| Ford Freestyle | |
|---|---|
 2005–2007 Ford Freestyle SE | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford |
| Also called | Ford Taurus X (2008–2009) |
| Production | 2005–2007 (Freestyle) 2008–2009 (Taurus X) |
| Model years | 2005–2007 (Freestyle) 2008–2009 (Taurus X) |
| Assembly | United States:Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Assembly) |
| Designer | Edward Golden[1] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-sizecrossover SUV |
| Body style | 4-doorSUV |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive /four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Ford D3 platform |
| Related | Ford Five Hundred/Taurus Mercury Montego/Sable |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 112.9 in (2,868 mm)[2] |
| Length | 199.8 in (5,075 mm)[2] |
| Width | 74.4 in (1,890 mm)[2] |
| Height | 68.2 in (1,732 mm)[2] |
| Curb weight | 3,959–4,112 lb (1,796–1,865 kg)[2] |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Taurus wagon |
| Successor | Ford Flex (Full-size crossover SUV) Ford Explorer (Taurus X) |
TheFord Freestyle is acrossover utility vehicle that was sold byFord from 2005 to 2009. Largely marketed as the successor to the Ford Taurus station wagon, the Freestyle was the CUV counterpart of theFord Five Hundred andMercury Montego four-door sedans. Sharing theFord D3 platform with the Five Hundred and Montego, the Freestyle was produced with both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations and six- or seven-passenger seating.
Following the return of theFord Taurus for the 2008 model year, the Freestyle underwent a mid-cycle revision and was renamed theFord Taurus X, marketed in theUnited States andCanada, as well asSouth Korea and theU.S. territories ofPuerto Rico,U.S. Virgin Islands, andGuam. Following the 2009 model year, the Taurus X was withdrawn. From the 2009 model year, the largerFord Flex has served as the three-row Ford CUV/wagon.
From 2005 to 2009, the Freestyle/Taurus X was assembled atChicago Assembly (Chicago, Illinois); the final vehicle was produced on February 27, 2009.
_(cropped).jpg)
The Freestyle was previewed at the2003 Detroit Auto Show with the Freestyle FX Concept before entering production for the 2005 model year. The FX concept featured a unique rear end design that could be converted from a wagon into a pickup truck or sedan, but this feature never made it onto the production version. The vehicle was originally going to be called theFord CrossTrainer, but had been renamed the Freestyle by the time the concept was released, due to Ford adopting an ill-fated naming scheme in which all Ford-branded passenger cars except theMustang andThunderbird would have a name start with the letter "F".[3]
Although its body and chassis was used to produce theMercury Meta One concept vehicle, no Lincoln-Mercury version of the Freestyle ever reached production.
For the Freestyle/Taurus X, Ford used its Volvo-derivedD3 platform architecture. Sharing a common platform with theFord Five Hundred andMercury Montego, all four vehicles were derived from the Volvo P2 platform used for the first-generationVolvo S80 andVolvo XC90. To accommodate production costs for Ford and durability concerns for North American roads, many revisions were made to the platform, making the final vehicles significantly different. Design-wise, the car itself bore several visual resemblances to the Australian marketFord Territory, especially in the rear third of the car.
Power came from a 3.0 L (181 cu in)Duratec V6, with an output of 203 hp (151 kW) at 5750 rpm.[4] The Freestyle, along with the Five Hundred, Mercury Montego, and theFord Escape Hybrid, were the first American Ford vehicles to use acontinuously variable transmission (CVT). The Freestyle, Five Hundred and Montego used a chain-type CVT, while the Escape Hybrid used a CVT transaxle that utilized a planetary gearset controlled by the electric generator, similar to the Toyota Prius. All Freestyles were equipped with the CVT, but onlyall-wheel drive (AWD) Five Hundred and Montego models used the CVT (FWD versions used anAisin F21++ six-speed automatic). 55% of buyers selected theHaldex Traction-equippedall-wheel drive model rather than the expected 40%.
Introduced as a 2005 model largely in place of the Ford Taurus station wagon, the Freestyle was marketed as a crossover utility vehicle, a new market segment at the time. As with the Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego, the Freestyle was available with front-wheel drive as standard with all-wheel drive as an option; the CVT of the all-wheel drive Five Hundred was the sole transmission on the Freestyle. The 203 hp 3.0LDuratec V6 was the standard engine.[4]
In contrast to a Taurus station wagon, the Freestyle featured forward-facing third-row seating (similar to the Ford Explorer and Ford Expedition). Although designed with ground clearance between a sedan and a small SUV, the Freestyle featured what Ford marketed asCommand Seating, featuring a higherH-point, to increasedriver visibility and ease of entry and exit.
The Freestyle was nominated for theNorth American Truck of the Year award for 2005 (placing second behind theFord Escape Hybrid).
