2007 Ford Freestyle SEL AWD 3.0L from North America

Summary:

This car has exceeded our expectations, and compares favorably with Consumer Reports

Faults:

Just learned at the 25,000 mile service that there is a TSB on the brakes. We've noted nothing wrong with the brakes. The dealer advised us and has ordered all the parts needed to completely replace/rebuilt the brakes.

Informed the dealer that the gas gauge intermittently does not register "full" after filling with gas. The dealer ordered a new sending unit to be installed at the same time they work on the brakes.

All is being taken care of under the 36,000 mile warranty.

As we add miles to this car, we will update our critique should we have any other problems.

General Comments:

We are very impressed with the car. It has leather seats, and is the 6-passenger version. I am physically limited and use both a walker and a wheelchair. We've had the car equipped with hand controls so I can drive. The walker fits into the back with the middle seats folded. The wheelchair, when we need it, fits in the well behind the third-row seats.

The car provides a very comfortable ride, with great handling on mountain roads (where we live). The fuel economy is impressive. We average 23 around home and 28+ on the open highway.

The heat and A/C are well designed and heat/cool the car very quickly and evenly. We enjoy being able to adjust the heat/cool to fit our personal preferencesm no matter which side of the car we sit.

We've enjoyed a variety of Fords since our 1992 Aerostar, 1997 F-150, 2000 F-150 4x4 and 2002 Escape 4x4. While they were all above average vehicles and performed well, this one is the best Ford has produced.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th October, 2008

27th Nov 2009, 22:24

"Just learned at the 25,000 mile service that there is a TSB on the brakes. We've noted nothing wrong with the brakes. The dealer advised us and has ordered all the parts needed to completely replace/rebuilt the brakes."

Ford is OVERLY cautious about their owner's safety. That is what I like so much about Ford. The recent record-setting safety recalls by Toyota are a clear example of some REALLY scary issues.

We received a recall notice on one of our Fords 7 years after buying it and after over 100,000 miles of driving. The problem was not a safety issue. It was a POSSIBLE problem with the ignition system. We had NOT had the problem (or ANY problems) but I took the car in. In 15 minutes they installed the new part and had me on my way. This is with a 7 year old car with 105,000 miles on it. Can you even imagine Honda or Toyota doing that?

2005 Ford Freestyle SE 3.0L Duratec from North America

Summary:

Excellent value, great space

Faults:

Rear brakes replaced under recall.

Tires replaced at 19k (previous owner drove car with a very poor alignment)

Right front wheel bearing replaced at 20k.

General Comments:

This is a comfortable, reliable, and very spacious vehicle. Fuel economy is very good for such a large car at 27+ MPG Highway. 3.0L gives enough power for pretty much any situation.

Downside: The engine and CVT are relatively noisy, and there is a bit more road noise than I would like. The cloth seats stain by looking at them - if you can, get the leather.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st May, 2008

2006 Ford Freestyle Limited from North America

Summary:

Impressive for now, long term driving before I can have any definitive information about the car

Faults:

Nothing so far, but I have not owned the car long either.

General Comments:

I had a 1999 Dodge Durango that was actually good to me. But due the the gas prices and the wish to have something a little more less truck like, my family wanted a change. We looked at the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander both the class of the division, but both were just so expensive even used. I decided on a 2006 used Ford Freestyle. One of the reasons why was because of this site and the positive reviews that I saw here. Also it was a consumer reports recommended so I feel pretty good about my purchase. I wasn't really worried about power and speed. I don't plan on towing anything or racing anyone in my Wagon. I got the power in my Durango and paid for it in gas consumption.

I haven't had the car long enough to give to much feedback on performance and reliability, but I must say I like the car a lot. For the price the limited was a great choice with all the trimmings. Love the heated seats and the ride is quite nice. Remember though I'm comparing to a truck based SUV so the Wagon should be smoother. I will make sure that I write back when I get more time with the car. I plan to keep this for a long time so hopefully it will serve us well. Thanks to all the great feedback on this site. There was good insite into what I could expect. So far it's been accurate.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th January, 2008