The 7-seater car segment is increasingly scarce, but you can still buy some interesting models on the used market. A good example is the FiatFreemont, an SUV with space for seven passengers that can be purchased for the price of a Fiat Mobi.
For those who don’t remember the Fiat Freemont, the SUV was basically a “rebadge” of the Dodge Journey, visually changing only the brand logos and the front grille, in addition to having a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, making it a cheaper alternative. to Journey. It is worth remembering that the utility vehicle was one of the first fruits after the merger of FCA – Fiat Chyrsler Automobiles.
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While the Dodge Journey was imported from Mexico to Brazil since 2007, the Fiat Freemont arrived years later, more precisely in 2011, and arrived at a more competitive price compared to its North American twin brother. The most interesting thing is that nowadays it is possible to find the Fiat Freemont with the price of Fiat Mobi in the newer models (cars with model year 2014/2015).
Just do an internet search to find ads with the 7-seater SUV sold at prices between R$60,000 and R$73,000, although the Fipe price for 2014/2015 models is R$65,656. In this same price range you can also find slightly newer units for sale from the 2015/2015 model year – the last ones to come out. Currently, a Fiat Mobi costs between R$72,990 and R$75,990.
American look and heart
With a look identical to that of the Dodge Journey, the Fiat Freemont only had a difference in the front grille, which replaced the cross style of the North American brand’s model with a silver piece with a horizontal stripe with the Fiat emblem in the middle. Interestingly, even the 17-inch alloy wheels were the same, with the obvious exception of the emblems. Inside it was basically the same Journey, but with a steering wheel with the Italian brand’s emblem.
Another substantial change from the Fiat Freemont was its engine. Instead of the 3.6 V6, it had the 2.4 naturally aspirated four-cylinder in-line engine, which was basically the same one used by the late Chrysler PT Cruiser. Thus, the 2.4 engine produced 174 hp of power and 22.4 kgfm of torque, which worked with a six-speed gearbox in its final years.
Although the performance was average (it completed the 0 to 100 km/h test in 12.3 seconds), the SUV left something to be desired in terms of consumption: in the Inmetro PBEV table at the time (2014) it recorded just 7.1km/l in the city and 10.7 km/l on the highway, always with gasoline.
Equipment
Among the highlights was the good rubberized finish on the dashboard inherited from the Dodge Journey. The SUV also had the U-Connect multimedia center with an 8.4″ screen in recent years, a native GPS navigator, as well as three-zone air conditioning, a reversing camera, heated front seats, electrically folding mirrors with defroster, key, driver’s seat with electrical adjustments, steering wheel with height and depth adjustments, cruise control and headlights with automatic switching on.
Imported from Mexico at the time, the Fiat Freemont could be a purchase option for those looking for a 7-seater SUV with a competitive price. But as always, it is worth being aware of the origin of the used vehicle and whether the model’s maintenance is “up to date”. That’s why it’s always worth taking a trusted mechanic to pre-purchase and asking the seller for the vehicle’s history.
