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Archive for the ‘Car Accesories’ Category

It’s an impressive car, the Fiat Freedom, living up to its name with ease. Let’s face it, freedom is an extremely important part of life and this superbly constructed mobility car gives the wheelchair user exactly that.

The low-cost and highly versatile Fiat Freedom is based on the Fiat Doblo and comes in two varieties, the Freedom Compact (petrol) and Freedom HighLife (diesel). Both models are fitted with a lightweight folding ramp at the back, catering for a wide range of wheelchair sizes. Everything about the vehicles are designed to the highest specifications to ensure the comfort and safety of all travelling within.

The Doblo is regarded highly and often described as a good family car which is reasonable to drive. Its design therefore almost made it an inevitability that it would at some point become a candidate for conversion into a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV).

Outwardly, there really is not much to choose between the two models of the Fiat Freedom – unless you look fairly carefully, for otherwise you’d be hard-pressed to notice the difference in height of around 250mm. But that difference could very well be of great importance when it comes to headroom.

For headroom is something to really think about when considering the purchase of a WAV. The last thing you want to be is sitting all hunched up in your wheelchair. Not comfortable at all. There’s no way you’ll want to travel any great distance under such conditions.

Most WAVs, such as the Compact, have a lowered floor to allow for headroom. It also helps reduce the angle of the wheelchair ramp, thus making getting in and out of the vehicle so much easier. But some, like the HighLife, have raised roofs, providing extra inches of comfort. So, it’s really important to know what height you are sitting in your wheelchair.

However, if a WAV with a raised roof is necessary, there may be other things to think about, such as the height of your garage – if you have one, that is. There’s no point in buying a car that’s not going to fit into it, right?

As well as the lightweight folding wheelchair access ramp, both models have a four-point automatic tensioning wheelchair restraint system, which locks the wheelchair securely in place. Both are also fitted with a wheelchair lap and diagonal seatbelt for maximum safety.

Along with the raised roof, the HighLife comes with an electric winch, useful if extra help is required to get the wheelchair into the car. The winch can be operated remotely by the driver or other carer.

The HighLife has twin opening doors at the back as opposed to the Compact’s tailgate. Both models have fog lights, airbags for driver and front passenger, three-point seatbelts for all, ABS brakes, and rear parking sensors. There is the option of fitting front parking sensors on both models of Fiat Freedom.

Other features include internally adjustable door mirrors, height adjustable front and rear head restraints, height adjustable steering wheel, electric front windows, air conditioning and radio/CD player.