Ford Freestyle

Ford Freestyle in Nigeria

A crossover car is what the Ford Freestyle is known for. The Freestyle is a successful example of a crossover, as it is more than a station wagon but not nearly a sports utility. The Freestyle combines a modern powertrain that delivers performance and efficiency with space-conscious and people-friendly packaging.

Six or even seven passengers can be accommodated in three rows of seats. It has a 3.0-liter V6 engine that performs well, and the continuously variable gearbox reduces engine load and smooths out the ride. Owners who want all-weather capability can choose for all-wheel drive. Front-wheel drive is used on the other variants.

According to critics, the Freestyle is merely a station wagon version of Ford's new Five Hundred sedan. They are technically correct. However, many people have discovered that the Freestyle provides an oddly better driving experience than the Five Hundred, and it is unquestionably more practical.

Specification of the model

Interior

The Ford Freestyle has a lot of cargo capacity and can seat up to six people, or seven if you select the second-row bench seat. Of course, fitting three rows of seats into a car this large necessitated certain compromises, but the benefits exceed the drawbacks.

With split-folding third-row seats, a 60/40 second-row bench seat, and a fold-flat front passenger seatback, the Freestyle gives a lot of flexibility. Depending on the weekend's activities, that fold-flat front passenger seat permits hauling objects up to 10 feet long, such as a surfboard or a ladder, while hauling passengers on the left side.

Driving impression

It takes some getting used to driving a car with a continuously variable gearbox, or CVT. There are no up or downshifts or gear changes. Instead, the driver presses the gas pedal, the engine revs up, and the car accelerates. The engine then maintains a relatively constant, ostensibly higher rpm as the car accelerates to the targeted speed, at which time the driver eases off the throttle to allow the engine to slow to the point where the car maintains that speed.

Of course, when elevations change and traffic flows in and out, the car's speed changes, as does the engine's, but not necessarily in the same way, and certainly not as a standard automatic transmission would.

The Freestyle does a decent job of isolating the cabin from outside sounds. Powertrain noise fades to a whisper at steady-state cruising, but pavement slap from the tires is noticeable, and some wind noise creeps in around the side windows at freeway speeds.

The wide stance of the Freestyle, for example, provides comforting stability over high-speed curves and on winding roads. There's also none of the body lean and occupant head toss that SUVs are known for. However, the Freestyle is noticeably vulnerable to crosswinds, which is unsurprising considering its uprightness.

The ride and handling are both satisfactory. The steering has a strong on-center feel, and the turn-in is quick. Braking is strong, although not completely straight.

Do you want to get yours?

The Ford Freestyle has many of the benefits of a sport-utility vehicle, including plenty of cargo space and a big cabin that can seat six or seven people. The Freestyle's elevated posture gives the driver a superb perspective of the road ahead, making it easier to get in and out than an SUV.

Because it's built on a car, the Freestyle rides smoother handles better, and gets better gas mileage than an SUV. On Cars45, you can acquire yours for a reasonable price. Keep your head down and tighten your grip.