Fiat Freemont Reviews

James Stanford road tests and reviews the Fiat Freemont Crossroad with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Why did the Freemont cross the road? To drop the MPV tag for one that better resonates with buyers: SUV How do you boost market share for a niche vehicle like a seven-seat people-mover? For the Fiat Freemont Crossroad, the solution is to label it an SUV and pitch it at outdoor types who'll appreciate the space even if

.star {width:135px;}#article-corpus {width:100%; padding-right: 0;}Kia Rondo SLi and Fiat Freemont Lounge go head-to-head in this comparative review. 

The first Fiat to be produced in partnership with the Chrysler Group, the Freemont has a touch of the quirkiness of Italian cars of old, plus the practicality of a modern family vehicle.  Starting at a little less than $26,000, it aims to attract buyers across the recreational and family segments.Available in three specification levels - Base, Urban and Lounge - Freemont is powered by a petrol or diesel engine, it comes in two-wheel drive guise only, with power put to ground up front via a six-speed automatic (petrol), or six-speed manual (diesel) transmission.Base, Urban and Lounge models come with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the Urban is also available with a 2.0-litre diesel motor putting power through a six-speed manual gearbox.The 2.4-litre petrol engine produces up to 125 kW of power, and 220 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm while the turbo-diesel engine achieves 125 kW at 4000 rpm and 350 Nm between 1750 and 2500 revs. Both engines were developed by Fiat, which is one of the world’s leading engine designers.With a standard five-seat layout and up to 1461 litres of cargo space, Freemont comes with the option of seven places courtesy of a third row of seats. This Fiat is the poster boy for passenger cabin storage with more than 20 compartments, making it one of the most family friendly vehicles around.Passenger convenience is paramount. From the word go the Freemont is welcoming, the rear doors fitted with a new three-stage 90-degree hinge, which when fully open, offers space to load a child seat into the second row or to provide easy access to the third row.Initially opening to 26 degrees, the door allows passengers to get out without smashing the door against another vehicle parked close by. A second 58-degree position is wide enough to allow passengers to enter the cabin easily.Access to the rear cargo area, or optional third row of seats where fitted, is made all the more easy by a ‘Tip ‘N Slide’ system, with one simple movement of a conveniently placed lever on the side of the backrest.Ambient lighting sets the scene for occupants who are offered a good all-round view no matter where they are positioned thanks to stadium-style seating which rises in height from front to back row. Rear storage space is set off by a front passenger seat cushion that can be moved forward to reveal a compartment which can be used to store personal belongings. The back of the seat folds forward to transport long objects.The backrest of the second row of seats is foldable in a 60:40 ratio, the central section can be folded separately to form an armrest and includes two cup holders and a compartment for storing small objects.There’s even storage under foot with the floor of the second row housing two lidded compartments with removable and washable bins offering more than 12 litres of space.There is no argument about the Freemont’s safety features with more than a third of the vehicle's structure including high strength steel sheets designed to optimise the body's weight and structural resistance.The extensive use of dual-phase steel in the front and rear side members and tunnel reinforcement mean these components can handle larger loads with relatively limited dimensions, thus saving weight without sacrificing structural strength.Active safety systems include anti-skid braking with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability program and traction control, electronic roll-over mitigation, plus the aforementioned hill holder.Tyre pressures are constantly monitored and the driver warned of any problems, and rear parking sensors alert the driver to objects in the way.Passive safety is in the hands of six airbags, fitted as standard on all vehicles in the range, along with active headrests and three-point seatbelts for all seats. The front seatbelts are also equipped with pretensioners and load limiters. Isofix attachments and child boosters ensure children are seated correctly.Our Freemont Urban test vehicle was powered by the 2.0 MultiJet 2 diesel motor equipped with a variable geometry turbocharger and state-of-the-art second generation MultiJet technology earning a top-rate Euro 5 emission standard.With maximum torque of 350 Nm coming in at a low 1750 rpm and constant up to 2500 rpm, performance was impressive. During normal usage up to 3000 revs, with torque not falling below 300 Nm, gear shifts were kept to a minimum and uncomfortable downshifts avoided. Acceleration was leisurely, but who cares? This isn’t a sports wagon.Our test car with the diesel engine clocked just 5L/100km at a steady 100km/h on the highway and straddled 7L/100km in day-to-day city work.It scored well with acceptable engine noise in the cabin during normal operation. However, the hill holder function was reluctant to let go, giving the driver cause to over-rev the engine at times. When the brake was finally let loose, the Freemont surged, the wheels at one time spinning with an embarrassing squeal. My solution was to blip the throttle to release the brake, then move off.Reverse gear tended to be a bit hit and miss, needing firm handling of the gear lever, while headlamps suffered from a narrow lateral arc of operation, with predominant illumination limited to straight ahead, leaving the driver in the dark on turning corners at night.

