of my taste
if sombody bang the rear end… you have to chanve the bumper and rear panel… who desgined this……… to sum up… A VAN with CURVE
i dont know why in this present time Japanese car design likes suck…..compare Korean, their design marvelous…
The more I see it, the more I feel like puking.
A Grand Livina is more sensible and practical, anytime and anyday.
Exactly! Livina is more balanced looking, better priced, drives nicely, more practical etc. than this overpriced Asean-built junk
tooooo expensive as usual…cant beat livina 1.8 with impul spec…
Look’s like Honda made a car that no one will buy…
i think it would still have the steady and decent sales figure,particulary true in kl and penang state..it’s just not the car for some fussy basher here,in reality will goes to the other way round..
i agree with u tezza
like i sed b4..the real culprit is honda city because this mpv price cant get lower than city..even the city is 90k..so this mpv cant get lower than that. even if looking at honda stream..u can buy an accord with 2.0 ivtec and rear air cond vent which stream doesnt have.
I always like your comments sir,well dont u think the price of Odyssey and Stream are the real culprit here.(dont get me wrong, this two models are top notch in quality)
Odyssey good but the lack of rear aircond on the stream had turn off lots of buyer
Honda Steam is not really good in quality… sir.
“Mini Alphard” is not as good an analogy as “Poor Man’s B-Class”. But then again its just an analogy. Honda have outdone themselves! HAHAHAHA!
this car…..==”
the front looks not bad at all
but the rear…haiz
it is like after designing the front the designer resign, then the next designer design the rear lamp and quit, then another designer come and he simply put one windows on the back and got fired, finally the last one was hired he found out that there was no place to put number plate so he put one hole in the middle………..
And seriously made in Indonesia and with that kind of price???
innova, advanza, exora all those also not that bad (Honda DO U KNOW???)
XD
Btw try scrolling down to the most btm u will find one smiling face on the bottom left of the website…haha
wait till KIA make their mpv
Kia Rondo / Naza Citra is an MPV.
and their both like shit.
just went honda melaka and saw the car. it looks cheap….. not par with the price at all.
rubbish !! 100K above for this mini MPV…
Better buy Alza…cheaper than Freed. 1.5L some more.
ALZA design not good. Hypermarket trolley with small wheel.. somemore, 3rd row seat like papan lapis, roof like atap zink dan built quality like malaysian… that’s why it’s sold cheap
Stop making an offensive comment if u not have test drive one yet.
Alza is a great car with room to spare with 7 occupants.
although the 3 row is like a papan lapis. I found that it rather plesent.
for a Honda Freed, it maybe a great car(i haven’t test drive yet)
the the built quality is not par for the car in this price category.
lol a good comment from Perodua diehard basher
love your comment peyno
lol
Tis honda greed looks as cheap as alza, both have 1.5l engine, both uses torsion beam, both hv plastic interior, both hv no steering audio control, both have rear kerusi papan, both are japs cheap van, both hv tiny wheel
But Honda Greed’s dashboard is shittier than Alza’s
What make this car cost RM113k? I can’t see anything it has which outstand others. RM113K for a Honda VAN?
It should call Honda FREAK! with it’s FREAKING design
I have test ride the car this morning, if compare to nissan grand livina, the facilities and design is better, besides the rear part of the car. But in engine performance and suspension wise, livina is a lot better than freed for sure, especially if you upgrade to impuls version. In my personal opinion, reasonable price for freed is rm100k, not rm115k. If rm115k, maybe we should entitle all leather seats and door panel, plus an 1.8. Civic engine, then it is a good deal.
I think my 1.6 L manual Livina can smoke this Freed anytime anywhere.
don’t worry, it definitely will. a modern Nissan engine with manual transmission is a superb combination.
Every time when Honda got new car, no matter how expensive it is, it always give me the oohm to go and have a look. BUT this one, to tell the truth, I really don’t have the mood and feel to even go look at it at all. A product that called “premium” but just a price that is premium. Nothing more then that, I wonder how many die hard fans of honda will purchase that…
a stupid MVP!,,cant even pun luggage at the rear boot space!..WTF!..failed!!!!
YES “MVP” xD
Attention Honda Malaysia..
OVERPRICED. That’s what most of us think. Low spec 90k-95k, high spec 95k-99k would be the more appropriate price for the Freed.
Do NOT repeat the same mistake for the upcoming 2011/2012 Civic. I’ll go for a Korean make if you don’t get the price right.
haha..as if my opinion really counts. but i know you guys at Honda are reading this.
Your “create the perception of a more sophisticated and luxury product than the big T, sell at a lower volume at a higher price” business model won’t work. The Koreans are so going to overtake you if you keep on being complacent.
agreed, conclusions :
1. go for grand livina, alza or exora if value is your concern.
2. go for freed if you have extra bucks and want to show others you have. ;)
EXTRA bucks will aim for Odyssey or Alphard already.
overprice a product is a honda way to market the products, especially at a time where toyota are facing quality turmoil. i think honda trying to climb over toyota. anyway, there are still buyers for freed. reasons:
honda are not promoting the car for value for money but luxurious way. ( although it does not look luxurious when you saw all the plastics and the rear part look like atos ). but bear in mind, we have smart for two in malaysia as a extremely overpriced 2 seater 600cc mini car, there are still a demand even the car are not available anymore in malaysia.
When will people ask “Can it climb up to Genting Highlands with a full load” eh?
Can it climb up to Genting Highlands with a full load? hahaha
yeap..can it climb Genting.. ; )
Cheras little Genting can gua…
Can it go down genting with a full load? without destroying the brakes?
