Fiat Freemont here in April

Fiat Chrysler Group will tomorrow announce the release of the Fiat Freemont people-mover Down Under in April, effectively marking the end of the road for the Dodge brand in Australia.

With the mid-size Nitro SUV and small Caliber hatch now discontinued, the last remaining Dodge model available in Australia is the Journey, but the brash American brand’s popular seven-seat wagon will be relaunched as the Fiat Freemont in two months.

While the 2.8-litre diesel-only Chrysler Grand Voyager will remain the US-Italian company’s flagship people-mover, priced from $57,500, the Fiat Freemont will replace the nearly identical 3.6-litre V6-powered Dodge Journey, which currently opens at $38,350.

Full details will not be revealed until closer to launch, but motoring.com.au understands the JF Freemont, which was launched in Europe in 2011, will be repositioned as a sports utility vehicle available with three engines and three equipment grades.

Engine options will include a 125kW 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder available in base, mid-range Urban and range-topping Lounge specification, a 125kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel available only in Urban spec, and Chrysler’s 206kW 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6 – offered only in the top-shelf Lounge grade.

Both petrol engines will be matched exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel will be a manual-only affair from launch.

As with the Journey upon which it’s based, the Freemont will come standard with twin front, front-side and side curtain airbags, electronic stability/traction control, anti-lock brakes, air-conditioning, power windows/mirrors, remote central locking and 17-inch alloy wheels.

While the Freemont is visually differentiated from the Journey mainly by a new front bumper that eschews the Dodge’s crosshair grille, options will include a sunroof and roof-rail cross-bars, and Lounge models will come standard with 19-inch alloys.

Available in Europe in both five- and seven-seat configurations, the front-wheel drive Freemont measures 4910mm long, 1878mm wide and 1705mm high, and rides on a 2890mm wheelbase.

Dodge sold 1428 Journeys in Australia last year – up more than 40 per cent on its 2011 figure.

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