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Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

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Comments

  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    Good points. I think (in general) the salespeople know how to sell SUVs, or retro vehicles, not a new concept. For example, PT Cruiser is a mimic of the old "woodie" wagons. The Chrysler 300 is like an old gangster car from the movies. They are doing well - don't have to sell high-tech features.

    New concepts require more exposure and an education period for the public. A friend bought a first generation Toyota Prius about a year after it came out. That is, a year after it came out. She went to the dealer and asked to see one. The sales person said they didn't think they had any, but offered a Corolla and a bottled water. While sipping the water in the customer area, she saw five of them sitting near the back of the lot. No way to sell a car a year after it comes out. Now, you can't find a Prius they are so hot. But, it took a while.

    Whether you call the Freestyle a wagon, SUV, or Corrillian land speeder, it truly has features and qualities that make it more than much more than any of those. A new concept will always take longer to catch on and a company should plan accordingly. It is time to offer test rides again, a free interactive DVD of the commercials, features, engineering and reviews (my idea), and put them front and center at the dealers (the dealer where I got mine currently has zero Freebies on the show floor). Ford may be waiting for the MY 2006 Freestyle to do major new promotion, but they should do it right. Last year, Freebies were hard to get in quantity and a heavy promotion may not have been as effective. If Ford is afraid to take business away from the Explorer, it might be good to remember that it is better to be market-driven, than marketing-driven. My two cents worth. :shades:
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    It's a shame Ford used the Lincoln LS marketing team for this vehicle, ANT. I thought it had great potential when it came out. My wife was instantly drawn to it when she saw it. I've tried to direct a few friend to one, but they didn't care for it. I have now heard, it's coming into the Mercury showroom. That may work.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Actually, you can wait for the Lincoln version too :)
  • moogiemoogie Member Posts: 7
    I finally bought my new FWD SEL Oxford White/Pueblo Gold Freebie yesterday and did I have to put my car through the paces just to get home. A bad Monsoon hit just as we were closing our sale and the roads flooded very quickly. The car handled nicely through 2-3 feet of water and I was very glad that I wasn't driving my, very low to the ground, Volvo wagon.

    Because of this forum, I knew to ask the dealer if they would match the internet warranty deal and the $190 coupon and they did. Thanks for the great tip!

    I agree with everyone about the advertising. The ads in the magazines a terrible! It's the most unflattering photo of the car. I don't know who they are trying to sell this car to? Maybe they don't know either? It's the perfect car for those that won't dare be seen in a minivan and don't like the SUV track record for safety.

    And the whole name thing...don't even get me started.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Aviator, I bet.
  • van8van8 Member Posts: 10
    Because of this forum, I knew to ask the dealer if they would match the internet warranty deal and the $190 coupon and they did. Thanks for the great tip!

    What was the whole deal?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Congrats on the new ride - the white sounds nice! Please report on your buying experience in the Ford Freestyle: Prices Paid & Buying Experiences for other potential owners to see. Thanks,

    Steve, Host
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    See my post #3718. Basically you have to press and hold the reset button until it changes to 100%
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Hmmm nope, Aviator we already have discussed... take what this forum is, and find the missing LINC...
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Well, I disagree that it is a wagon, especially a 500 wagon. It has no common sheet metal or glass with the 500 -- not a single piece. And no common grille or front or rear bumper either. The Freestyle is one inch shorter than the Taurus or Sable -- not very wagon-like.

    The Freestyle sits higher that a wagon, but not as high as an SUV. It has all wheel drive. That is not a wagon feature. The front and grille is all SUV. The side mirrors are big SUV-type, not wagon type.

    The dash is like an SUV, but the ride is smoother than the 500 sedan. The plot thickens. The seats fold like a mini-van or SUV, not like a wagon, but it has four doors instead of rear sliders, so it does not qualify as a minivan, especially with the all-wheel drive. Also, one of the mags put the Freestyle up against the best rated minivan, the Honda Oddesy, and the Freestyle won every category except cargo room. The press will never give the Freestyle the best minivan crown, so it must be something else.

