Ford Freestyle Will Live; Gets Facelift Spring 07

[Perian]

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...3/newsletter12

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. is saving the Ford Freestyle crossover from the scrap heap.

Last summer, Ford told suppliers it would drop the existing version of the Freestyle after the 2007 model year. At that time, a Ford source acknowledged that the current Freestyle would vanish but said that the nameplate would resurface on another vehicle at a later point.

But in the past few weeks, Ford has begun telling suppliers that the Freestyle will continue after all. Several suppliers confirmed that the Freestyle is back in the product cycle. The Freestyle, along with its sister cars, the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego, will get a front-end facelift in the spring of 2007.

[Bravada]

Seems like Ford realized that keeping an all-new vehicle in production is actually a better idea than eliminating it. Too bad they have "helped" its popularity spreading news that they will axe it.

I've only got one problem with it - why would Ford develop this, the Edge and the European midsize minivans at the same time (not to mention Ford Territory in OZ) rather than one absolutely striking great vehicle?

[SteveWallace]

It would sell better if they dumped that stinking CVT. CVT's scare people, like myself!

[FamilyTruckster]

I like the Freestyle. Friends of mine have one (they are deadfast Ford people and I almost put them into an Equinox). The interior is nice and the exterior is plain but yet handsome. I just don't know if there is a big enough market for another wagon.

[Parkwood60]

I imagine they are keeping it because it is about the size of the Explorer, but gets better mileage. That way if gas prices stay high, they hedge their bets. It gives a Ford dealer an option if a buyer comes in lookig at an Explorer, but is turned off by the 14city/20hwy mileage. An AWD Freestyle gets 19city/24hwy, and really is more than enough "truck" for most soccer moms.

Personally I always wonder if the slow sales of a vehicle like this isn't due to the dealer network putting people in the higher priced Explorer to make a few more dollars in comission.

[corvettekidc6]

I think that they should just get rid of it all together. It's only there to make the buying process longer to those who want something like that. It's just in the way of the better selling Equinox and Pacifica. So, why even waste money on building it. I never see any around here in PA anyway!

[kool_zx3]

Originally Posted by corvettekidc6

I think that they should just get rid of it all together. It's only there to make the buying process longer to those who want something like that. It's just in the way of the better selling Equinox and Pacifica. So, why even waste money on building it. I never see any around here in PA anyway!

The freestyle can do more then an equinox ever could. Do you even know what your talking about? The Freestyle is selling about 80,000 units a year, there must be a demand for it.

[Quickening]

Got a link to back that up? You spew a lot of numbers with no back up.

Anyways, maybe they are more popular up north, but in Texas, I've seen maybe 1 or 2 since their release.

[Arizona Slim]

I see them around occasionally, but I have to force myself to look becasue they're so boring. I probably miss lots of them, like minivans or Camrys they're pretty much invisible. But if they jazz up the exterior a little and offer some more powertrain options, I can see it increasing sales.

[kool_zx3]

Originally Posted by Quickening

Got a link to back that up? You spew a lot of numbers with no back up.

Anyways, maybe they are more popular up north, but in Texas, I've seen maybe 1 or 2 since their release.

Did you not see sales figures this year?? The sales were like 76,000+ sales this year.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=22189

[Quickening]

Originally Posted by kool_zx3

Did you not see sales figures this year?? The sales were like 76,000+ sales this year.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=22189

No I didn't, so thanks for providing a link.

[wpbharry]

Smart to keep it, becuase gas prices are expected to be higher this summer than they were last summer.

But, I see 20 Magnums for every one Freestyle. The Freestyle needs something to make it more of a standout, and I'm not sure that the Fusion grille will help it. Or the 500, for that matter. Despite many members in here and a lot of the press complimenting the Fusion's grille, I hate it and suspect that I'm in the majority since I've only seen one Fusion on the road, ever. That's awful for a new model 4 months after intro. At 4 months, I'd probably seen three dozen 300s.

[TiburonJT]

Originally Posted by wpbharry

Smart to keep it, becuase gas prices are expected to be higher this summer than they were last summer.

But, I see 20 Magnums for every one Freestyle. The Freestyle needs something to make it more of a standout, and I'm not sure that the Fusion grille will help it. Or the 500, for that matter. Despite many members in here and a lot of the press complimenting the Fusion's grille, I hate it and suspect that I'm in the majority since I've only seen one Fusion on the road, ever. That's awful for a new model 4 months after intro. At 4 months, I'd probably seen three dozen 300s.

You need to look at actual sales numbers and production numbers rather than basing the success of the Fusion on how many you see in your city.

[CarShark]

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=22189

According to Ford, they've sold 85,248 Freestyles from the time it was introduced in 2004 to December of 2005. During that time, they've sold 319,051 Explorers.

But as usual, the numbers don't quite tell the whole story.

Freestyle

October 2004: 1880
November: 3104
December: 3525
January 2005: 4158
February: 5573
March: 6191
April: 6671
May: 6084
June: 6820
July: 9937
August: 7068
September: 7146
October: 6707
November: 4534
December: 5850

Explorer

October 2004: 29,842
November: 24,467
December: 24,994
January 2005: 15,478
February: 22,250
March: 24,858
April: 23,800
May: 19,539
June: 28,835
July: 32,088
August: 17,151
September: 12,879
October: 12,122
November: 11,792
December: 18,996

The Freestyle had been climbing steadily for a few months, while the Explorer was stumbling. Then came the Ford Family Plan, which caused a brief spike in sales before they sank like stones. Look at the difference between July and August for the Explorer. 15,000 fewer sales!

I think that the Freestyle should stay because its everything that people buy the Explorer for minus the ride. Get this thing a better engine and a new front fascia!

[CarShark]

Originally Posted by kool_zx3

Did you not see sales figures this year?? The sales were like 76,000+ sales this year.

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=22189

Of course, you had said that it was 90,000 but changed it. Very slick.

I also agree with TiburonJT. Harry, stop predicting the entire country's habits from your own city. Just admit it. More people like the Fusion's grille than don't.