What IS JDM?..hehe..pls somebody explain…kurang paham la….
N/A stands for normally aspirated or naturally aspirated?…or both just the same? tak kisah guna yang mana pon….
Japan Domestic Market I think. Maknanya kereta jual kat Jepun
JDM is stand for “Japanese Domestic Market”..
Usually used to describe a car or car parts that are made in Japan.
Refers to automobiles produced and sold in Japan. Not the same as Japanese imports (cars produced in Japan and sold here).
JDM – japanese domestic model
Tgk explanation kat car jargon, a link from right column of this page
I guess is Japanese Domestic Market
i just went to check this car out at the showroom. its definitely not look like worth 115k.
the plastics feel cheap. even my myvi has fabric cover for the side panels. myvi got more space too. but i sure like the double level dash and captain seats armrest! ;)
Too expensive, underpowered and made by indons. I hope they don’t sabotage the Malaysian bound cars….
A 113K for a premium compact MPV? what a idiotic would buy that?
it’s just too overprice with entry level equipment.
no leather seat, automatic door would not open big enough(like Paul Tan said ” It’s a serious struggle to access the third row by sliding and reclining the second row forward”)
and very very cheap plastic-looking MPV.
I rather put my money on Perodua Alza Advance Version.
haven’t i told you how odd looking this car, especially the rear end? . Remind me of Proton Juara :)
Always love honda car especially their new Civic. However for this 1 reli nothing much to say. For that price tag Grand Livina 1.8 will be a better choice anytime. And if you dun mind to drive a recond car, Toyota Wish japanese recond will wins this competitor at the price of Rm 11x.
At least Wish is a 7-seater which is larger, nicer design, more powerful engine than this 1.5 -.-
Agreed. I tested both Wish and Livina but end up buying Wish also. Love the design. But it’s not fair to compare this and WISH. WISH new car was about 170k above for japanese version. Tis onli 115. Not in the catergory bro..
he is not comparing new freed with new wish, he is comparing new freed and recon wish.
yeap..recon wish make more sense
shocked with the price….too much compare to material quality overall….is it same price as grey importers? must be the sliding door portion the 15k. Else it sold rm100k…..quite acceptable la…
Please forbid this fugly car in this country
Premium=Soft touch plastics, fabric on doors and the 3rd row passengers don’t get motion sickness.
Price = Premium
Freed = or rather Greed.
kecik giler freed ni!!! besar lebih kurang ALZA…
Rubbish….remind me Proton Juara
taxi klia should be ok
Saw this car today at one a Honda showroom. The one thing that irks me is the way they combine the selling point of ‘premium’ and ‘mini mpv’. Didn’t seem very premium in terms of interior trim. The door trim had a large plastic piece that basically covered 2/3 of the door. When I sat in the new Jazz in comparison, the trim was alot better (use of materials) and it just felt more ‘premium’. In my mind, the gimmick of the powered passenger doors just meant that whatever resource that went into rolling out a powered doors meant skimming on other bits like choice of trim materials. It’s like a warped Jazz in my opinion. Similarly priced, CBU, similarly powered, not very spacious but a tad ridiculous. It’s of course not in the same segment but I can’t help make put em two together.
New Jazz comes CBU Thailand. When I sat in the new Jazz and looked at the interior, I thought to myself “would I pay RM100k for this?”. I walked out of the showroom.
Honda is taking advantage to make more money, because malaysians worthship Japanese cars.
Its time to look at korean cars.
Note : SD, pls dont be too greedy when u price your upcoming Sonata and Tucson
Front looks so nice, like T estima a bit, d rear looks weird, a bit like Naza Ria/Kia Carnival…Honda Freak?!
nonsense rm113k,,,,crazy price in malaysia…engine just 1.5,,,,bazir la.
this ‘premium’ crap is jus a psychological thing honda is putting on consumers mind , thinking that consumers will be convicned thy will pay a premium price bcos its a ‘premium ‘ product….this is such a bullcrap
its not a bad car….bt its like pricing the Exora for rm150k bcos is a ‘premium’ product….
plz ask honda wat exactly the freed has and others dont that makes this product ‘premium’ ??????
government is making profit from tax, rakyat will get rubbish on the road
i think the 2 biggest faults are access to 3rd row seats and the engine.
when you’re in the market for an MPV, you’re looking for a people mover and there is no replacement for large amounts of torque at low rpms (think diesel for example). an MPV is already heavy due the all the extra hardware it has to carry to accommodate the extra passengers so having a puny 1.5L NA is not very helpful.
bro…Japs are not very good wt diesel tech, if its a euro model …surely have a good & more suitable 1.5 diesel to pull all this weights….unless honda can plunk it 2.2idtec diesel in the freak
I think the leg room for all three rows of seats inside Freed are no where better than P2 Alza, yet we have to pay twice (or more than twice) the price.
Why it is even called Freed anyway?
It’s not like we are really “free” sitting inside this car!
Should be called Honda Trapped for the small spaces, crappy seats and pimped-up Nissan Vannete feel.
premium?
this is rubbish and bloodsucker .
Load of crap again . RM113k? Am sure this car cost a friction in JP of what it cost here. And guy’s. those of you planing to gey this car, get it now. According to my friend who works with honda, the actual pricing is at about 123+ -, They had to get permision from the customs to sell the 1st batch, not sure of the units at a lower discount price. once the second batch comes in the price will be revised. Hope this news help for those planning to buy.