In 2007, shortly after becoming CEO of Ford Motor Company,Alan Mulally called for a revision of the Ford and Mercury model ranges, saying that the shift towards Ford nameplates starting with the letter "F" was forgettable to consumers. He reinstated of the Ford Taurus nameplate for, displacing the sedan'sFive Hundred nameplate for a mid-cycle refresh for model year 2008 and adopting theTaurus X nameplate, superseding theFreestyle nameplate. The change was announced shortly after its unveiling at the2007 Chicago Auto Show for the 2008 production model.
The Taurus X received a flush-mounted three-bar horizontal chrome grille, and matching the Explorer, the Taurus X introduced an outdoors-themedEddie Bauer trim level. As with the Freestyle, the lower body and wheel well trim on Eddie Bauer and SEL trim levels were painted in a contrasting color (as with all Ford SUVs); Limited trim models received a monochromatic treatment.
As with its sedan counterpart, the Taurus X featured a major powertrain update over its predecessor. The 203 hp 3.0L V6 was replaced by an all-new 3.5LDuratec 35 V6 engine, raising output to 263 hp.[5] The ZF-Batavia CVT was replaced by an all-newFord/GM 6-speed automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive remained an option. To increase its functionality, the Taurus X featured new power options, including a power-operated rear liftgate and power-folding second-row seats.
Although the renaming of the Taurus sedan would improve its sales over the Five Hundred, the renaming of the Freestyle to the Taurus X would have the opposite effect, leading to a major decrease in sales. During its production, the Taurus X was partially affected by theautomotive industry crisis of 2008–10. Although more fuel-efficient than SUVs such as the V8-engined Ford Expedition and Ford Explorer, full-size crossovers such as the Taurus X were avoided in favor of smaller crossovers and sedans.
In 2009, theFord Flex was introduced as the replacement for the discontinuedFord Freestar/Mercury Monterey. The Taurus X was discontinued for the 2009 model year, with the Flex unofficially serving as its replacement.
The 2005–2007 Ford Freestyle, and the 2008–2009 Ford Taurus X, were offered in several different trim levels:
The baseSE trim level, only offered on theFreestyle between 2005 and 2006, was the "base" trim level, and offered the following features as standard equipment: a 3.0L "DuraTec" V6 engine, a CVT transmission (Freestyle only) or a 6 speed automatic transmission (Taurus X only), seventeen-inch alloy wheels and tires, an A/M-F/M stereo with a single-disc CD player and a four-speaker audio system, manual front and rear air conditioning with front controls, cloth seating surfaces, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, an aluminum interior trim piece, black door handles and side mirrors, and matte gray lower body trim.
TheSEL was the mid-level trim level between 2005 and 2006, and the base trim level from 2007 until 2009. It added the following options to the baseSE trim level: a 3.5L "DuraTec" V6 engine (2008 and 2009Taurus X only), a six-speed automatic transmission (2008 and 2009Taurus X only), sport-styled seventeen-inch alloy wheels, a security system, an A/M-F/M stereo with a single-disc CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio input jack, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with rear controls, a power front driver's seat, a woodgrain interior trim piece, and either Gray Metallic or Arizona Beige Metallic lower body trim.
TheLimited was the top-of-the-line trim level from 2005 until 2009. It added the following options to the mid-levelSEL trim level: dual front heated power seats, leather-trimmed first and second-row seating surfaces (the third-row bench seat was vinyl-trimmed), an A/M-F/M stereo with a six-disc, in-dash CD/MP3 changer (later with an auxiliary audio input jack and Ford SYNC) and a premium "Audiophile" seven-speaker audio system with rear-mounted subwoofer and external amplifier, satellite radio, color-keyed exterior door handles and side mirrors, and color-keyed lower body trim.
TheEddie Bauer Edition, only offered on theTaurus X between 2008 and 2009, was the "luxury" trim level, and added the following options to the baseSEL trim level: an A/M-F/M stereo with a single-disc CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio input jack with Ford SYNC, satellite radio, two-tone leather-trimmed first and second-row seating surfaces (the third-row bench seat was vinyl-trimmed), dual heated power front seats, color-keyed door handles, and Arizona Beige Metallic or Ingot Silver Metallic lower body trim.
Since 2005, the Freestyle nameplate has been used as an off-road styling trim for theEcoSport and theKa in Latin America, the latter also sold as the Ford Freestyle in India and as the Ford Figo Freestyle in South Africa.
| Calendar Year | Total American sales |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Freestyle: 8,509 |
| 2005 | Freestyle: 76,739 |
| 2006[6] | Freestyle: 58,602 |
| 2007 | Freestyle: 23,765 Taurus X: 18,345 |
| 2008[7] | Taurus X: 23,112 |
| 2009[8] | Taurus X: 6,106 |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
| Generations |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Engines | ||
| Related models | ||
| Related articles | ||
| Current models |
|  | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former models (by date of introduction) |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related topics | |||||||||||||||||||||||