    Freestyle has a factory DVD option, not a wagon feature , and the rear hatch does not speak wagon either. Of course, no wagon sports 18" Parelli tires Then there is the stadium seating and the standard CVT. This puts the Freestyle in a class of its own.
  • dnashdnash Member Posts: 35
    Wow! 3 feet of water. I don't think I would even do that in a "just off the lot" Explorer or Expedition. You must have gotten one that has more ground clearance than mine or must be very trusting.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "The Freestyle is one inch shorter than the Taurus or Sable -- not very wagon-like."

    Umm, according to Edmunds, the 2005 Freestyle is 199.8 inches long, and the 2005 Taurus Wagon is 197.7 inches long.

    "The Freestyle sits higher that a wagon, but not as high as an SUV."

    Ditto for the Five Hundred

    " It has all wheel drive. That is not a wagon feature. "

    It CAN have it. As can other wagons (Subaru's, in particular).

    "The side mirrors are big SUV-type, not wagon type."

    They look darned similar to my Five Hundred mirrors.

    "The dash is like an SUV,"

    Again, darned similar to the Five Hundred.

    "but the ride is smoother than the 500 sedan."

    Can't agree with that. They're about the same. I might give a slight advantage to the Five Hundred, though.

    "Freestyle has a factory DVD option, not a wagon feature"

    And 2006 Five Hundred has a factory DVD option, not a normal sedan option.

    "and the rear hatch does not speak wagon either. "

    Seems pretty similar to the Dodge Magnum.

    "This puts the Freestyle in a class of its own."

    I'd still call it a Five Hundred Wagon. Same platform, same engine, same CVT/AWD (if you get it with AWD, that is).

    Heck, the whole reason I bought a Five Hundred is because of how much I liked the Freestyle . . . I wanted the sedan version of it!
  • shopperx8shopperx8 Member Posts: 8
    ANT,

    Which is more likely (if any) to be a deisel hybrid, Mercury Freestyle or Lincoln Freestyle? Will the Mecrcury versiuon be a 2007 or 2008 model?
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    Why a diesel hybrid, and not a gasoline hybrid?

    By the time the new 3.5 Duratec comes out, oil prices might be so high that people would much rather hav the 3.0 Duratec or a hybrid!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Great! Wonder what they'll name it.....
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    "Which is more likely (if any) to be a deisel hybrid, Mercury Freestyle or Lincoln Freestyle? Will the Mecrcury versiuon be a 2007 or 2008 model? "

    The Mercury version will debut in calender year 2007, as a 2008 model year vehicle. As for diesel, that's still being planned out.. Summer of 2006, you will hear some major powertrain news.
  • looking4helplooking4help Member Posts: 7
    what is the $190 coupon?
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    The Freebie is halfway to a hybrid. It has a CVT transmission, as does the Escape hybrid. Where do you think they will put the Freebie's batteries? :shades:
  • moogiemoogie Member Posts: 7
    When you go to www.fordwarrantys.com, you have to put in your email address to access the information. They send a coupon to your email address after you access it. The amount changes weekly. For me, that amount ranged from $180 - $190.

    It would not have been my choice to go through a flooded intersection with that much water either.
  • moogiemoogie Member Posts: 7
    dnash, you were right, I went and measured where the water level was and it was only 2 feet, didn't mean to over exaggerate. 3 feet would have been really scary, when 2 was bad enough. Thank you for the correction!
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "Where do you think they will put the Freebie's batteries?"

    More importantly, where will they GET them, and how will we AFFORD them?
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Barnstormer, the one inch shorter was when compared to the '98 Sable LS sedan I bought the Freestyle to replace. Check Edmunds on that one.

    Again, the 500 and Freestyle share no common metal or glass.

    The Freestyle also sits higher than the 500. I was looking down on one today in traffic.

    Look at the mirrors again. The Freestyle has large SUV type mirrors. And take another look at the dash. Those predominant round vents on the Freestyle are pure Explorer and Expedition -- not found on the 500. Also, the passenger assist handle on the dash. That is not on the 500.

    You have cherry picked a feature here and there from several wagons to find something in common with the Freestyle, but that still does not address the stadium seating or 18" wheels with Pirelli tires. By the way, those are Ford SUV wheel types.

    Several published test drives noted and wondered why the Freestyle rode softer than the 500. Some were referenced in the 3,910 posts above in this forum.

    You mention Edmunds. They call the Pacifica a "wagon" while they call the Freestyle a "crossover." I think the term crossover is the short version of "crossover sport utility", not wagon.

