Ford Freestyle

ford
	Ford Freestyle SEL (2004-2007)
Freestyle
Production period:	2004-2007
Class :	SUV
Body versions :	Station wagon
Engines:	Otto engine : ; 3.0 liters (151 kW)
Length:	5075-5083 mm
Width:	1890 mm
Height:	1670-1732 mm
Wheelbase :	2870 mm
Empty weight :	1796 kg
Previous model	Ford Taurus Wagon
successor	Ford Taurus X

The Ford Freestyle (code D219 ) was a large crossover SUV introduced by Ford Motor Company in the fall of 2004 to compete against competing models like the Toyota Highlander , the Honda Pilot , the Nissan Murano and Mitsubishi Endeavor, and station wagons like the Subaru Competing legacy and the outback . In the Ford model range it replaced the Taurus station wagon and was positioned between Edge and Explorer from model year 2007 .

It has been offered in the United States, Canada , South Korea , Puerto Rico , the Virgin Islands, and Guam . The Freestyle was introduced as a concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show in early 2003 .

Production was stopped in spring 2007 due to poor sales figures. The successor was the Taurus X from mid-2007 .

Like the Ford Five Hundred , the Mercury Montego and various Volvo models, such as the XC90 , the vehicle was based on the Ford D3 platform . The Freestyle was assembled in Ford's Chicago Assembly. With the same platform, the Volvo XC90 and Freestyle differ significantly. Like many other SUVs and vans, the Freestyle has three rows of seats with space for seven passengers and, like the successor Taurus X, offers a raised seating position.

Since the Bronco was discontinued , all Ford SUVs have been given names beginning with the letter E (such as the EcoSport , Escape , Explorer , Expedition , Edge and Excursion ). Ford briefly used the letter F for passenger cars (e.g. Focus , Freestar , Five Hundred and Fusion ), while the now discontinued Mercury brand used model names with an M at the beginning (such as Montego , Milan , Mountaineer , Monterey and Mariner ).

The Freestyle, along with its previous sister model Five Hundred and the Escape Hybrid, was one of the first US vehicles to use a CVT transmission . To Ford's astonishment, 55% of buyers opted for the four-wheel drive model versions equipped with a Haldex clutch . A sales share of 40% was initially assumed. The total sales figures were nevertheless below the forecasts at Ford, although these increased monthly. Some buyers chose Freestyle instead of the best-selling Ford Explorer . But many buyers criticized its high gasoline consumption.

The Freestyle finished second behind the Escape Hybrid in the US Auto of the Year competition in 2005 .

Renaming of the Freestyle

→ see main article: Ford Taurus X

Due to the initially poor sales figures, Ford thought of discontinuing Freestyle based on the D3 platform after only two model years. A Mercury with the internal name Meta-One on the same platform and similar styling should replace the original model from 2008.

The plans for the Mercury Meta-One were dropped, however, and a revised Freestyle was unveiled instead at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2007. This had a new grille, had a new drive - and a new name: Ford Taurus X .

Web links

Commons : Ford Freestyle - Collection of images, videos and audio files