Honda Freed
First Drive
Thailand
What we liked
>> Very quiet
>> Modular interior packaging
>> Plenty of headroom
Not so much
>> Interior design safety
>> Lacks power
>> Slow-ratio steering
A golf course isn't the place you'd normally choose for a road test. But this isn't a normal golf course. We're on a massive private golf course within a massive gated community about an hour's drive out of Bangkok.
Driving on private property means we're not exposed to the chaos on Thailand's public roads. The South East Asian country's roads claim more than 11,000 people each year -- almost six times Australia's road toll even though Thailand has only three times our population.
The private road test may have been brief (each of the Australian journos present got to complete one 4km lap in two cars) but it still provided a reasonable amount of insight to Honda's baby peoplemover -- the Freed.
The road loop had countless speed humps, pot holes and roundabouts -- just like the Freed will encounter if it comes to Australia.
Honda is assessing whether there is a market for a $25,000 to $30,000 seven-seater powered by a 1.5-litre engine -- the smallest engine of any MPV in Australia. The cars we are likely to get will come from Indonesia, and would be the first Hondas sold in Australia from this country.
Despite there being noticeable differences in quality between earlier Thai-built Hondas compared with their Japanese equivalents, the quality of the Indonesian Freed was surprisingly good -- except for a row of exposed staples in the carpet floor between the front seats. The quality of the cabin materials is otherwise fine, but the problem is with the design.
Honda typically excels in ergonomics and functionality, but the layout of the Freed cabin leaves a little to be desired. For example, the dashboard is too close to the front passenger's knee. In fact, Honda may have something against knee caps in general. The bendy bits of your legs also come too close to comfort to the large, hard plastic bulges that house the power windows switches in the front and rear doors.
Apart from these foibles, the interior is genius. The seats can be stowed to create a van in minutes. And because the Freed (likely not the name Honda will use if it comes to Australia) has such a tall roof, the optional DVD screen that folds down from the roof does not obscure the rear view mirror.
Despite being a box on wheels, it was surprisingly quiet. Well, not quiet, but it was not as boomy as expected (the Jazz is louder). The steering requires slightly more turns than normal to turn the front wheels. It feels like Honda has given the Freed steering a slow ratio so it is not too sensitive in tight corners, given its high centre of gravity.
The only question remaining is, of course, the elephant in the room: how on earth does a 1.5 engine tug a seven-seater van? Well, it may not surprise you, but it's no ball of fire. It's also not helped by the fact that the five-speed auto doesn't always kick down on demand.
Pottering about, however, is fine. Most families aren't trying to win a traffic light grand prix.
They're just trying to survive the daily grind. And the Freed would certainly take some of the grind out of daily life.
Price: $25,000 to $30,000 (estimated)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 87kW at 6600rpm
Torque: 146Nm at 4800rpm
Transmission: Five-speed auto
Economy: Not listed
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