Truly an ugly van/car whatever, they can keep it

Wow... if it's ever sold in the U.S. (very unlikely) it would become a major cult hit in urban areas. I like it for being unique and surprisingly useful. The skyroof is fantastic. But I love to whine so I have to say something negative now......

118 horsepower? Pathetic ! It needs at least 135 horsepower.....

I LOVE WHINING !

this is the best name ever!

Free D, Free Willy, Free Dicky.
The freed fits 8 Fried Food lovers

Leave it to the Japs to come up with the best ideas. GM is probably designing a bigger truck.

Yeah, gas prices are never going to stop rising. When regular is $9-10/ga like the rest of the Western world (jap, EU, etc.), these soccor-moms will be begging for something like this as their current SUV gets 10-12mpg in the city and most mini-vans won't break 20mpg/city...while something like this will probably break 30mpg.

The advantage of owning this car is that you can be inside looking out, which seems a lot more fun than outside looking in - or at it.

Too small for fat Americans and underpowered. Our minivans need to go from 0-60 in 5 seconds or we get tailgated.

Right, Michael83, that's why the (non-hybrid) civic gets 26 and the Fit gets 27 in the city.

Tommy Boy were you sodomized by a Ford executive as a child?

Honda has always (until the current Accord) been masterful at making smaller (outside) vehicles hold more/bigger people. That contributed to their reputation for fuel economy.

However, this is just a Mazda5 with a different grill... and two cramped middle-seat passengers... isn't it?

So this would get 30 mpg? So then probably 20+ mpg when it's loaded down with 8 people from running the tiny engine ragged. 160+ passenger mpg.

A Toyota Prius gets 35+ mpg carrying 5 people. 175+ passenger mpg.

The 15 passenger Ford van I ride to work in (all it is used for is a carpool, no one drives it around by themselves) gets 16 mpg when loaded down with 15 passengers. 240 passenger mpg.

It looks like the big inefficent american behemoth is actually the gas sipper. Carpool if you want to save gas people.

This looks like an excellent idea. It's clearly not aimed at americans because we're too fat to fit 8 people in it. Capacity is important to factor into mpg. So long as you're actually using it and not driving by yourself to get your nails done.

I wonder if the Civic's 1.8L engine (140HP, if I recall correctly) and transmissions could be stuffed into this thing. This looks like a good model to put in the lineup between the Fit (which I own) and the Stream, assuming that the Stream comes with the CRV's 2.4L engine.

Carpooling and mass transit are wonderful if you don't attach much value to the riders' time, since there is a lot of wasted time associated with these transportation modes.

Nothing new here.

This is one of two things:

1) A Fit Limo - in which case some "tuner" in SoCal has probably done it already.

2) Larger on the inside than it is on the outside - in which case they have done this in Europe already - only they call it a Tardis and it doesn't really exist.

I think it would be a great option for hauling kids around town, especially given the gas mileage (16.4kpL/38mpg).

Cheap Car Lover rides the short bus to "work". I am so happy to hear the community is reaching out to the special people.

This Freed is an ugly piece of shit. 118hp and ground effects? Frickin' Japs.

But it looks like the moonroof is large enough for skydivers to land in. So, that's a plus...

It is a great option to replace SUV´s and soccer-mom-type of cars, good for this New World Order we are starting to enter.

The japs are always at forefront when it comes to knowing what the masses want, that is why they conquered Europe, North-America and most of the World.

Car makers should imitate them.

I like how people are assuming it gets 20 miles per gallon fully loaded... you can't compare this car with other cars... seriously. If that was the case, the Corvette should be achieving about 10mpg. Sweet Huevos...

Anyways, it's ugly, but it's small, cheap, and hopefully reliable. I do agree that maybe eight people is eight people in Japan, but don't expect to fit more than two per row in America... if they can wiggle their way to the backseat.

No offense, but I am American, and just by walking around the city... well, see for yourself. What a meanie!

If they build this, J.K. Rowling can sue -- she already copyrighted using magic to make cars larger on the inside than they are on the outside.

That is the very vehicle that Chrysler should be building. Their current minivan is definitely not mini, it's huge. Many of us are looking for bang for the buck. A way to haul bif things and still get reasonable mileage.

@ Joan of Arc

A Corvette would have to haul 400 pounds of fat americans with a large engine, so it wouldn't make much of a differnece.

This thing probably weighs 2600 pounds. So if you add 1600 pounds of fat americans it'd run that engine ragged. Engines ran ragged don't get good MPG.

My brother has an integra rated for 28mpg combined. He got 17mpg in the last tank because he runs in ragged, so I know it makes a difference.

@ Rich

What's wrong with the short bus? It's petite size makes for easier manuverability. I say it's superior. : o )

I could see taxi cab and delivery services eating this thing up. I do agree that fitting 8 "average" American's in this would be hard to do.

@CCL

Agreed for the most part, but if you're will to deal with ultra slow acceleration and you're not going up a lot of on ramps, you don't necessarily have to rag the engine out to keep moving. There's a difference between hauling stuff and hauling ass. I'm not sure how your bro got 17mpg though, as even my boosted gsr gets better then that when I run it ragged. Even before I put the turbo kit on I'd never seen below 20mpg, including a trip to and from the drag strip.

@ Gary

He used to have a GSR 4dr and averaged about 21 the whole time he had it, before he destroyed the engine in 9k miles. I had a gsr and averaged about 28.5.

He just put new suspension and bushings on it, so lots of sliding, handbrake turns, 180's and general abuse to an otherwise bone-stock in every way integra LS netted a horrible mpg. Integras are super slow too, so I'm sure flooring it all the time added to the problem. The lowest I ever saw in my integra was 23, so I don't really get it either. I've never seen anyone abuse cars more in my life.

