Cars - Ford Freestyle

Home > Listing Index > Cars > Ford Freestyle

	Cars - Ford Freestyle

See also the Ford Freestar
minivan

The Ford Freestyle (code name D219) is a midsize crossover SUV, introduced for the 2005 model year to compete with other midsize crossover SUVs such as the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano and Hyundai Santa Fe. In Ford's lineup, it replaced the Ford Taurus station wagon, and currently slots between the compact Escape and the midsize Explorer. The vehicle uses the Ford D3 platform, shared with the Ford Five Hundred, Mercury Montego, and various Volvos including the XC90, and is assembled in Chicago, Illinois. Although it shares its platform with the XC90, the Freestyle is significantly different from that crossover utility vehicle. It has three rows of seats, with seating for seven, like many larger SUVs and minivans.

Ford's post-Bronco SUV names have begun with the letter "E" (eg: Escape
, Explorer
, Expedition
, and Excursion
). Ford has also been using the letter "F" for passenger cars and minivans (eg: Focus
, Freestar
, Five Hundred
, and Fusion
) while Mercury uses "M" (eg: Montego, Milan
, Mountaineer
, Monterey
, and Mariner
).

The Freestyle, along with its sibling the Five Hundred, and the Ford Escape Hybrid, are the first American Ford vehicles to use a continuously variable transmission (CVT). To Ford's surprise, 55% of buyers are selecting the Haldex-equipped all wheel drive model rather than the expected 40%. However, overall Freestyle sales are below Ford's original projections (though sales have been increasing every month).

Although the Freestyle resembles the larger Australian Ford Territory crossover SUV, that model is based on the different EA169 platform.

The Freestyle was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2005 (second behind Escape Hybrid).

2008

Ford was reportedly considering ceasing production the current D3-based Freestyle, due to initially slow sales, and instead using that name for a different crossover utility vehicle based on the Mazda-engineered CD3 platform. That crossover vehicle was ultimately designated the Ford Edge. A 2007 Mercury crossover would have continued on the D3 platform, taking the place of the Freestyle. However, AutoWeek has reported on January 24, 2006 that suppliers have been notified that the Freestyle will continue in production with a major facelift, while other reports indicate that the Mercury version may have been cancelled instead. There are also growing indications that the Freestyle may be replaced with a new crossover vehicle based on the Ford Fairlane concept car, as revealed during the 2005 auto show circuit. .

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Ford Freestyle ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Ford Freestyle; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Cars - Ford Freestyle

2008

Searches on eBay

Related searches on eBay