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| 2005 Ford Freestyle Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Last Word
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| Road Test | |||
When equipped with the same drivetrain, the Freestyle should drive like a Five Hundred with 295 extra pounds of fat in its hind end. The Freestyle runs on all the same parts as its sedan equivalent, which means it shares the same nice steering, same boring-but-pleasant handling, same firm brakes, and same composed ride. Aside from the same road noise, you'll hear the same absence of the same other sounds. None of this is much of a coincidence, since they're both based on the same set of Volvos.The one distinct difference over our tested Five Hundred is this Freestyle's Continuously Variable Transmission, which comes standard on specific Five Hundreds and all Freestyles. Once a niche technology limited to small-engined economy cars, the CVT has made its way into more serious machines like the Audi A4, Nissan Murano, and now these Fords. Unlike standard automatic transmissions that usually have four or five fixed gear ratios, CVTs are free to select any ratio they please. Freedom means choice. Choice is good. Also, the Freestyle's ratios span the range from 2.47 (think of it as "low gear") to 0.41 ("high gear"), forming a wide spread of more than 6 to 1. Wide means flexible. Flexible is good. Everyone on Earth knows the acceleration process as a series of engine revs rising and falling - the falling being caused by the transmission's upshifts. But in the Freestyle, the engine instantly spins to a high speed and just stays there for a while, then gradually settles down as the CVT adjusts its ratios. It's an unfamiliar sensation that might feel wrong in the heads of those who associate shifting with progress. It's a little like visiting Hawaii and realizing it's possible for rain and hot weather to mix. But nevermind what your mind tells you because technically, a CVT is better. The absence of big steps lets you forget about bad habits like the computer jolting all passengers on a downshift after choosing the wrong gear - an acute problem in many Ford automatics, by the way. With a CVT, stab the pedal all you want and expect seamless acceleration all the time. Once up to speed, its mapping isn't too different from a normal automatic's: almost floor it and revs rise a bunch; floor it completely and the tach zings to redline. The verdict: the CVT works! The only disappointment was our 20 MPG average - two less than our Five Hundred. Maybe this shouldn't be a surprise, considering how biased this CVT is in favor of high revs. The other difference between our tested Five Hundred and Freestyle was this Freestyle's P215/65R17 tires. In hard driving these slightly smaller, narrower, higher-profile tires squeal noticeably earlier than the 18-inchers on the Limited trim line of both cars (maybe in part because the 18-inchers are better Pirellis?), but they still have enough grip for a responsibly-driven family hauler. Speaking of enough, I described this Ford Taurus-sourced engine as "adequate" in the Five Hundred. That may be too generous a ruling for the Freestyle, in part because of the extra poundage, in part because most people reportedly order them with all-wheel-drive (more poundage), and because choosing a wagon reflects different needs than choosing a sedan. Our Freestyle's power served me fine, but a father driving an AWD Freestyle with his wife, five half-pints, a stuffed cargo load, and the air conditioner running would find himself short on engine and patience. Until somebody drops the Crown Vic's V8 in here, anyone looking to get any real work done will be flocking to the Dodge Magnum. |
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