New Freed is more efficient, punchy and refined

Honda's dual-motor hybrid compact seven-seater is now more than a match for Toyota's Sienta

- Christopher Tan

They say you should not judge a book by its cover, but in the case of the new third-generation Honda Freed, it is probably fairly safe to do so.

Compared with its predecessor, the latest car looks a whole lot more modern. With a more upright and raised front section - adorned with a low-profile grille flanked by equally low-profile headlights - the car strikes a confident pose.

At the back, a cliff-drop tailgate and a large rear windscreen have the same visual effect, aided by slim vertical tail-lamp stacks. The angular theme continues along both sides of the car, with right angles dominating the glass area and far fewer creases along the sheet metal.

Besides looking more contemporary, the new car projects a seriousness missing in the previous model, which had a busier-than-necessary design.

Like pages between the covers, the modern exterior reflects a higher level of thoughtfulness and technology within. Indeed, the new Freed is a notch above its predecessor on this front.

First, it gets a petrol-electric hybrid system, which improves its fuel efficiency significantly. The test car averages 5.2 litres/100km, which is very close to Honda's stated figure, and which is a lot better than the facelifted second-generation Freed's 7.8 litres/100km.