Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

ANT14 · March 2004

The only other vehicle remotely close to this one is the Pacifica, I'm not aware of what Honda, Toyota, Saturn vehicles you could be comparing it to. The Freestyle isn't a stretched Escape, it's based on Volvo's P2 platform while the Escape is based on the old Mazda 626. The next Escape will be C1 platform based.

As for the 3.8/4.2, that engine family is dying in a few years. They lack the refinement that's needed for this platform.

iglooheat · March 2004

birkiebob - it may be underpowered for your needs, and that's ok, but with CVT or the 6 spd it may be right-powered for my needs, which include space for the kiddies and decent fuel economy. Where they dropped the ball is not offering an optional engine.

birkiebob · March 2004

ANT-Uh, would it be the Pilot, Hylander and Vue? When the Volvo will tow 5000, and the Ford probably 2000, isn't something lost in the translation here?? Even the Forester XT will blow the doors off this Freestyle "platform" with all it's "refinement." Gimme a break! Guess I'll be waiting again, for a hybrid maybe, or longer if my Windstar holds up...

ANT14 · March 2004

Uh, the Pilot, Highlander and VUE are SUV's. The Freestyle is a station wagon with SUV's styling for those in denial of what it really is... or referred as a Cross-over vehicle. It's only direct competitor is the Chrysler Pacifica.

If you want serious hauling capabilities, you get a real SUV like an Explorer or Expedition, not a station wagon.

stickguy · March 2004

the Highlander is a station wagon (Camry) if the Freestyle is one.

ANT14 · March 2004

Ford's closest competitor to the Highlander, Pilot... car based mid-size SUV's, will be the one coming out in 2006-2007, based on the Mazda6 platform. It'll have 3 rows of seats, AWD and the gadgets and toys found in competitors.

jchan2 · March 2004

if Ford is introducing the Mazda6 based crossover, what's the Freestyle for?

birkiebob · March 2004

jchan2 - Good question. Those in denial I guess according to ANT. He'll be the first one on his block to have one...

ANT14 · March 2004

I wouldn't buy a Freestyle, I don't have a need for one.

The Mazda6 based SUV will be taller, with a higher floor clearance. The Freestyle isn't something you wish to drive off road, or haul much a camper with. It's a cross-over vehicle giving you flexible seating in a a package a bit bigger than a station wagon, but not as tall as a van or SUV... with a lower center of gravity.

jchan2 · March 2004

I personally like it, but I see it overlapping with the Mazda6 crossover coming up.

birkiebob · March 2004

I don't take my vehicle off-road, and I'm sure not many Pilot, Highlander or Vue owners do either. If Ford would have an option to put a larger engine in the 500 station wagon, er, Freestyle, they wouldn't HAVE to produce yet another crossover in 2006. I'm 57 and have driven Chrysler and Ford vans for almost 20 years. I'm ready for a bit smaller vehicle now, but one that still has decent hauling and towing capacity, and better gas mileage (the mid and full size SUVs are lousy, also Pacifica). If Ford, Chrysler or GM (even the Saturn Relay will be underpowered) don't come up with a decent crossover in the next two years to suit my needs, with enough hauling AND towing capacity, along with decent mileage, they're going to lose a customer here. If Honda can do it, they can do it!

ANT14 · March 2004

Scroll back, the 500/Montego/Freestyle will come with an optional 3.5L a year or so after it's released.

Honda is hardly the epidome when it comes to hauling. I cringe to think how many transmission related issues a constant Honda hauler's will encounter since their 5-speed auto transmission is built JUST up to the task, but no room for error if a customer overdoes it. Ford's trannies are designed for forgiveness, but no one is supposed to know that, shhhhh.

figueroafamily · March 2004

ANT14 & other distinguished posters:

May I inquire about the 3.5L engine? I haven't seen the post or website talking about it.

I read about the 2,000 pound tow limit. However, a Explorer Sport-Trac has about the same horses under the hood, and does about 5,000. What is the limiting factor then?

The company line is that the CVT compensates for the "low" horse count. We'll wait and see, I suppose.

I still plan to go to the NY Auto Show to see it.

Sam

figueroafamily · March 2004

I don't know how I did a double "Send". Pardon the inconvenience.

Sam

johnclineii · March 2004

a. You can always delete your own posts...(including the second one if you double post...using the refresh button to read replies after you have posted WILL cause double, triple, etc., posts, clicking read subscriptions or message center are better ways...)

b. Everything from marketing (we WANT people to buy more profitable Explorers) to body structure (towing is more than just engine size, it is also handling, steering, body structure, transmission cooling, etc.) enters into rated towing capacities.

