Opinion : Ford Freestyle
Ford unveiled the Freestyle last month. Though it has not been formally launched here yet, Ford dealers have started receiving vehicles and bookings for the vehicle are likely to start very soon.
Before the Freestyle goes on sale, let’s take a closer look.
1. Design
While I won’t say that the Freestyle looks beautiful, it isn’t downright ugly either. It is based on the Figo which is pretty evident from outside with the small-ish side profile but overall, it doesn’t come close to what it should be- a CUV.
In my opinion, the best looking CUV in the market is the Honda WR-V which is distinctly different from the Jazz, the vehicle it is based on but at the same time not too different to ensure lower development costs.
Ford could have made the Freestyle more distinct than just new bumpers and some plastic.
2. Engine
Ford’s new 1.2L 3-cylinder Dragon engine makes its debut with the Freestyle. This engine is a derivative of the bigger 1.5L petrol engine that powers the new EcoSport. The new engine is expected to put out 95 HP of power, and is expected to perform much better than the older 1.2L petrol (present in the Figo and Aspire) which has a lethargic low-end and doesn’t do wonders in fuel efficiency.
3. Interiors
The interiors are similar to the Figo and Aspire with the exclusion of a Touchscreen (also borrowed from the EcoSport)
While it is quite feature rich, it seems to be somewhat of an afterthought with the poor integration of it into the dashboard. The upright position, while eliminating reflection, does distract the driver to some extent.
4. Features
The Freestyle will get 6 airbags from the Figo (most probably only with the top variant) as well as the brilliant Touchscreen. However it does miss out on a few important features at this price including DRLs, Parking Sensors, Parking Camera, an Automatic transmission, Auto headlamps and wipers etc.
Verdict
While prices haven’t been revealed yet, I would suggest Ford to price it between INR 6.5–7.5 lakhs.
Overall, the package comes across as a decent one. However, its success is debatable as there are more established rivals in this segment but the market is capable of throwing quite a bit of surprises.
We would have to wait and watch.