Despite all that hard driving it's still boring as crap to ride in or drive the car. No drifinting, no powerslides and no steering with the gas make for a boring drive. I honestly don't see how people stand FWD. The GSR was the first and last FWD car I'll ever own.

Bill 0

Chrysler should not be making this. Chrysler should not be making any cars!

Looks like a bigger and uglier version of Mazda5...

If Honda brings this to the U.S., I will be buying. I am looking for a second car and this would be perfect. Heck, I could even see something like this largely replacing my primary vehicle (Honda Odyssey) for trips around town.

My second car of choice right now is an Accord 4-cylinder. It is (1) cheap (under $21,000 new), (2) gas efficient, (3) Honda (reliable)

If Honda releases this in the U.S. at close to entry-level Accord prices, I'll be buying. It offers more utility and still gets good mpg.

I don't care about (1) looks or (2) "underpowered" engines. I had a Civic 1.3L in high school (maybe 70hp) and it was a great car for what I used it for - commuting back and forth to school & work each day (about 30 miles each way). It would easily do the required 60-65 mph and that's all I really need. I don't care if it can go 120mph or do 0-60 in under 8 seconds (or even in under 12 seconds).

I am in the market for UTILITY and VALUE and I am sure there are plenty of buyers out there with the same mindset.

I tell people all the time, even if I was single, I would still have a Honda Odyssey as my primary vehicle. Why? Because (1) UTILITY (I can haul nearly anything in back with the back seat down and the middle row removed. (2) gets good mpg for a van (I've got as high as 30 mpg with 4 people and stuff on vacation).

5 years from now, American car manufacturers will be complaining that they didn't start designing a car like this because 'no one could have predicted $10 gas.'

Or should I say 'THE' American car manufacturer, because that's all that's going to be left unless they take their blinders off and get on the ball.

Like them or not, cars like these are the future.

Wait....8 people? Are those 8 people, Japanese? Maybe 8 from, "Little People, Big World."

"if I was single, I would still have a Honda Odyssey as my primary vehicle."

It's hard to pick up chicks in a minivan.

Lots of people are talking about fat Americans...we are pretty paunchy in Canada too. Admitting that...I would hate to see this thing packed with 8 "average sized" Canadians and have to make a high speed turn. Either the thing would roll from the weight or the tires would roll right off the rim.

I don't think this vehicle is meant to pack 8 adults. let alone 8 N-Americans. Europen soccer moms will probably get the whole team in.

Yeah and you can fit 3 passengers in an RX8.

wtf, check the second to the last pic. You can skydive into that thing

@Icester:

I have to agree with your post. I had a 2000 Honda Odyssey that was incredibly reliable but was a gas pig in town ( did get 25-28mpg on the highway though). I recently sold it and am looking for a vehicle that would replace it. My criteria for a new vehicle is: 1)Reliability , 2)Fuel Economy, 3)Utility. Now if the Freed came to the US, I would consider it. I really do not expect to cram 8 people in it, but I like the utility and flexibility that I could carry more the two children in it or fold down the third row and use the space for Home Depot runs. Currently, the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo are on my potential list, but I would definitely add this if brought over to the States.

"... no plans of bringing....to the US".

Articles like this really piss me off.

This is a really good idea. A really cheap mini-van with quality. It better be cheap though but it's probally cramp if its shorter than the civic.

@mbw
"Yeah and you can fit 3 passengers in an RX8"

yeah, you can, even 4. Not sure about 5, that would be cramped. My friend had an rx8 and he told me he once fit a 250 lb guy in the front, and two guys in the back. I used to ride in the back all the time with a friend sitting in the front. Plenty of room.

@Cheap Car Lover
"It's hard to pick up chicks in a minivan."

if you are relying on a car to pick up chicks, then chicks are not the only thing you will be picking up (i.e. herpies, HIV, etc).

i want one. bring it to NY USA and i got your first sale.
don't overpower it......

I really think Honda needs to re-evaluate the U.S. market. People are suddenly becoming alot less concerned with excessive power and 0-60 times and prefer fuel economy (except for a lot of the Torque Report auto enthusiasts here - not disrespecting you, just stating facts). This is something that Honda used to really excel at - making reliable vehicles that got good gas mileage but were underpowered. Now, "underpowered" doesn't have the stigma that it used to.... now "underpowered" is more accepted as long as it has the gas mileage to support it.

@ Crutch:
Yes, it is hard to pick up chick in a mini-van, but its easy to throw a couple of mountain bikes and surf boards in the back. Or a couple of 4'x8' sheets of plywood/drywall.
If I was single now, I wouldn't try to pick up chicks with my car, but try to find girls with a little more depth than that. (I don't mean this as an attack, just personal insight. Dang, I didn't realize what an old man I've become. But not so old that I didn't try to convince my wife that the new Vette was a good buy over my Grand Am - the "better gas mileage" didn't quite pull enough weight.)

@ CCL

I picked your mom in my van..............

Here in Europe it will be very succefull in 5 seats for more space for shopping.
With it's medium size , sliding doors (easy in our parking lots with children), low fuel usage and 118 horsepower , and Honda fiability .

Almost the little european family dream.

The dream will be with a diesel engine. honda as one the best one the 2.2 liters 150Hp a great torque and not noisy ( 6.5 liters for 100km, at 1.5€ the liters it's very correct).

If they could create a 110Hp 1.9 Liters with high torque like others brands but less noisy using something like 4.5 liters / 100Km will be perfect.

Drol
Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.2 CRD 120HP 32N/M@1700rpm , Mercedes engine 7.5 L/100Km, 6.5 Cruising a 110Km/h, 1.540 Kgs
Honda JAZZ (FIT) 1.2L 78HP 5.3L (to work) to 6.2 L/100km ( 130Km/h higways), 950 Kgs