“Hope this news help for those planning to buy.”.. Which should be probably between 5 to 10 people. I wonder who are the suckers who would choose this over a Grand Livina or a recond Toyota Wish? If the price shoots up to RM123k, add another RM20+k and a 2nd-hand Alphard is within spitting distance..
with the wide boot lid opening, i think this can be a premium ambulance…………..
They’d have to chop off your legs first before putting you in. :-)
i think the main point for selling so high price is the two automatic slide door, haha
nothing else.
Went for a test drive yesterday. And the result is…rubbish! They will loose to others as the first gen city loses to vios!
They claim it to be premium. I can’t find any ‘premium’ in it. I did ask the salesman, what is the strongest selling point for the car compared to others and he seems to struggle hard answering me…1.5IVTEC? Sliding door? Walk through cabin? That’s it?..ermmm not premium for me….
Like:
1. Dashboard design – two layers with a flat surface can put a laptop on the move or makan nasi lemak!..he..
2. Air con – powerful enough that after a short test drive I got my glass frosened!…ha..and not to mention it is auto climate..
3. Good odometer design/colour – though simple..honda odometer is the most I liked compared to others…
4. Walk through cabin – best for kids and adults! You can move around easily. Get from the back door and go straight to your driver’s seat!, if you parked by a wall at Mid Valley!
5. Seat – comfortable design even for third row seat
6. what else ar….
Don’t like:
1. Exterior design – front okay, but the back is not suitable to the front look..same like exora, but this one is the worst!..Suddenly exora become my favorite!
2. Seat configuration – You will find it very hard to get into third row though the doors are slides!
3. Seat again – it is actually 6 seater, not a seven seater!
4. Seat again – Too cramp for adult for third row..though you compromise the second row, those at second row will have very limited leg room..out for me..
5. Seat again – Side folding for third row not faovourable to me..prefer a fold flat..
6. Seat again – Second row cannot fold flat/remove…what the point of having an mpv then?
7. Sliding door – vulnerable to thieves…you can’t force the door to close if you are running from thief into your car, and the thief suddenly put his hand to the door..and tadaa,,the door reopen to the thieves!..better be not a serial raper! I did ask this to the salesman, and he simply said the car is designed with good people in mind!…ha..ha..for me better be safe than sorry lor…
8. Too tall and thinny…not suitable for roof box..
After the test drive and Q&A sesion with the salesperson..a good salesperson, thank you sir!…my verdict for MPV compared to the Freed, with price to spec worthiness that I’ve test drive/driven…:
1. Nissan Grand Livina – wins in term of engine and transmission smoothness..you get a better 1.8 impul tuned with less the price.., better sporty looking car like driving, not too big, not too tall (good for your roof box later)…fold flat seats..
2. Proton Exora – Wins in term of spaciousness, very good seating configurations and arrangements, Comparatively good looking (you can mod it to be better looking), fold flat seats, aircon blowers, ride and handling, more spec and of course at much lower price!
3. Kia Rondo – Good driving pleasures, feels more up market interior wise, roof rail provided for ur extra attachement up there..and a 2.0 engine!..good buy for the price..If the Rondo looks as good as the Forte, I’d grab this long ago…
4. Perodua Alza – A very competitive small mpv to its price, drive comfortably for a new car of course..though the back design is horrible too for me..at the same 1.5 liter, you get almost half the price!
5. Toyota Wish Recond – for the same price but higher spec and a real ‘premium’ feeling…
6. The new Honda Freed..as I did explained above…
So guys, people buy small MPV for its practicality, not for its ‘premium’. Freed just not giving enough practicality compared to others, so they try to market it as premium, so give higher price and blame on the G tax. But they forgot that its look and spec is not premium at all and the Livina is priced even lower though it too came from Indonesia.!
With Freed now officially on sale, it will help boost sales to other makes …people will definitely go for others! Sorry Honda you fail this time…
kinda disappointed wif the spec, for an above rm100k car in msia (which is consider luxurious), there are no basic stuff like seat belt height adjustable, what’s going on honda? no disc brake, no fog lights? i noice the new hondas doesn’t like giving fog lights in its lower spec like city and jazz, then no audio control, crap, the center area wif the cup holder just looks odd…
i guess the selling point for this ride are the sliding doors plus the digital a/c. plastic trimming all over…
i guess, we r just used to low spec car selling at higher price, what to do, welcome to msia….
missed out, also i would save rm50k and get an alza which i think is a direct competitior to the freed.
not bad looking at least, we get all the nifty gadgets at lower price
I agree. Predicted the Freed price pretty close to he actual at end of last year and decided to take an Alza for my wife.
Doing good so far, with extra 50k in the pocket for something else!
Actually Nissan should be happier now. I never pay notice to Grand Livina all this while but after looking at the Freed and the price, I started to pay more attention to Livina and actually like it….a lot.
Freed claimed themselves to be premium because they know ppl will complaint about the price. Premium???I can’t see any. To call yourself premium, you should at least include leather seat, navigation, reverse camera, xenon headlamp. Just because they put in power door, they can call it ‘Premium’..Malaysians are not that stupid for you to fool again….
I can see the rear is all in one piece. That means if you hit your rear, you will have to spray the entire rear, plus both side of fender. AND the 5th door need to be repair and spray as well…
More like “Honda Trapped” the car is so small and expensive… way to go Honda.
Just passed by one of the Honda outlet in Ipoh. Nobody there, very unusual for a new model like Honda. Biggest blunder in term of pricing by Honda.
Ha ahahahahahaha lastly…. HONDA presenting the ever worst design!!!! but still ok if comparing with JUWARA. hehehehehe…. maybe currently honda having lack of idea….
