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2005 Ford Freestyle
Date Published: 7/31/08

2005 Ford Freestyle
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MSRP:
$25,040 - 30,440

Invoice:
$23,046 - 27,906

Class:
Midsize Sport-utility Vehicle

CG Award: (What's This?)
2005 Ford Freestyle
Expert Rating Summary
Category 2WD SE Rating (See All
Ratings)
Midsize Sport-utility Vehicle Average Rating
Acceleration 5 4.9
Fuel Economy 5 3.9
Ride Quality 6 5.1
Steering/Handling/Braking 5 3.8
Quietness 6 4.8
Controls 6 6.3
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front) 8 6.7
Room/Comfort (rear) 8 6.2
Cargo Room 8 7.8
Value within Class 6 5.6
Total Score: 63 55.1
Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category
2005 FORD FREESTYLE BUYING RESOURCES
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2005 Ford Freestyle Review
Ford launches its first crossover SUV for 2005, a wagon that seats up to seven. Freestyle comes in SE, SEL, and Limited trim levels, each with front-wheel drive or optional AWD. The AWD system does not include low-range gearing and is not intended for off-road use. The sole powertrain is a 203-hp 3.0-liter V6 linked to a continuously variable automatic transmission. A CVT provides variable drive ratios vs. a conventional automatic's preset ratios. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes and traction control are standard. No antiskid system is available. SE and SEL come with 17-inch wheels, the Limited with 18s. An option package groups front torso side airbags and head-protecting curtain side airbags. The curtain airbags cover all three seating rows and are designed to deploy in rollovers as well as in side collisions. Standard seating is for six and includes a folding front-passenger seat, 2nd-row buckets, and a stowable 3rd row. An available 60/40 split folding 2nd-row bench increases capacity to seven. Options include power-adjustable pedals, rear DVD entertainment, sunroof, and rear obstacle detection. The Limited model comes with leather upholstery, rear center console, and 2nd-row buckets that slide fore and aft to adjust leg room. Freestyle shares its basic design and powertrains with the Five Hundred as well as Mercury's Montego sedan. All are based on a platform developed by Volvo, which is owned by Ford.
Competition
Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Larger than Compact SUVs, Midsize SUVs offer a mix of car- and truck-type construction, V6 and V8 power, and up to 8-passenger seating. This class also includes crossover vehicles.

Our Best Buys include the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Our Recommended picks are the Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Ford Freestyle, Nissan Murano, and Toyota 4Runner.
News
In what some sources call a major shakeup, Ford will drop the yearling Freestyle after 2007, but will keep the name for a new crossover-type wagon or minivan to be released soon afterwards. Underwhelming first-year sales are said to be behind Freestyle's early demise. The change in plans also cancels a scheduled 2007 facelift for this vehicle and possibly a larger V6 that has been rumored for 2006 or '07.

The replacement will evidently be a sportier and somewhat smaller wagon based on Ford's "CD3" corporate architecture, which originated with the Mazda 6 midsize car. The 2006 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr sedans also use the CD3 platform. The current Freestyle employs a Volvo-sourced underskin design known within Ford as D3. The CD3 replacement will be offered a new 2007 Lincoln Aviator and in a Ford version that some are calling "Edge." Both will have two-row seating. A three-row variation, possibly with an extended body, is also said to be in the works, name and market position as yet unknown.
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