Mugen turns up the heat on the new Honda Freed

THERE are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Mugen developing a bodykit for pretty much every new Honda out there.

After introducing a bodykit for the Civic Type R FL5, Honda’s famed in-house tuner has now pulled the covers off an upgrade package for the newly launched Freed.

According to Mugen, the package is developed based on the concept of “Sports for Everyone” for customers who lead an active lifestyle.

Not much information is provided, but as you can see, the Mugen bodykit gives the otherwise plain MPV a sportier look.

Mugen has developed two separate packages for the Air and Crosstar variants. The former, which appears rather bare bones its standard form, now looks more aggressive with the Mugen grille, along with a pair of air vents and  splitter on the front bumper.

As for its side profile, the Freed gains a prominent black stripe, window visors, and side skirts. It also appears slightly lower than the standard version, suggesting that this package may also include lowered suspension.

At the rear, the presence of a roof-mounted spoiler, tailgate garnish, air vents, and a diffuser complete the Freed’s fresh looks.

Meanwhile, the Crosstar variant, which already looks pretty rugged thanks to SUV-like design elements, is further enhanced with black ‘MUGEN’ lettering on the hood and tailgate, camouflage stripes around the body, aftermarket alloy wheels, black side mirrors, and a rear spoiler.

As expected, Mugen’s package includes cosmetic revisions only. In its home market, the Freed is available with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 117 hp and 142 Nm, paired with a CVT transmission with the option of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

It is also offered in a hybrid e:HEV version featuring a combination of a 1.5-litre engine generating 105 hp and 127 Nm, along with an electric motor producing 121 hp and 253 Nm.