    We can talk about the weight difference later.

    One more thing. The Crown Vic shares the same platform, same engine, same transmission and same rear-wheel-drive as the Lincoln Town car. Would you call the Crown Vic a luxury vehicle? I do not think the taxpayers would let 84% of the police departments drive Crown Vics if they thought they were driving luxury cars.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "The Freestyle also sits higher than the 500"

    Not by much, if you get the AWD Limited in both.

    "Look at the mirrors again. The Freestyle has large SUV type mirrors."

    Again, my Five Hundred mirrors are also huge.

    "Those predominant round vents on the Freestyle are pure Explorer and Expedition -- not found on the 500. Also, the passenger assist handle on the dash. That is not on the 500."

    Purely cosmetic.

    "but that still does not address the stadium seating or 18" wheels with Pirelli tires. By the way, those are Ford SUV wheel types."

    My Five Hundred has 18" wheels with the same Pirelli tires. The wheels are different, though . . 7-spoke vs. 5, and more chrome-like, go to with the chrome mirrors, etc.

    "You mention Edmunds. They call the Pacifica a "wagon" while they call the Freestyle a "crossover.""

    Actually, if you go to New Cars, select Ford, then scan down, they call it a 2005/2006 Freestyle Wagon. Hmmm.

    "One more thing. The Crown Vic shares the same platform, same engine, same transmission and same rear-wheel-drive as the Lincoln Town car. Would you call the Crown Vic a luxury vehicle?"

    Basically, yup. Just missing a few extras to make it more "plush" and some cosmetic changes. I would call them both VERY LARGE SEDANDS. One just happens to have more gee-whiz and plushness (and a more fitting price tag) on it.

    While the Five Hundred may be a bit closer to "Sedan" than the Freestyle is to "Wagon", I'd still call it a wagon. But both borrow things from other car segments. The Freestyle more so than the Five Hundred.

    They don't want to call it a wagon for purely marketing reasons, IMO.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "Several published test drives noted and wondered why the Freestyle rode softer than the 500. "

    I doubt they were driving Limited AWD's in both, then.
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Barnstormer, once again, your arguments are inconsistent. You say the Freestyle does not sit higher than the 500 "by much." The fact is that it does and that is the point. The point is that the Taurus wagon, Sable wagon or any other shared sedan/wagon models are the same height. They also have the same front doors, front end, grille front bumper, windshield, wheels, etc.

    It does not matter how big the 500 mirrors are, they are not as big as those on the Freestyle. The Freestyle has SUV mirrors.

    You say the dash differences in the Freestyle are "purely cosmetic." The point is the dash is A. different and B. an SUV-type dash. Wagons share the same dash as their sedan counterpart.

    If you go back to Edmunds and click one more time, you will see that they have the Freestyle as a crossover. Also, if you go to Edmunds and search on SUV's you will also find the Freestyle. If this is not confusing enough and totally proving my point that the automotive press does not know how to classify the Freestyle, Edmunds defines the following:

    New Car Pricing:
    Select a Type of SUV
    A vehicle that offers available four- or all-wheel-drive and raised ground clearance in combination with a two- or four-door wagon or convertible body.

    It appears that Edmunds defines SUVs as wagons. Check it out for yourself. It is there on Edmunds when you go to select an SUV model.

    The point of the Crown Vic / Town Car comparison is the fact that two completely differently classed vehicles share the same platform, engine, transmission and final drive. By the way, the TC has a lot more than just plushness and gee-whiz. There is air leveling suspension, loads of sound deadening, variable steering, and a completely different interior, totally different sheet metal, passenger compartment and trunk.

    The Freestyle wheels are truck wheels. Your 5-spoke are car wheels. That is the point. Wagons share the same wheels as the sedans they mimic.

