NEW DELHI: Ford has finally revealed the details of its upcoming ‘Compact Utility Vehicle (CUV)’ – the Freestyle. Don’t get confused with the term as it is basically a crossover model which the company is just introducing with an interesting, unique title.
The Ford Freestyle made its world premiere in India on January 31, 2018, but with very limited details about its specifications and features. Here’s all you need to know about the new utility vehicle:
FIGO-BASED CROSSOVER:
The Ford Freestyle crossover is based on the Figo hatchback and you can see some significant changes in the new model in comparison to the existing Figo. Actually, it is based on the 2018 model of the hatchback — which is expected to be launched in the latter part of this year — and incorporates some minor changes.
But that’s not a bad thing as the upcoming Figo looks quite sporty and stylish and the Freestyle also gets some interesting tweaks in the bumpers as well as the grille to provide it with a rugged feel. Also, the crossover model gets an underbody cladding, roof rails and larger 15-inch wheels to complete its UV look.
ALL-NEW ENGINE:
Ford is going to introduce its all-new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor with the Freestyle. The Ti-VCT powertrain offers 96PS of power and 120Nm of peak torque while claiming a fuel efficiency of 19kmpl.
The 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel, however, has been carried straight from the base Figo. The oil burner produces 100PS and a peak torque of 215Nm, and claiming a fuel efficiency of 24.4kmpl. The Freestyle also introduces Ford’s new five-speed manual gearbox, promising flawless shifts.
INTERIOR:
The interior of the Freestyle is also taken from the facelift Figo and looks a lot more premium when compared to the existing hatchback model. It will be available in four variant options – Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium+.
The car comes with a dual-tone upholstery and receives a host of new features, including a 6.5-inch touchscreen (not available in the base Ambiente trim). The Ford’s latest Sync3 infotainment system, however, is limited to the top-spec Titanium+ and offers voice control, and mobile navigation with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and electrochromic IRVM are among the other top-spec features.
SAFETY AND OFF-ROADING:
Ford provides a host of safety features including Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), dual front airbags, seat belt and high-speed reminders, speed sensing door locks, rear fog lamps, and reverse parking sensors as standard with the Freestyle. The upper variants also get front fog lamps, reverse parking camera and Active Rollover Prevention system. Features limited to the top-spec trim are emergency assistance and six airbags.
Besides the underbody protective cladding, the other UV facts of the car include larger 15-inch wheels with wider tyres and increased ground clearance of 190mm. The ground clearance of the car is higher than the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross and the Toyota Etios Cross while is similar to the Hyundai i20 Active.
PRICE, COMPETITION AND MAINTENANCE:
The Freestyle is expected to be positioned somewhere between the Ford Figo (starting at Rs 5.47 lakh) and the EcoSport (starting at Rs 7.77 lakh). So, the company could introduce its new CUV with a starting ex-showroom price tag of around Rs 6 lakh.
The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, Hyundai i20 Active, Honda WR-V, Toyota Etios Cross and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio X are the crossover models available in the Indian market. The prior three, however, are bigger and more premium models as compared to the Freestyle while the last one comes in the lower segment. That means the only direct competition for the new Ford will be the Etios Cross.
The company claims that the servicing of its new UV will cost 20 per cent lesser than any other hatchback in the Figo’s segment and the service interval is also 10,000km. Moreover, Ford promises to pay the entire service bill if you will be overcharged by any of its authorised service station.