Better known as the Dodge Journey, the 2015 Fiat Freemont Cross is the last attempt of Fiat to make a nice and solid offering in the MPV segment of cars in Europe. It worked to some extent and the rebadged Dodge Journey did make a few fans over the years, but as it is basically a car which needs a new generation to succeed it’s living on a respirator right now. For the 2015 model year, the Fiat Freemont stayed the same, but Fiat made some effort and introduced a special version, the Freemont Cross, with which the aggressive SUV-like MPV became even more adapted for outdoorsy people in need of something more than a regular family hauler.

This is something more. Looking rather interesting and almost powerful, the 2015 Fiat Freemont Cross has all the bells and whistles that make it quite attractive in terms of styling and appeal. Roof rails, plastic cladding on the outside, new dark wheels and LED lights on top-of-the-line versions successfully made the Freemont Cross quite a serious ride. It’ll definitely draw some attention on the parking lots and on the tracks without tarmac.

In terms of the main differentiating elements, the Freemont Cross received an on demand all-wheel drive which actively tracks and detects the wheel slip on every wheel and in an instant sends power to wheels with enough traction. The system has already been proven and it is not actually much different from that used by many other cars sold throughout the world. It can be found in similar shape on almost any crossover of today. With it, Fiat (actually Dodge) saved quite a bit of weight and complex engineering because the installation of the all-new four-wheel drive system would cripple the Freemont Cross with regard to pricing.

As for the specialties on the inside, the 2015 Fiat Freemont Cross received a few notable elements that make it a bit more cross over than before. The finish on the steering wheel and on the gear lever is leather with a special and unique Liquid Graphite color garnishing the dash, the door panels and the central console. Furthermore, the Freemont Cross features a whole lot of advanced safety equipment so the car is as safe as possible. The ERM, TSC, Break Assist, Active bonnet (if a pedestrian is hit it moves to ease the impact), a whole bunch of airbags and active headrests are all playing a vital role in keeping the occupants (and the people outside the vehicle) as safe as possible. The results are looking good. Five stars at the EuroNCAP is definitely something to be proud of.

As for the propulsion, this Cross-MPV is available with the two-liter Multijet turbo diesel engine. With 170 HP, it grants the all-wheel drive car with the performance up to every need in Europe. It’s not a fast car, but it is certainly a fuel efficient MPV with loads of space, nice driving characteristics and the look to appeal to a wide range of buyers.