    Here is a test to help you with your thinking. First, look at the Subaru wagon, Dodge Magnum and Taurus wagons you mention. Look at them from all sides. Now look at a Freestyle from the back. Now look at it from the front. Now look at it from the side. Look at the height. Does the Freestyle look like a station wagon from any angle? Your answer should be "NO." If not, maybe someone on this forum can recommend a good optometrist for you.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    It is good that there is so much passionate feeling about the Freestyle. I love my redfire AWD crossover because it has elements of a wagon, SUV, and minivan. Whether I categorize it as a wagon or not is a personal preference. The key point in "Public Relations disaster" is that Ford seems to have trouble figuring out how to sell this crossover. There has been some recent commercial and incentive action. The first acknowledged crossover is the Lexus RX300. Perhaps Ford can study their sales approach... :shades:
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Barnstormer, I can say for certain that my Alphabet Edition Freestyle AWD Limited rides smoother than the Mercury Montego AWD I test drove.
  • looking4helplooking4help Member Posts: 7
    Got it. thanks for the tip.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    If not, maybe someone on this forum can recommend a good optometrist for you.

    As a public service:

    image

    Hope that helps! :shades:

    tidester, host
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    It does not matter how big the 500 mirrors are, they are not as big as those on the Freestyle. The Freestyle has SUV mirrors.

    SUV mirrors? Is that a whole new aisle at the car parts store? Any vehicle can have any size mirror it wants. I think you're trying too hard to categorize this.


    You say the dash differences in the Freestyle are "purely cosmetic." The point is the dash is A. different and B. an SUV-type dash. Wagons share the same dash as their sedan counterpart.

    My Acura RSX has round vents. Doe sthat make it an SUV? heck no...it just so happens that round vents are the "in" thing right now.


    It appears that Edmunds defines SUVs as wagons. Check it out for yourself. It is there on Edmunds when you go to select an SUV model.

    I've known for quite a long time that SUVs were actually "bouncing wagons"...the only problem is that term won't sell them very well.
    :-)


    The Freestyle wheels are truck wheels. Your 5-spoke are car wheels. That is the point. Wagons share the same wheels as the sedans they mimic.

    They're just rims. You're trying too hard again. :-)

    Here is a test to help you with your thinking. First, look at the Subaru wagon, Dodge Magnum and Taurus wagons you mention. Look at them from all sides. Now look at a Freestyle from the back. Now look at it from the front. Now look at it from the side. Look at the height. Does the Freestyle look like a station wagon from any angle? Your answer should be "NO." If not, maybe someone on this forum can recommend a good optometrist for you.

    Actually it does look like a wagon. And when you get up next to it, you realize it's a tall wagon.

    I take it that you need to see your Freestyle as an SUV. If that's the way you want to justify it, then fine.

    Mines a wagon. :P
  • jschreiberjschreiber Member Posts: 50
    OK I have to give my 2 cents worth on this one.
    I am up to 9500 miles on AWD SE Freestyle--the product is superb--as good mileage as a subaru, wonderful AWD in bad weather, excellent fit and finish, comfort and space. BUT:
    Marketing is terrible, that is why Ford is struggling here, and the name is idiocy. We are inundated with "rough and rugged" crossovers that are advertised relentlessly. Ford seems to have the quiet approach with an ill defined image--what the heck is Freestyle any way? I look on this as a marketing department mess up not product problem.
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Nitromax, you miss the point. Let me explain it to you. The Freestyle combines the best elements of several classes of vehicle plus a few all its own. A tall wagon does not describe it either. The round vents were brought up to illustrate one difference in between the 500 dash and the Freestyle dash which Barnstormer said were "the same." Same for the mirrors.
    No, I don't call an Acura an SUV. I call it bad judgment. Now I know why you need a Freestyle.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    Agreed! It has been a year (since Job 1), and it has been a great crossover vehicle for most here. I just looked on safercar.gov. No recalls or product defect investigations - just TSBs (which are important, nonetheless). This is a good sign for such a complex vehicle (a third of the shop manuals are dedicated just to the electrical/electronics systems). Maybe they need to put the enthusiasm of its owners in their TV ads. Anyone in this discussion group photogenic? :shades:
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Maybe they need to put the enthusiasm of its owners in their TV ads. Anyone in this discussion group photogenic?

    The problem with the ads is that the marketing people ALWAYS need to categorize something when talking of it's features. i.e. "best car in it's class!, safest SUV in side impact tests!, greatest ground clearance amongst pick-ups!, quietest pick-up!, best selling 'insert class here' init's class!

    Those sound familiar? I'm sure they do. Marketing wizards do not know any other way to sell a car. It's time they opened their eyes and sell the Freestyle for it's features, not for what it has compared to "insert here"
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    No, I don't call an Acura an SUV. I call it bad judgment. Now I know why you need a Freestyle.

