Honda isn't done tinkering with the Freed just yet. According to Japanese outlet Kuruma News, staff at two dealerships expect a partial update to the model this autumn or by the end of 2026 — though they admit themselves that nothing has been officially confirmed by the manufacturer.
The headline change would be a five-seat AIR variant. Right now, that two-row layout is reserved exclusively for the crossover-styled CROSSTAR, while AIR only comes with three rows seating six or seven. Honda's current lineup simply doesn’t offer a five-seat AIR.
And the logic behind it is hard to argue with. AIR measures 1,695 mm wide, noticeably trimmer than the CROSSTAR’s 1,720 mm, which comes from its wider body kit. A five-seat AIR could combine those city-friendly dimensions with a bigger cargo hold — freed up, quite literally, by dropping the third row.
The current, third-generation Freed launched in Japan on June 28, 2024. It’s offered with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine or a two-motor e:HEV hybrid system, paired with front- or all-wheel drive. Honda already made minor tweaks in 2025, updating paint options, available driver-assist systems, and pricing.
Official pricing for the Freed currently spans from 2,623,500 to 3,602,500 yen. For comparison, the front-wheel-drive five-seat e:CROSSTAR costs 3,327,500 yen, while the six-seat e:AIR EX runs 3,212,000 yen. What a five-seat AIR might cost remains anyone’s guess.
It was previously reported that Honda’s retro-tuning lineup in Japan had expanded with new parts.
