If you are not aware of Fiat’s partnership with Chrysler, you’re probably thinking oh crikey! Fiat has made a people carrier. But this in fact a Dodge Journey with a Fiat badge on it. They call it the Fiat Freemont, and it’s the first vehicle to come out of the partnership with the Chrysler Group.

They will make the Freemont in the same line that they make the Fiat 500 for US market in Mexican plant of Toluca, but the Freemont will be sold in Europe. There’s already a range of very fine MPVs in the European market that would make the life very hard for the Freemont, and let’s be honest the Journey is not a good starting point anyway! So they are going to have to price it very reasonably to make it competitive.

As for the facts and figures about the Fiat Freemont, it has a length of 489 cm, width of 188 cm and height of 172 cm and a 289 cm wheelbase which results in a roomy and spacious interior. It features 7 standard seats with a genuine third row of roomy seats that is easily accessible because the doors open to 90°.

The seats of the third row may be folded down with one simple movement to disappear completely below the floor and create a regular load platform. The seats of the second row are fitted higher than those at the front while the third row is raised in relation to the second allowing all occupants maximum visibility.

It also offers cargo space up to 1461 litres, so as far as practicality matters the Freemont is a well performer.

Fiat Freemont will be offered in two trim levels, with standard features on both including 7 seats, triple-zone automatic climate control system, keyless entry system, cruise control, advanced trip computer, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), fog lights and touchscreen radio with colour screen and controls on the steering wheel. The more metropolitan version will include 17” alloys, touchscreen radio with 8.4” screen, SD card and DVD reader, Bluetooth system, rear parking sensors, fold-down door mirrors, automatic headlight activation, darkened rear windows and roof bars.

As for the safety features it gets 7 airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill-Holder and electronic roll mitigation (ERM) as standard on all vehicles.

Two-wheel drive models will get Fiat’s 2.0 liter turbo diesel MultiJet engines with 140 HP or 170 HP. will also be available in 4×4 versions with 170 HP 2.0 MultiJet and 276 HP 3.6 petrol V6 engines, both with automatic transmissions. That V6 is the Pentastar engine from Chrysler.

The sales will begin from Spring 2011.