Honda should bring it Stepwagon and price it lower than Stream or as an option to Stream…
Stepwagon is more practical with sliding door, space & all rows aircond vents if u can get over its design, …anyway those boy racer wt family can still choose the stream.
nice from infront, nice from side….
totally ugly from rear…..
can compete with juara for the ugliest van in universe…
even if it was priced at RM90K, I won’t consider this MPV at all. Livina is a better buy. With RM110k, i rather go for used wish or even stream.
back look like dugong!!
just visited honda website. to add the fog lamp, rear spoiler and the visor (4 doors), u need to top up another RM3.5K, pheww!!!
just wondering these cheap stuff at open market are acually expensive stuff in honda.
For me, engine is the most important factor when come to choose which car brand to purchase.
I like Livina personally but the engine architecture freak me off. Thus, the respond of the accelerator are weird to me.
I’m waiting for affordable new MPV car at 100k-120k long long ago. Honda and Toyota never touch on this range of MPV before and I’m sure this time my long wait will over.
I’m not diehard for Honda or Toyota but I love their architecture of the engine, fuel saving, comfortable, safety, durability of interior….. I’m not rich either… 50k for me is a lot! But I have experience driving 5 years of proton compare to 5 years driving Honda…. which prove to me 50k more expensive is definitely worth it.
handling just like ixora…prices very high with their quality..need some improvement ..i think better to have alza..
Paying extra to get small space… Getting an Alza or Livina will be sensible choice. If one doesn”t mind the short in luggage space. Exora only to consider once they sort out the powertrain. At this price, the Jazz feel like a bargain with its quality interior and built.
Just hold your horses, Honda Malaysia surely give discount later.
I find Paul’s readers really funny, get an MPV to compare on sprint performance. That is Great! Malaysia Boleh! SIC shall have one MPV race cater to this.
Went to USJ Honda show room to see the car. info from the salesman, they purposely make the interior looks ‘cheap’ as to leave room for facelift later.
different ppl got different preference, this freed is more suitable for 2nd car ( wife car ), where convenience is the priority, engine performance is not very important. for people who cannot afford alphard YET, this is a affordable honda version of mini alphard which very good for homemaker to fetch their children from schools.
why the interior is beige (light) but malaysia is grey (dark)
My Exora is far more better maaa. Price cheaper, size bigger. The fuel consumption is not bad, definetly im not driving a kancil. This Freed is not at par on what should we get at that price
Rm113k for a 1.5 “Premium” MPV is a joke, still some die-hard and fans of Honda will buy it.
Freed cannot price lower than the Jazz, and cannot price higher than the Civic 1.8 hence this pricing of Rm113k.
We Malaysian suffered or still suffering and continue to suffer for now – due to our High car tax and protection for national car.
a bit pricey but meets my needs as a professional and mom of 3 small kids. put aside the price its what ive been looking for. my kids love it too.
so, if u can afford it… why not?!
if you cant… then ok, alza and exora would be a good option :-P
livina… well, not practical in terms of space and the ‘difficult to pull up’ middle row seats…
1.5iVTEC quite practical for urbanites.
about fuel consumption…obviously those comparing it with exora or alza has never driven a honda before
I totally agree with you. Its my need to send kids to school and more importantly the kids love it, because they can run walk around to the first/second rows relatively easy. In addition, if everytime i need help fold the second row for my kids to jump into 3 row. it is just practical for me. If I affords why not? btw, I had done the booking.
shut uppp… those bashers are either jealous (never experience VTEC) or not enough money. freed is in different league. it’s a mini van (yes, with sliding auto door) not a mpv.. best for town use. if u want to save your money, then just spend on alza (design for retired people)
hi kate, when ur going get your freed?
i cant wait to get my freed.
according to honda SA,they dont know when we can get our 1st batch car…. will know by end of this month..
do read freed from singapore forum.they give good comment.imagine singapore got better car option than malaysia but they choose freed instead.
actually, car is a subjective things. a guy will say a women stupid for spending RM 50k for diamond ring, a women will say a guy stupid for spending RM 500k for a sports car.
i’ve booked my freed and SA said by end of july.. crossing my fingers and just cant wait ;-) i guess singaporeans value practicality as much as some of us do..
I like ur last comment vincent (about the diamond ring vs sports car) and i’m sure it’ll get my hubby thinking!
Well, IMHO it makes the Kia Rondo 2.0L DOHC CVVT look like a luxury MPV.
As I said this Freed is Housewife’s Car, and Honda Malaysia are market the car to this niche market. So, don’t be frustrated or disappoint with the pricing or spec Honda given, because the value only will be appreciated by Housewifes! :)
then RM110K is too cheap if H target for the said niche market, they should set the minumum price from RM180K, so it’ll be ‘more premium’ and those housewife will be proud when driving this freak to market to fetching kids to school, coz they can show to other ppl that their hubby is damn rich and they are the happiest housewife in the world lol XD
if rm180k better take the real alphard recon lah, bro.
yeah, just a joking. some ppl will opt for this freed, but definately not me. my target is wish :D
@kep on bashing ,wait a little longer a new wish is coming….damn beautiful
yeah, saw a few in s’pore already. not bad :)
112k….for FREED??? I not stupid! FRUCCKK!!
Once again HONDA is eating people again! you think we are stupid??
i saw the new wish at genting few months ago.Singapore car.the look like current new vios.
for those who accept new vios look, will also accept new wish look.
actually Honda marketing might score! a lot ppl condemn but at same time,promote their product…like Apple IPad…haha…
exceed 1600 unit this year is not an issue for them…. Freed sell like hotcake at our neighbour country Indonesia and Singapore..