The fastest growing vehicle segment in Australia is that of medium SUVs. So it comes as no surprise that Fiat, which is currently undergoing rapid expansion in Australia, has entered the arena with a model called the Freemont.Fiat Freemont, shares many components with the Dodge Journey because Fiat took over the American car maker when Chrysler/Dodge went under during the GFC. Chrysler has long been a major designer of what our cousins on the other side of the Pacific call ‘minivans’. Downunder we use the term ‘people movers’.Though Freemont is more people mover than SUV, its styling leans in the SUV direction and Fiat Australia hopes many buyers will compare it with others in the huge range of SUVs now on sale. Despite its appearance, the Fiat Freemont isn’t offered with 4WD, the engine is connected only to the front wheels.There’s no better way to grab the attention of Australian car buyers than with a low price tag. Hence the introduction of the Fiat Freemont with a price list that starts at just $27,000 driveaway. Our road test was done on a 2.4-litre petrol Freemont Lounge which came in at $30,300 plus on-road costs.Fiat Freemont is available in three specification level: Base, Urban and Lounge. The so-called base Freemont ‘Base’ is far from being base when it comes to standard equipment. It even has Fiat’s Uconnect infotainment system with a 4.3-inch touchscreen; CD/MP3; and integrated telephone with voice command and Bluetooth audio streaming. There are USB and Aux inputs.Freemont Base also features 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone air-conditioning and keyless entry and start. Then there are automatic headlights; rear-parking sensors; an alarm system with an anti-intrusion feature; and the added safety of a tyre pressure monitoring system.The mid-range Fiat Freemont Urban receives a larger infotainment screen, at 8.4 inches; a DVD player; automatic temperature control in the air conditioning; six-way electronic adjustment for the driver’s seat; a leather-wrapped gear-lever; and Sunscreen glass.Fiat Freemont Lounge tops off the lineup. It gets 19-inch alloy wheels; satellite navigation; leather upholstery and premium door trims; heated front seats; chromed roof bars; an Alpine audio system with a subwoofer and 368-watt amplifier.Built-in booster seats for children are standard on all models, making the Freemont excellent value for cash-strapped people mover buyers.The Fiat Freemont comes standard with a five-seat layout. A seven-seat configuration is available as an option, including three-zone climate control. The second row of seats can slide forward by up to 100 mm from their rearmost position, giving parents easy access to children sitting in the second row. All seats, including the front passenger one, can be folded down to create a vast flat load area.Theatre-style seating in seven-seat Freemonts ensures good visibility for those travelling in the back seats. Though a lot of luggage space is, naturally, lost when all seven seats are in use it’s possible to fit three cabin bags upright in the remaining space. Cleverly this is supported by nets to prevent it falling when the tailgate is opened.As well as regular crash avoidance electronics the Fiat Freemont also has a trailer sway control, roll mitigation and tyre pressure monitoring. Should a crash still occur occupants are protected by six airbags, with the side-curtain ‘bags extending to coverage of the third-row seat. Integrated child booster seats are another welcome standard feature.Fiat Freemont is powered by either a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine or a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. The 2.4-litre petrol engine produces 125 kW of power, and 220 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. The diesel has up to 125 kW, and 350 Nm between 1750 and 2500 rpm.Both engines drive the front wheels via either a six-speed automatic transmission when the petrol engine is fitted, or a six-speed manual with the diesel. So if you want the economy and added grunt of a turbo-diesel you will have to do your own gearshifting, which will hamper sales in Australia as local drivers don’t follow the European path of maximising driving pleasure.On the road we like the way the Freemont rides and the excellent insulation from noise and vibration it displays. It really does feel as though it’s as smooth and relaxing as significantly more expensive SUVs and people movers. The vehicle’s Dodge underpinnings show in a slight vagueness in the steering, and handling that’s safe but with no sporting overtones. American roads are pretty rough and ready in many places and they like a soft ride over there in the US of A.The petrol engine in our test car probably had enough power for the typical buyer, but its torque is developed high in the rev range (max is at 4500 rpm) so the six-speed auto is kept busy in hilly terrain and/or when there’s a big load on board. Not a problem as the auto is a nicely responsive unit that’s generally in the gear the driver would have selected manually.Fuel consumption will be in the nine to ten litres per hundred kilometres range around town, falling to seven to eight litres in country running.