    LOL

    You don't want to go there.

    :-)
  • sparcatsparcat Member Posts: 6
    I just passed 8,000 mi on my gold AWD Freebie. :)

    When I leased mine back in January, I got rid of my '99 Windstar - I was tired of the minivan and wanted something new and different. :P

    The Freestyle was exactly what I needed, a vehicle to carry six people on a regular basis without cramming people into a tight third row. Plus it has been easier than the minivan to carry a wide variety of cargo - without having to remove the seats.

    Discontinuing the Freestyle would be a mistake, there is a market for this vehicle, it just hasn't been tapped yet - and that is unfortunate.
  • mmccloskeymmccloskey Member Posts: 168
    Greetings:

    There has been some debate regarding the mirrors on the Freestyle and the Five Hundred. The mirrors on both vehicles are in fact the same size/shape with only one difference. The Freestyle Limited has a body-colored 'cap' where the Five Hundred Limited has a bright/chrome 'cap'. I saw one of each parked next to one another and the mirrors are identical. Regardless, they offer great visability which is better than some of the more 'stylish' mirrors which may look good but offer reduced visability. The Explorer (which is a 'real' SUV) has mirrors that are actually smaller overall than those of the Freestyle so I guess they aren't real SUV mirrors.

    The Freestyle does have some SUV type styling cues so one could assume that the Freestyle is an SUV of sorts. I consider my Freestyle a large wagon even though the wagon moniker is passe' . I believe most of the Freestyle owners on this board would classify their Freestyle as a wagon as well but with more advantages than the true station wagons of yesteryear.

    Whatever class/type of vehicle the Freestyle is supposed to be, I have nothing but praise for mine!

    Regards -

    M. J. McCloskey - AWD Limited
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    I love how people who drive "Acuras" think they are on top of the world. You are driving a Honda with a different name badge. Your a joke. I have a Explorer, Freestyle, and a 911. Get off your high horse. No one cares about your glorified Honda. You should have saved $15000.00 and accepted the "H" symbol instead of the "A". Maybe then you could afford a Porsche as well. LOL
    I usually don't brag but you really need to be put in your place.

    When I said "you don't want to go there", I was referring to name calling and degrading other posters on the forums. It's frowned upon by the posts and most other people here. Which is what 428CJ (Cobra jet?) was starting to do.

    It's too bad you didn't understand my post.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    All Freestyle models ride a little softer than the 500 or Montego. Freestyle SE and SEL models use a 65 series tire with a 360 wear rating; the 5OO and Montego use a 60 series tire with a 560 rating. Limited AWD Freebies use a 60 series Pirelli. The top 500 and Montego a 55 series Pirelli. These differences may also mean more road noise. I deplore the increasing use of low profile tires just to go around corners a little faster- the thumps and noise that come with those tires are not worth it to me. I intend to put 225/65/17 on my FWD Freestyle. This size comes very close to matching the 225/60/18 on the AWD Limited. SE and SEL owners could do the same. The softer ride will be retained with some additional poise and traction added.
  • dgulinodgulino Member Posts: 38
    I might not be 110% correct on this, but my experience is that Helm SELLS the manuals, they don't WRITE them. When I have purchased service literature from them in the past (most recently for a 1991 Acura Legend), I received the Acura service manual written by Acura/Honda. As I understood it, it was the same manual used by the service department at the local Acura dealer. It certainly was as thorough a document as I could have ever hoped for.
  • 428cj428cj Member Posts: 52
    Nitromax, it is you and Barnstormer that miss the point. Since I started the thread, the point was that the Freestyle is a unique vehicle an cannot classified in the usual manner because it does not have the attributed defined by any current class. In particular, it is more like an SUV than a wagon based on similar traits. That is the point.

    The response has been nit-picking a particular feature here and there. Your logic is like feeling an elephants nose and classifying it as a snake. You may want to call it a tall wagon if you like. You may also call a Ford GT a short Mustang using the same logic.

    Yes, it is 428 Cobra Jet. Wanna run that Acura for pinks?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There was a functional vs aspirational article in the WSJ today. Some of us like minivans (or SUVs) because they are functional. Others want to aspire to something that makes a statement about their good taste. So, the theory that I'm mangling goes, give me the function but wrap it in a stylish crossover design.

