The seats are comfy but not too soft; however they offer no substantial support. Legroom and headroom for front and second row passengers is aplenty. The vehicle is huge on the outside and Ford has made good use of the large interior volume. The third row of seats can fold flat to create 1 299 litres of usable cargo space. Our specimen was equipped with the second row removable center console with storage. With the seats folded, it sticks out and prevents large flat objects from being slipped in evenly.

Technical

For the moment, the only engine offered is a 3.0L DOHC Duratec V6. Used in many Ford and Mazda products since 1996, its reliability and durability is a great improvement over the 3.8L V6 that it replaced that year. It develops 203 hp at 5 750 rpm and 207 lb/ft of torque at 4 500 rpm. The only available transmission is a CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission. It can be linked to either the front wheels only or to an electronically controlled Haldex AWD system. All Freestyles are shod with standard 17" alloy wheels. The Limited versions are equipped with polished aluminium 18" wheels. Four wheel disc brakes and independent suspension complete the specs.

On the road

The Freestyle is based on a modified Volvo S80 platform and it shows. The ride is very compliant and smooth. It soaks up road dimples with ease and can take hard corners without too much fuss. Driving this vehicle is actually a pleasant experience and may make some people turn their attention away from the SUV when shopping for the family vehicle.

The old Duratec V6 does a fair job of bussing the 1 865 kg lorry around town. Off the line, there is plenty of torque in the low end of the rev band however as they build, the 3.0L runs out of breath. The CVT transmission is expectedly smooth and seamless. It is probably the engine's saving grace thanks to its ability to always find the right "gearing". In mixed driving, the Freestyle returned a respectable average of 14.5 L per 100 km. I expected much worse considering the sheer girth of the vehicle.

Steering is light although precise. The brake pedal is responsive and can easily be modulated. Stopping distances are reasonably short and confidence inspiring. A tall driving position and excellent visibility enhance the drive.

Safety

The car has standard dual front air bags (side and curtain air bags standard on Limited model), ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for a frontal impact for both driver and passenger and 5 out of 5 stars for the rear passengers in lateral impacts. The IIHS has not yet rated the Freestyle.