Small cars are as bland as cardboard in America, but over in Japan, everything is tiny and filled with flavor. Take this Honda Freed Modulo X, a combination between the face of a hot hatch and the body of a shopping cart.
No, really, the Freed looks like a car that only gets you excited in the parking lot a supermarket. "Look, honey, I can get the rear doors open even in this tight spot. Isn't that awesome?"
Anyway, the Freed is like an MPV version of the Jazz or Fit. It's based on the same platform but features a slightly more practical outlook on life. With a taller roof and more interior space, it's designed for your families.
This year, all the Japanese automakers have been going crazy with body kits for their existing cars, including Toyota and Nissan. Modulo is like an in-house tuner for Honda and has worked its magic on the little Freed.
This includes a new bumper and grille design with more mesh. The back incorporates a diffuser look, which goes well with the new side skirts. The Freed also has LED fog lights and tiny 15-inch multi-spoke wheels. You can also order some aftermarket shocks. But no, that thing in the middle of the bumper isn't an exhaust tip. This is, after all, a 1.5-liter hybrid car.
Inside, the Modulo X features a piano black trim piece, leather-wrapped steering wheel, special branding for its seats, and new graphics for its 9-inch infotainment display.
The little van comes in either conventional or hybrid form, with both powertrains featuring a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a CVT or dual-clutch transmission. VTEC never kicks in, yo! Because this is Japan, AWD is available. Prices for one of these cars start at 1,880,000 yen, equivalent to $18,000.
Anyway, the Freed is like an MPV version of the Jazz or Fit. It's based on the same platform but features a slightly more practical outlook on life. With a taller roof and more interior space, it's designed for your families.
This year, all the Japanese automakers have been going crazy with body kits for their existing cars, including Toyota and Nissan. Modulo is like an in-house tuner for Honda and has worked its magic on the little Freed.
This includes a new bumper and grille design with more mesh. The back incorporates a diffuser look, which goes well with the new side skirts. The Freed also has LED fog lights and tiny 15-inch multi-spoke wheels. You can also order some aftermarket shocks. But no, that thing in the middle of the bumper isn't an exhaust tip. This is, after all, a 1.5-liter hybrid car.
Inside, the Modulo X features a piano black trim piece, leather-wrapped steering wheel, special branding for its seats, and new graphics for its 9-inch infotainment display.
The little van comes in either conventional or hybrid form, with both powertrains featuring a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a CVT or dual-clutch transmission. VTEC never kicks in, yo! Because this is Japan, AWD is available. Prices for one of these cars start at 1,880,000 yen, equivalent to $18,000.