Malaysia surely will copy their buying style de… Malaysia Boleh mah…
they should use our 1Malaysia slogan
like 1Freed instead “premium” where 113k + Freed = 1Malaysia
the marking guy should be ask resign/demoted because by putting “premium” at their slogan…99% ppl condemn.. things will look different if they dont put that..
I’m a malaysian working in Singapore, and last year I bought Freed 1.5 GL and has been driving my car long distance travelling back to KL every one or two month. Here’s my fair summary on Freed base on my 14 yrs driving experience, from driving Wira, Satria, Ford Escort, Ford Laser, Myvi, Viva in malaysia. It’s fair to said Freed score above average compare to other Mini MPV class. (not factoring in the MPV class such as alphard, estima, odyssey and wish)
Looks department: (3.5/5)
takes time to get used to the looks but from the front angle it looks like estima!
Power plant: (4/5)
Don’t expect sport car performance as this car is meant for family and practical use. Reasonable average pick up but the power over weight ratio is better than the Nissan Livina with 1.8L engine. Top speed I have every hit with my freed was 180kph and it feels quite steady
Handling: (3.5/5)
Sitting height is great and it feels like driving a sedan rather than a MPV. Good handling response with stiffer suspension than toyota. But still comfortable enough for road use.
Comfort interior: (4/5)
The dash was odd in the begining but slowly discover the uniqueness of the interior. I have never seen so much cup compartment before (which I like most) tons of compartment for user as well as a card compartment for your touch “n” go. Only thing missing is the sunglass compartment.
Price: (3/5)
I agree that it’s over price in Malaysia at 120k. But when I bought the car the in Singapore it’s cheaper than Wish by 10k sgd. .
Space: (4/5)
rear boot is more user friendly than of Odyssey and Wish where the thrid roll access is more cramp than of Freed. With the higher headroom than of wish and odyssey, feels like sitting in an Alphard. I travel with huge cargo baby pram, buy rice, large item like baby bed and stuff. so I can say it’s one of the great feature that Freed got to offer.
Anyway I love my freed and this is my honest review.
i like your comment. imagine Wish just $10k difference but u choose to have Freed.
i drive toyota and proton. but when i test drive Freed, it is totally different feeling.
i cant comment much because im still waiting for 1st batch Freed from Indo to Malaysia.
I can give more feedback and perhaps organise Freed Club Malaysia.
by the way, 180 is the maximum for Freed!
are you sure you go to that extent speed?
its a troll bro! haha. 180km/hr at 5000rpm more likely. imagine the noise driving like that. what la
i have test ride both honda freed and nissan grand livina 1.8, pickup for honda freed is a bit struggling especially at high rev, gl provide smoother ride in high rev as we aware that the torque and horse power is a bit higher than freed, and i think impuls version will even a lot better in term of road performance compare to freed. and that is why a lot of car enthusiast still prefer livina compare to freed.
i have test ride both freed and grand livina before, freed was struggling at pickup at high rev but gl provides smoother ride. and this is just normal gl, if gl with impuls i think it will make a difference in term of road performance. that is why gl still a choice of a lot of car enthusiasts compare to freed which is not design to give pleasure to driver but passengers, like what alphard compare to caldina.
as conclusion, this reak is only meant for those have extra bucks to spend, without feeling heartache after purchased.
serious buyer that looking for a mpv for a family of 5 or more, should consider a REAL mpv rathar than this freak. exora, grand livina or rondo if budgest below 100k. else spend a little bit more for a recon wish :)
kate,my honda sa call me.
month May dont have any freed to malaysia.i have to wait on june for the car.not sure that month can get or not.
so disappointed.
Why nobody bother to do the conversion? In Indonesia this car priced Rp. 258 M rupiah or about RM91K. So it’s the Malaysian gomen who put the heavy tax on it…
Hmmm…I prefer Freed brother which is no longer in production, which is the Honda FRV (Edix), go for the 2.0 DOHC i-VTec with also 5 speed, very comfortable and larger storage areas.
And it seats 6 person comfortably!!
Well, I have to agree that this Freed is overly priced due to heavy tax imposed by the G.
The correct price should be around RM90k – RM95k (variant dependant)
Those plastics door is a major turn off kan?
p/s:- Paul, nak test FRV?
i booked already.. whtever…16.4km/l and its HONDA
hi FEEEDo dildo,
when your car confirm can get?
i book on its 1st day launch.according to SA, only on june but dont know the date.
many ppl book and queue is long.
amboi….dah ilang akal ke letak harge keta mpv baru Rm 113k? dah la 1.5 jer.. lepas tu nothing special pun compare ngn keta mpv yg setaraf ngn nye…dan jauh skali ngn mpv lebih cc dr nye…
mentang2 nama HONDA…depa syok letak harga sampai mcm ni…
depa masih luper sjarah silam meka ngn city tu…walaupun depa kata depa baguz ble kuar civic….tapi xde la baguz sgt coz sound system fail n ari tu aku tompang kawan aku naik keta dia ( civic 2.0 baru..) turun jb dr kl….sampai tengah jln dok bau durian dlm keta….so pe lg? pakat semua heran coz xde sape yg bawa durian n makan buah tu…alih2..selang 3..4 km lepas tu kami jumpe lori durian kat depan.. ermm..pelik gak keta mahal nak mampus mcm ni pun leh bawak masuk bau tu dari jauh…….
so…….jawapannya….HONDA sekarang nie dah HAMPEH!…hampeh!
lepas meka kuar dari F1…semua benda nak control budget…. So…last2 kuar keta mpv ni tapi jual mahal2… kat indon pun kalau tukar duit xsmpai Rm 100 k pun. tp kat malysia..meka berlagak la sikit….maklum la kat cini ramai kaki honda yang dok puja jenama HONDA ni…………..hahaha..
