POINTER94
Vice Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2003
- Messages
- 5,031
I got a new company car a couple of weeks ago and I was holding off on my opinion of it. It is a 2005 Ford Freestyle. Now I got a couple of thousand miles on it and think I can make a rational evaluation of it.<br /><br />This looks to be Fords first effort at a CVT. Constantly variable transmission. Ever drive a snowmobile? This is exactly what this transmission is. Just a bit more sophisticated. It works fairly well but low end torque is annoying. Once it gains a few RPM's she really moves out nicely. There is no way this will lay any rubber on the pavement traction control off or not. I got one with AWD because of the snow I encounter in Michigan. It may have something to do with the slow starts. Lots of gearboxes to move. They tout the 0-60 times but the 0-20mph speeds are less than I would like. The engine or drivetrain gives a bit more vibration than I like. Not terrible but not near as smooth as the Grand Prix or Caravan I had before. It takes a little getting used to as the RPM's go DOWN as the car accelerates. The tranny will downshift much like a traditional auto as it "downshifts" when you look to pass and the like. The engine really screams when you get on it, and 5000+rpm's are common when passing and the engine note is a little loud by passenger vehicle standards.<br /><br />The interior is spartan but extremely versitile. It is a lot bigger vehicle than you would think at first blush. She is quite long and just a bit narrow. I think it would benefit from an additional 1-2 inches in width. The seats are wonderful. Comfortable and adjustable and the slightly taller profile makes getting in and out very easy. Driving position is slightly higher than that of a sedan but lower than a standard SUV. They claim this is a SUV and that is how it is categorized. Handling is very good and it handles more like a sport sedan. I think it handles better than a grand prix or a taurus. The seating configuration is versitle and affords for a ton of storage with the third row seats folded down. Sitting in the third row is not a death sentence. They are equally as comfortable as the second row of seats. Very surprising. <br /><br />Strange little quirks, it only has one dc power outlet in the first two rows. Two or three are the norm in todays vehicles. I have a cell phone and a GPS and I had to purchase a splitter to operate them at the same time. It has a standard antenna for the radio. The wiper controls are difficult to adjust and not well marked between the front and rear wiper, they are on the same stalk. The radio is average at best but it is a base model but even with this in mind it is weak. The doors need to be slammed to close completely, whats up with that? The brake and accelerator pedals are too close together, I had an experience where I hit the brake and my size 12's also was touching the accerator and I had to put it in neutral to adjust out of the situation. Now that I know I will make a mental adjustment but this could be dangerous. <br /><br />Not a rattle anywhere in the car. The standard tires are seventeen inch. Big. In fact the whole car is big, just park it next to a taurus or Impala and it's size becomes apparent. It is alot bigger than you think. Roof rack is standard which means little to me, but I can see where this would benefit a family who travels. It has an oil life meter which is a new one on me. It gives a percentage of life left on the oil. I think it is a neat idea. Armrests are comfortable and have adequate storage. Interior materials seem a little cheap. AC is incredible and the fan is strong. Knobs and buttons are great and definative in their settings. They are some of the best I have used. The wipers are the exception. I am not a huge fan of the cruise control configuration, but they work well and it holds speed constant, better than any other vehicle I have owned. Their placement is just a little different than usual. The ford exclusive keypad locks on the drivers side door is really a great option. I am a forgetful guy and I am forever worried I locked my keys in the car, this feature allows me to leave the car running with the doors locked (keeping the ac or heat on in extreme weather conditions) and by punching in the code open the doors. No worries about being locked out of the car in some strange city. Very very very nice.<br /><br />Exterior is boring but attractive. Its a station wagon. It looks like a suburu outback on steroids. When compared to my wifes 2003 Honda CRV it is alot more car. Ford could take a few tips from honda on materials, (steering wheel feel like it cost's about $5, plastic and slippery, punch it up to leather please) and features. On the upside the ride, comfort and power (compared to the CRV) is much better. Believe it or not the ford feel tighter, handles better and is more comfortable in my opinion. <br /><br />If you are looking for a family SUV, the ford is a good option. I would wait until next year when hopefully ford will have addressed the little quirks and smoothed out the drivetrain. I put about 1200 miles a week on her so I will update my impressions when I hit about 50K.
Look forward to your next review.