Ford has been present in Indian market for quite some time. They have hatchbacks, compact sedans and SUVs in their portfolio. Couple of years ago, Ford decided to launch the cross hatchback version of their popular hatchback Figo in the market. The cross hatchback version was known as Freestyle and competed with cars like Etios Cross in the segment. All the other cross hatchbacks in the segment got discontinued but, Freestyle is still available in the market. It is without any doubt one of the best looking cross hatchback in the country. The Ford Freestyle is available in international markets too and here we have a video that shows what international journalists think about this cross hatch.
The video has been uploaded by Juliet McGuire on her YouTube channel. She is an automobile journalist from South Africa. She starts by talking about the way Freestyle looks. It is based on the regular Figo hatchback but has more ground clearance to give it that crossover look. There are other elements like thick black cladding and the roof rails that add to the look.
Also read: Ford to launch 6 new cars in India in 2021: Figo Turbo to EcoSport Turbo
The presenter really liked the way Freestyle looked. Coming to the engine and transmission, the international version of Freestyle is powered by a different engine. It gets a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Some of the rivals in international market do offer but, Juliet mentions that she has been driving it on highways and city roads and she never felt that it needed a turbocharger. The engine was peppy enough to make overtakes and gearbox also felt quite smooth. The clutch pedal also felt very light in the Freestyle.
The Freestyle has a claimed economy of 5.5 litre per 100 kilometers which converts to 18 kmpl. In the video, she managed to achieve over 16 kmpl which is good considering the fact that the car was driven in various traffic conditions. Juliet then mentions that she really liked the interiors of the Freestyle. They are quite spacious and have numerous storage spaces. In comparison to other, Freestyle offers a smaller boot but, it is not that small either. Juliet says that, if given a choice she’ll go for the Titanium version as it comes with touchscreen infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also get automatic climate control, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and other features.
The only issue that she faced in the Freestyle was that it does not offer a telescopic steering. This is not the case just with Freestyle but, many other cars in this segment. As the steering does not have reach adjustment, she has to adjust the seat to the front and that is actually a risk because in case of an accident she’ll be sitting closer to the steering wheel and the airbag might injure the driver badly. Apart from this issue, she likes the Freestyle.
In India, Ford is offering Freestyle with a 1.2 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that generates 95 Bhp and 119 Nm of torque. The diesel version is powered by a 1.5 litre turbocharged unit that 99 Bhp and 215 Nm of peak torque. Both petrol and diesel are available with manual gearbox only.
Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots
The post Ford Freestyle: Here’s what a leading international lady journalist thinks about the crossover first appeared on Cartoq.
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