Xper la..aku ada gak honda…..tapi HONDA cup 70….( atuk aku punya..)
no matter it is Honda ‘Greed’ or Honda ‘Freak’, i will wait until the special edition is out where at least the seat upgrade to leather or reverse camera.
u mean facelift?
till now, indonesia and singapore dont have leather seat
guys & gals….
i am malaysian n live in indonesia and will be taking delivery of my freed in the next few days n the price paid is only RM 89 thousand NOT the 113 in malaysia…
in addition, i was privilege to FREE accessories like V-Kool all around including the windscreen, rear spoiler (from the mugen kit), fog lamps (from the new jazz), reverse sensor to name a few items….
so, is that a GREAT deal or what!!!!
eat your hearts out…..
hi drew,
what is the colour of your freed?
its black….. first thought of white (but gurl color) then silver (too much like avanza color) then settled on black.
have seen 1 or 2 black with larger wheels & rims and they look nice!
haha.
i trust your taste.i just told my SA i go for black
next week i get my FREED….
previously i choose metal metallic but have to wait till june…i dont want to wait anymore…!
they dont have silver… sir.
i remembered when paul first posted about freed, the response was good
i guess the price seriously kill the interest
can any car expert tell me, can freed climb cameron highland comfortably? which is the better climber between freed, livina, exora & alza? Paul Tan, any comment?
retroridz,
if ur seeking for climb comfortablly,sedan is not your best choice..go get 4×4 like hilux, pajero,and etc.
b4 freed bring into public, honda will do research and tuning where they drive to genting …and tune the engine or certain area..
this is what i know from toyota r&d last year where they already tested prius b4 bring to the public
if u wan sedan comforably,i believe the bigger CC engine..the more easy it can climb…if that case… grand livina 1.8 will be the best choice
Just got my car yesterday.
Not too bad.
The handling is light, worried in the highway with 140km/j will have any issue.
joyofjoy,
if u read singapore freed owner, they clock 180km/j!
and they still alive and tell their story
go google for singapore freed club..u see my comment and question to them
singaporean love freed…. the price of stream is similiar to freed…but they choose freed!
amazing right!
do commemt more about freed!
everyday i monior this blog..as malaysia don have website for freed owner yet
wat is your freed color?
next week my freed is coming…suppose metalic but i change to black..as don wan to wait till june…
i’m z…. i already booked freed ….. 3 day after launched… i can’t wait until i get my car…. this car is really best i ever seen…. i choose white colour coz its look like more premium mpv.. i want to build honda freed club malaysia after i get the car.. i want to sugggest to everyone that already book freed to register to my club..tq
Mine is Polished Metal.
I must say the m/white look more premium and extra oridinary. My reason for not going for white is, it is more difficult to maintain.
For those who would iike to Tint your Freed, I paid RM2300 for V Kool Elite but I have feeling the is around 2k.
Because my SA told earlier the price for V Kool Elite is RM3200, crazy like. therefore, I asked one of the friend to check the price and was quoted rm2500. Later I bargain with the sa and settled with rm2.3k. Hope this help for those want to consider V Kool and can bargain a better price.
I am driving Honda City and with this Freed I feel a bit under power but overall if you treat this as the family car, it does fit the purpose. My children like it so much, because they can walk around in the cabin and even my wife has tested sitting on the 3rd row without any problem.
In addition, the I-VTech engine is quiet as compare to alza engine and the speakers are lovely.
I am not a person that really love car, but rather look for car that fit for purpose and practical. I do agree Freed is over priced but I trust the brand partly because my Honda City after 6 years still in very good condition therefore decided to but additional car for outing and travelling to hometown (Melaka).
I do not need a very big car, because 80% of the time I am travelling alone i.e. home to office and vice versa. Except on the weekend with the family therefore this car just nice for it.
before I forget the plastic doors really turn the car look cheap and I still can’t adjust to it.
Honda shouldn’t dumped these better version of Juara back to Malaysia. Malaysian has enuff rubbish car like Juara. For that freaking price let’s wait and opt for the new Hyundai Avante, cheaper and looks nicer. Japan Honda has failed against the Korean, and Toyota.
anyone who book black freed?
seem nobody take black…worry
Hi..I’m booking thr black one… the Honda rep said it is sporty… anyway, i also booked white as my second preference
proud to be freed owner!
1) Achieved the title of “Best Value” award in Japan Car of the Year 2008-2009.
2) A total number of sales reaching 76.395 units within a year since its launch, Freed become one of the highest selling Minivan in Japan.
Not easy to defeat other competitor.
again, any black freed owner?
Vincent, do not be alarmed as the black is classic elegance. Mine is black and its great coz the silver, grey metalic and white are common in indonesia. Wait till the wheels n rims are upgraded.
In Indonesia, the freed has sold over 10, 000 units!
I have driven as company cars, Toyota Innova, Toyota Altis and Ford Everest (all top spec models). As this is a second car for my wife’s daily driver, it serves its purpose and a great small MPV. I enjoy it on the weekends!!
i normally drive back to kelantan via cameron highland 2 or 3 times a year. so does freed suit my 270 kg 6 family members. some said that freed will face a problem when climbing and descending the steep hills. need good advice from the experts.
You should consider a bigger MPV, unless u have a wardrobe setup in Kelantan and dont carry any luggage.
