Honda has launched its new FR-V people carrier.

The new FR-V has six seats, arranged in two rows of three, which Honda thinks ‘makes it more fun for the family when travelling’. The three-plus-three seat arrangement also gives room for a larger sized boot. The three rear seats also fold individually flat into the floor.

Three seats on the FR-V have three-point seat belt fixings, while the centre front seat and the two outer rear seats have ISOFIX child seat mounts. Additionally, the front seats have pre-tensioners and load limiters. As an extra aid to child safety, the central front seat moves further back than the outer pair. Full-length curtain airbags provide overall cabin protection while in the front of the FR-V there are twin dual-stage airbags in the facia and side airbags in the two outside front seats.

At launch there will be a choice of two petrol engines: a 123bhp 1.7 litre SOHC VTEC unit (mated to a 5-speed manual transmission ) and a 148bhp 2.0 litre DOHC i-VTEC unit (mated to a 6-speed manual transmission).

In 2005, they will be joined by Honda’s 2.2 litre i-CTDi diesel engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

The FR-V is due to go on sale in November this year.