ANT14 · March 2004

Figueroa,

The 3.5L was internally called the Cyclone engine project. Think of it as a larger Duratec 3.0L engine, which will be officially called Duratec35. If you want I can post a Ford link to it, describing it's development and attributes.

tidester · March 2004

When you hit your brower's refresh button immediately after posting a message a duplicate copy of your posting will be made. (It's a feature of our software! ;-)

To avoid this, click the "Recent Msgs" link below instead or navigate to another area on edmunds.com and back.

tidester, host

jchan2 · March 2004

will make the Freestyle more powerful, no doubt.

figueroafamily · March 2004

ANT14: Yes, if possible, could you identify the link?

Thank you all for showing me what NOT to do when posting.

Sam

ANT14 · March 2004

Here you go...

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=15897

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=15895

figueroafamily · March 2004

ANT14: Muchas Gracias (Thank you very much).

Yeah! I can post without doubling...

Sam

ANT14 · March 2004

Si tienes otra preguntas, regresa .

(if you have any other questions, return)

joyelyse · March 2004

A bunch of people have mentioned better gas milage. Any idea of what that would be?

figueroafamily · March 2004

I heard numbers ranging from 25 to 28. Ford credits the CVT for that.

Subject to "actual sticker in glass" verification.

Sam

rcf8000 · March 2004

The FWD Sienna is rated at 27 Hwy. It will be a disappointment if the Freestyle can't do better than that, since it is a smaller, lighter weight vehicle with less power.

samnoe · March 2004

Sienna 27 Hwy MPG is with premium fuel only. With regular, you get some 25 (I think). Freestyle will use regular.

jchan2 · March 2004

numbers are due to the CVT.

ANT14 · March 2004

Real world experiences with highway MPG is almost impossible to acheive frequently...Maybe going downhill with a rush of wind behind you. The way the EPA tests these vehicles, and how companies "tweak" them to attain those number's, are common tricks and the industry.

Cas ein point, Toyota's Prius...realistically it doesn't reach number's near what the window sticker states...Instead of reading the number's biblically, just think "Very good, good, average, bad" and that's how they should be read.

nedc2 · March 2004

I've managed to get signifcantly better than EPA rated highway mileage out of almost every vehicle I've driven, e.g. ~31 mpg out of a '92 Crown Vic and over 40 mpg out of my '87 Escort. It requires disciplined driving, decent weather, and patience. Lots of patience;)

stever · March 2004

EPA fuel mileage stickers could change (MLive.com)

I usually get around the estimate on the EPA sticker.

Steve, Host

ANT14 · March 2004

I'm lucky to even achieve CTY MPG that's on the sticker, as HWY MPG ....

explorerx4 · March 2004

it's ok to activate the overdrive while you are on the highway.

with my explorer, i'm in the range(14 city, 19 highway). did hit 20 a couple of times, dropped below city number plenty of times, by an mpg or so(winter gas).

freestyle is about a foot longer than my explorer, so i think it's too long.

ANT14 · March 2004

That IS with the overdrive activited ! :-) I just have a lead foot though.

The Freestyle will be an inch or 2 longer than a Taurus which itself is 2 inches shorter than a Freestar. So it's pretty much all close.... The Explorer seems huge to some because it's taller, but I usually tell people it's really 10-11 inches shorter than a Taurus.

explorerx4 · March 2004

an explorer is really 10-11 inches shorter than a Taurus. just another reason i think the explorer is a great design.

ANT14 · March 2004

Exactly, trucks as SUV's, are better able to package their mechanicals since they are off the ground, therefore allowing for better efficient use of space. I'm interested on seeing how much better it'll be done on the next generation of mid-size SUV's coming from Ford based on the Mazda6 platform.

explorerx4 · March 2004

i'm old school; so i still prefer a rwd bias.
we just bought an '04 escape, but i still like the feel of my explorer better.

ANT14 · March 2004

I'm religious about V8 and RWD. I've test driven almost everything, and many on closed courses superceeding normal driving behaviors, and I'll still stick to RWD and V8.

Granted, it's good to know there's many options/differences, in the markets that will pretty much please everyone's taste....diversity in the marketplace.

jchan2 · April 2004

I normally get above EPA numbers in my Odyssey, mainly because I don't have a lead foot.

figueroafamily · April 2004

I'm pleased to say I saw the Freestyle.