Read earlier posts… this car is for rich urban wives who own Smart for 2, and needs a bigger vehicle to ferry kids to school. :-)
wat car u drive currently?
I have a smart for 2.. may I know why you ask?
hi se,
that question is for retroridz
as he worry bout going up cameron.
if current car he drive is 2cc…he might felt underpower if drive 1.5cc
Hi Vincent
My mistake.
The bigger concern I have with having a compact MPV going on a long distance travel with 6 adults, as I said, is space.
I think power is a concern with a small engine, but not a big one meeting moderate expectation because the journey through Cameron is not as steep as going up Genting.
I would say Freed is meant for urban driving, or over long distance for small family.
It should a a car most of the time, but sometime as a MPV.
I drive a Honda, but given the spec and price, my conclusion is, Freed is a good product, just not worth the price in Malaysia.
According to SA, Freed tune the torque higher which means will have lower horsepower. My understanding is you will have faster pickup and lesser high speed.
If wrong please correct me.
to vincent,
currently i owned civic 1.7. since my family is getting bigger, i’m thinking of a new mpv. this freed really catch my attention but performance wise, i’m not so sure.
hi retroridz,
same with me.family getting bigger.the big interior size of freed and the not so expensive price makes me go for it.tomorrow i get my freed. :O)
if ur looking for performance, better go for Grand Livina 1.8.i never test drive b4 but im sure it will better perform than any 1.5cc mpv.
perhaps u bring your entire family and test drive freed.see whether underpower or not.
to vincent
way to go bro. enjoy your freed. sure your kids enjoy walking around the car without opening the door. thats the highest point of freed. i still have a lot to ask, maybe later.
yoh!
i got my black freed today!
superb…i enjoy and love it
no wonder singaporean freed owner praise it
top sales in japan and indonesia 2008 and 2009!
Good job Honda!
Vincent, I was told by my SA the Freed is without the toolkit. Did you have yours?
wat toolkit u mean?i have everything that allow me to change tyre..etc..
piece of junk (overpriced some more!!!)
hi,
i drove Freed for 2 days already.
summarize:-
1)superb and amazing.i love the comfortable and spacious driver seat. my 2 kids enjoy it.my wife said it is very comfortable.
i compare with my vios (new model).we felt like sardin and it is very compress feeling.but with Freed,u felt very cosy and a lot of space.
i compare alza, grand livina and rush.they unable to compete Freed over the spacious and comforable feeling.i can go to my back without open my door.i use the middle path.
Excellent for its space 10/10
2)Speed/Accelerate
At first,i worry about 1.5 might not be powerful.I am wrong.It carry me and entire family like my toyota vios. In fact, it is more quiet and allow me to drive in relax.Honda absorber and corner is better than my Vios…when go up hill..it has no problem..
First time I drive honda car.If next time I want to upgrade/buy another car..i choose Honda rather than Toyota…..
3)Added bonus is always let me check whether i drive recklessly or not.there is a meter that tell me if i drive recklessly or fast, my petrol going waste more…it also have multi display information that tell me how many km i can go before my entire car petrol used up…my average petrol consumption…and lastly…. temperature outside of that car
4)the plastic side actually is good for family.as kids like to mess up things…if rain,plastic can be easily wipe off.now i know why they choose plastic…it is easy to be replace and afforable..
Still many good things i wan to praise for this car but to those who plan buy Freed..go for it….my own opinion.. as family man.. compare alza,grand livina,rush…. freed wins them all… of course… to win them..there is a price for it..which is more expensive than them….go for it if ur from middle and high income ppl.. those low income ppl should not go for it… it is not wise (thay why so many ppl unhappy with honda price)
Cheers!
front looks fine,
rear looks funny or ugly,
but the power sliding door this kind of price..u cant get from others
i think its covered it all…as for same range competitors : others not like this
if u cant afford alphard then u can have this similar techonolgy..
i think it is acceptable for 1.5 vtec small mpv…agreed?
p/s : no matter it assemble from thai or indon, its still honda brand ok..
=Z=
zery,
i have been driving freed since last week. what amaze me is the inside.the spacious and middle path allows my family freely navigate within the car itself.as for the sliding door,it is ok only.got or not doesnt matter.
i love the comfortable driving of it where u cant find at sedan. especially traffic jam, my kids can walk around and play compare the sedan.they are pretty stuck and couldnt move around.
i love the aircon as powerful.compare vios, the rear passenger always complain my aircon lousy.with freed, it does not have this issue even they sit at 3rd row…..
i agree with u about the rear.however,japanese car designer sure brainstorm and redesign hundred or even thousands times before they finalized the rear design.watever reason it is,surely it is good…
finally..i love the multi meter that always allow me to check my own driving style…where leads to better petrol consumption
next week im going to do my 1000km service…:O)
not a good car for balik kampung, i guess…
Aiseh bro orang lain balik kampung naik Kancil 660 fully loaded selamba badak je.
I’d tested drive the Freed. What I like are : i) sliding door, ii) middle passage, iii) the back room seat is more spacious than Alza & Livina.
Check with a collegue who took hers a few days back. Same comment as me, plus she mentioned that the car struggle when going uphill. That can be a problem.
THIS is the reason why japanese and others go for it …..read n learn….:)
For safety wise, this car scores 6 stars in the JNCAP crash tests for both the driver and passengers. The proprietary G-Force Control Technology (G-CON) helps disperse the crash impact across the body frame while the advanced compatibility engineering (ACE) gives better crash compatibility with other cars, thus minimizing injury.
