We were in Jaipur to drive Ford’s latest car, the Freestyle, and this is what we have to say.
Ford are calling their latest car, the Freestyle, a UV or Utility Vehicle, but we beg to differ. To find out exactly where the new Freestyle sits, we decided to give it a try on the busy streets of the Pink City and then took it to the Sambhar lake bed for some off-roading.
To begin with, the styling of the Freestyle is pretty close to that of Ford’s only hatchback in India the Figo, and this resemblance is due to the Freestyle’s platform, which it shares with the Figo. However, there are a few changes that give it a new identity. For example, the bumpers on the Freestyle are new and they look quite sharp and aggressive. The new 15-inch wheels and all-round cladding too add a bit of muscle to the Freestyle.
On the inside, the cabin is a warm and welcoming place. The two-tone dashboard with revamped design, good-quality plastics, great built-quality, and tonnes of space, give the cabin a simple yet practical feel. Bits like the instrument console, steering wheel, and the air-conditioning controls are all from the Figo, which is not really a bad thing as it gives the cabin a familiar feel. Seats are comfortable with good overall support and you get a spacious cabin with ample head, knee and leg room, however, taller individuals might be cramped because of the head room at the back. The 257-litre boot seems a bit small, too.
Ford have also equipped the Freestyle with their latest Sync3 infotainment system, which now works on Blackberry software, which is simpler than the Microsoft one. It offers multiple connectivity options, voice command, and also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Freestyle also gets automatic climate control. So, feature-wise, the Freestyle is as good as most of the stylish hatchbacks out there.
As mentioned earlier, the Freestyle shares it platform with the Figo, however, for this new car, Ford have introduced their new three-cylinder, 1.2-litre ‘Dragon’ engine. This petrol engine is claimed to be more efficient compared to the current 1.2-litre engine in Ford India’s line-up. Anyway, the Dragon engine produces 96 PS at 6,500 rpm and 120 Nm at 4,250 rpm. The car produces peak power and torque at quite a high rpm, however, Ford engineers have tuned the engine to have better low and mid-range delivery. This engine is mated to Ford’s new five-speed gearbox with short ratios and the company claims that it is more efficient than the previous boxes.