According to the Ford rep, it's one of the seven or so Freestyles in existence. They only make prototypes at this stage. No one could get in, but the rep gave me a few anecdotes.

* He saw a 6'7" dude get into the third row, and he had headroom. His legs did touch the second row, and was harder to get out than in.
* A couple, one feet apart in height, got into the driving position. Both could access all controls OK.

I was quite impressed with the Freestyle. Looks a lot better in person (in car?), as others said before.

Some (not all)colors announced for it:
* Black
* Merlot
* Pearl Blue (Dark Blue)
* Norsea Blue (Lighter than Pearl)
* "Metallic Tundra" or something sounding like that (gray & green shade)

They plan to start sending the brochures on Freestyle within a month. They were finishing the layout, etc. I enrolled there, and did so on the fordvehicles.com as well. I bet if you are on the list, you'll get it.

I also got digi-photos.

Sam

jchan2 · April 2004

If you have pictures, please post them.

figueroafamily · April 2004

I have a few, trying to take a picture in a hyper-crowded event was difficult. (I have ten plus pictures of passer-byes =(. Fortunately, digicams lets you shoot a zillion. Unfortunately, I'm not a real photographer.

* Front
* Side
* Dashboard from outside
* Seating rows from rear glass
* Back

Moderators, and room experts, how can I post the pictures? Yes, I'm still a rookie.

Sam

figueroafamily · April 2004

The reps told me the base will run about $26K. The Limited will reach $34K. (I presume these are MSRPs, and I hope "loaded" configurations.)

I was disheartened on those news. But I still love the vehicle. It has the same "great car" feeling of the Contour when I bought mine. (Yes, this is a me-biased opinion.)

They also said there won't be any rebates. I quote, Ford "made a good marketing effort on the price". Translated: they figured the "cash cow point" upfront =(. FYI, the 500 ranges $22->29K.

As I see it, they're pricing each version just below/about the same as the equivalent-trim Explorer. (See fordvehicles.com for XLS, XLT, & Limited pricing.) And the Explorer has $3K rebates.

This would be a long and hard decision for some. Not me. I didn't like the Explorer 3rd row nor the gas mileage.

If my 1996 Contour dies before the Freestyle release, I may jump to the Sport Track or F150. It also gives me an excuse to wait for the Duratec 35 Freestyle

.

Sam

johnclineii · April 2004

Be aware that most all manufacturers always say there will be no rebates. Why would they say anything else? They want you to buy as soon as the vehicle becomes available, and they are not going to pass up a chance to get full price out of a vechicle that may well be able to command full pricing.

rcf8000 · April 2004

MSRP for a loaded Explorer V6 is almost $40,000. I wouldn't think a loaded Freestyle would be a lot less than that.

stever · April 2004

Pic posting instructions are in Town Hall Help, linked at the upper left of this page (under Tools).

You'll need a home page or site to host the pics, since you can't just upload them to Edmunds.

Steve, Host

figueroafamily · April 2004

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Here's my photo-share site for my pictures.

Link = http://photos.yahoo.com/servant1993

Sam

figueroafamily · April 2004

These are just a few words to describe what you see. Please note it's a Limited, so it has features similar to the equivalent-trim Explorer.

0190 - Front of the vehicle.
0191 - Side, looking diagonal from behind car driver side.
0193 - Dashboard. You may see below dash left of brake pedal the Hood Release. Lights & wiper controls are on each side of the steering wheel. Cruise Control is at the wheel's left, radio/CD controls at right. The pedal adjust is right of headlight switch. Mirror control is at door (dash far left).
0227 - Back.
0183 - Rear window view. The third row seat is one side up, the other flat. Second row has center console (also available on 60/40 split). You can also see the first row console.

Emergency Brake is on bottom ("3rd pedal" configuration). Note:
* 18" Wheels look great on it.
* The "hump" giving headroom to the third row. (Rear portion of roof rack.)
* The privacy glass, like most minivans & SUVs.
* If you can't see that third stop light, you shouldn't be driving

.

The glimpse of a face in the rear window picture is my wife's. She really likes it. I enthusiastically second the motion.

Sam

figueroafamily · April 2004

I'm figuring out why they are not coming through. Please hold.

Sam

figueroafamily · April 2004

I tried the following after logging out of their site, so this time should be right.

Link = http://community.webshots.com/user/figuesam

Sorry for the technical difficulties.

Sam

johnclineii · April 2004

I get:

**An error has occurred.

The user page for figuesam could not be created.

Please push the Back button on your browser to correct this problem.
Thank you.
**

Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

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