Other safety features available on the All-New Freed are ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electrical Brake-force Distribution), BA (Brake Assist) and Grade Logic Control embedded in the Shift-Hold Control which provides stable driving around corners by holding a low gear.
any comments…???..tq…for ur attention …
this is the ugliest honda I have ever seen…
hi!…vincent,
I’ll get my new white freed in July. Can u please suggest me tail gate spoiler that is cheaper than modulo? TQ!
can get the local-mugen tail, I ask be4, rm400 including paint job..
wah! sungguh erodinamik..
bila akan dilancarkan kat malaysia pula?
Lol look like Allien Head try look harder & imagine…
nice car M8!
i will say no foer this car..
1. overprice
2nd. its made indonesia,, low quality..
already test drive a white unit last sunday… quite good but still doesn’t feel premium enuff… should be below RM100k
we already owned this Freed since 3 weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Low fuel consumption,our kids like it.Price is high but it up to you becoz that’s your own money paying installment every month .I,m not bother what your ppl giving negative comments.the most important is,we enjoying this car.
Nissan LIvina much better!
Hyundai and Kia start make nice looking cars now!Japanese please wake up!
I test drive Civic & Freed yesterday.Before the test drive,I think Freed is really overpriced and condemned it like hell.But after the test drive,I’m really confused.I like the driving performance.Really confort & stabil.I droved Estima before…I can say Freed is just a small brother of estima.Then when you compare with MYR250k Estima,you wouldn’t complain the price.Just the interior especially door,its too plastic!
*civic sucks
I have owned and driven the StepWGN for past 2 years. Awesome car. But I have 3 kids, a maid and a cat. The Feed is a scaled down StepWGN. The monthly trips from KLMelaka would be a squeeze in the Freed, but looks like a good alternative for around town. The 2.0 VTec in the StepWGN is very nice and extremely good on the North-South Highway where often you need power to maintain safe driving during overtaking of slower vivhles and trucks.
But I am annoyed that I had to go through a grey imported and pay a premium for my StepWGN but the alternatives are poor – yes I test drove them all.
– Stream is too small no luggage space.
– Odyssey is crazy price and not much luggage space and looks like a hurse.
– Alphard/Estima crazy price unless you buy a recon – but very nice.
– Nissan two models (can’t remeber the names) very cheap finish and drove like a trucks. Rear drum breaks also were a put off.
– Innova drives like a truck.
The StepWGN drives like a car. Its built on top of a Civic platform and uses the same engine as the Civic type R (I think maybe someone can correct me on that). Anyway its a pleasure to drive.
In my opinion I think Honda Malaysia missed an opportunity not brining in the StepWGN directly. They could offer a decent price point for those who are currently buying recon Estima’s.
tis 1.5litre i-vtec engine is more powerful than many 1.5 car, even bigger cc..
talking about fuel, rm72 full tank (ron95)
high way can drove for 650km, in town still can reach 350km
be4 this I drove a iswara auto 1.5, it’s like a fuel-drinking monster!
rm80 full tank (ron95), but only drive for 220km in town!!
(dare not bring to high-way yet)..
Damn high price….not agree with da price…shape oso funny…
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, hence its subjective. I for one, LOVE the look of this car, I think its unique. The line is simply beautiful. Yeah, I do agree that the rear is not very sexy but they are definitely not as bad as half of you made it to be.
Practicality:
I drive alone 50% of the time so this 1.5 was OK and make sense. Full pump is less than 70 usually and I can go 500+ KM before next fuel. My wife has a softer driving style and she can squeeze extra 50 KM out of the fuel…
40% with my family of four…and the occasional 5 – 10% wtih grandparents\friends around when we go for church or weekend’s makan by the warung trips.
Power: How much do you need?
I went to genting with four and it was very good. Torque Boost Resonator does a real good job only drawback, the engine is a little noisy when the booster kicks in. I averaged 60KM/Hr going up.
On the straight road, I don’t like to drive fast especially on the highway with the kids but my wife occasionally alerts me when I hit past 120km/hr…not because I want to speed, but the handling is so smooth you don’t realised you’re going that fast…So, again…how much power do you really need???
Other things I didn’t like: Yes for the price I paid, its a little plasticky, but its hard to make everyone happy and everything perfect. Overall, we LOVE our Honda freed. Its the best thing since slice bread:-) Peace
Wow banyak komen negatif ya…come on lah guy….xkan dlm dunia ni nk semuanya sama…xdpt jek…lain org lain citarasa…kt ni org malaysia patut minta harga keta nasional turun.harga lg…ingat 60k tu sikit,dh berapa ramai black list pasal x mampu bayar…keta bru kuar dh modifikasi bukan2…tu yg cukup bulan gali lobang tutup lobang…ini kenyataan yg saya nampak….keta abis kuat boleh pakai 10-15 tahun dlm keadaan selesa pasti dh jd besi burk…so ingatlah xde benda yg kekal dalam dunia ni…macm nyawa kita gak…..peace no war…..bangga no nak pakai leather seat…apa hukumnya menganiaya binatang? Plastik brg yg boleh dilupus dan diguna semula….so pikirlah sendiriGO GREEN
Freed emang mobil furturistik, keren banget. tapi ada lo kurangnya yaitu pada tipe manualnya mestinya ada ok setuju !!!! kita tunggu freed manual di tahun 2012
When is Hybrid Freed coming to Msia?
Japan had launched!
Freed superb nyaman … dibanding GL masih beda jauh banget .. i let my wife to choose a car between GL, Avanza, Innova, and Freed. One month after choosing a car my wife finallyy choose freed than others.
I getting second hand freed 2010 ..if 4 ppl seat &go up getting…any issue?