    Steve, Host
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Several off-topic messages were deleted - in case you're wondering why your message no longer appears! :)

    tidester, host
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Yes, it is 428 Cobra Jet. Wanna run that Acura for pinks?

    Heck no. you win.

    Now take your torque monster and go home. :-)
  • indybellindybell Member Posts: 40
    I offer this just as food for thought 'cause this isn't anything but just another opinion. But, I've wondered, as most of you have, about Ford's lack of advertising of the Freestyle.

    About the only explaination an outsider whose never been in a marketing organization can come up with is that maybe, just maybe, the problem started when the vehicle's final design was approved for production. I don't pretend to know what year that was but I'd bet SUV's were selling like hotcakes and gasoline prices were a buck or more less than what they are now. "Make it look very SUV-like and you'd have a sure winner regardless of its sedan underpinnings" had to be the thought process. And, you can't fault that decision.

    The trouble for the advertising folks was that it now looks too much like just another SUV in Ford's line up at a time when SUVs are being equated with gas guzzlers.

    So how do you sell it? An SUV that gets good gas mileage? Well, it isn't an SUV in the sense that most folks think of SUV's. Rugged, off road, with an ability to tow. The Freestyle isn't any of those.

    How do you pigeon-hole it to a general public that thinks of vehicles in five categories. Sportscar, sedan, SUV, truck, or mini-van. It ain't any of those. Sell it as a "car based, SUV look-alike, whose function is most like a mini-van"? That's a mouthfull and hard to swollow. Label it a "wagon"? Not on you life! See what happens in posts on this forum when you do that.

    What do you tell folks it is when it's obvious this is the first time they've seen one? A crossover ute? Think most folks know what that is? The crossovers they know, if they know what that is, look like they had their origins as a sedan. Lexus and Cadillac's crossovers look unique because they just don't look like traditional truck-based SUVs. And, they aren't. Their front ends may not look like sedans but they certainly don't look like SUV "truck-like" front ends either.

    I gave up and tell folks who ask me what it is that it's the wagon version of the Fivehundred. Oh, I tell them it a great vehicle and we love it. Wagon? So shoot me. It's the easy way out.

    So, in my opinion, and I can't stress that enough, Ford Marketing did what all organizations do when they don't know what to do. They punted. The company is cash strapped so why waste adv. dollars on a product that you have trouble telling the buying public it's not something that it really really looks like. Just suck it up, change the sheetmetal to something that's less SUV-like in appearance, and introduce it as a Mercury as it looks like they are going to do. Probably, in the end, the smart thing to do.
  • luisdluisd Member Posts: 2
    We're looking to join the Freestyle family in near future. Currently have a Focus 3 door which has been like a little Swiss timepiece, never missing a beat, no repairs in 55000 miles (except for recalls). We'll be replacing that one with the Freestyle. Also own a Ford Escape xlt, which has also been great. I've decided on a SEL, because on the Limited Escapes, the painted body cladding has a tendency to chip easily. The contrasting, colored plastic ones have proven more durable.

    That said, the last option I'm undecided about is the rear air conditioning. Needed or not? Your thoughts are appreciated.
  • magdadmagdad Member Posts: 21
    Couldn't they just have designed an ad campaign around it being "the best of all worlds"? Nostalgia like a wagon, height like an SUV, ride like a (really better than) sedan, etc? Maybe I should work for Ford.
  • vrmvrm Member Posts: 310
    It was ufortunate that Ford chose to name this vehicle "Freestyle". In the next couple of years you will see Ford rename this vehicle. Somehow the "Free-" name has a negative conotation to it - maybe it is too similar to "Freestar"?

    I believe Ford will change the name but will NOT discontinue the vehicle.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    Don't know where you live, but if you use the A/C a lot I would recommend rear air. The Freestyle is a long vehicle and cooling the entire interior from the front is a tall task. Also, if you're planning on carrying 4 or 6 people they would appreciate controlling their own temps.
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    Couldn't they just have designed an ad campaign around it being "the best of all worlds"? Nostalgia like a wagon, height like an SUV, ride like a (really better than) sedan, etc? Maybe I should work for Ford.

    hmmm..

    SedUVan

    :-)
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