The Ford Freestyle - Many Thought It Was The Future

[@jdel2315]

Ford finally hit the jackpot with the Escape.... They seem to be everywhere... And the second generation really took off

[@BrickBike]

And the latest generation of the Escape and Explorer have completed the evolution back into cars so Ford got everyone into crossovers in the end anyway 😆

[@peteharris556]

I owned one. Ran like a champ. Never saw a mechanic. Super comfortable And a great looking user friendly interior

[@vinnyweiss5653]

My mom bought a 2005 new when I was a kid, that thing was a tank. Got around in the snow great and got abused. We never thought it was going to die, had almost 300k Miles when she finally got rid of it. It literally never had any issues and definitely did not get much preventative maintenance other than an oil change once a year or so lol.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Freestyle and for watching. It is appreciated

[@ksjlb2612]

I still see several of these on the road today. I loved it when I saw it on display at a mall when it was new. I would buy it today personally.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thanks for watching and for your comment.

[@michaelmcwhorter8707]

I owned a Freestyle Limited from 2010 until 2013. I bought it used from a friend that ran the local Ford dealership. They had taken it in on trade. I needed a "family car" and this fit the bill. Got a good deal on it. It had the split bench middle row instead of the mid row captains chairs. We loved it. It was great for carting around two car seat bound kids. It was a great car for packing up and going on vacation. Went well in the winter with the AWD. And it could haul just about anything with the third and middle rows down. The only reason I got rid of it was because I really wanted a truck. Otherwise we would have kept it until the wheels fell off of it. They didn't sell well but people who had them loved them. Too bad they didn't catch on. I realize the Flex was its replacement, but I couldn't get into the "toaster" look of it.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience! It is appreciated

[@thebionicbassplayer]

The V.O. guy in the second commercial spot sounds eerily like you, Tony. I saw one of these a month or so ago, as they are now rare indeed.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I’m going to have to listen to that spot again. Thanks for watching! 😉

[@fleuger99]

Another great vid with interesting content. Please keep them coming.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@infieldm.i.s.5132]

I have one with over 200,000 mi on it and never had any major issues.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Very awesome. They were not bad vehicles (as long as the CVT held up) but they were not priced in the compact crossover market and they weren't exactly small either and the large crossovers never really found a home in the US market.

[@glennso47]

@@infieldm.i.s.5132 Better keep it and don’t buy a new Car.

[@richardisner3671]

Owned an 05 SEL. AWD. It was pretty much loaded except it did not have leather seats, or sun roof. It did have 3rd row rear seating, 6 way power front seats, DVD player. Bought it used in 08 with 65k miles. Replaced factory brake pads at 165k miles, 15k oil changes. Sold it at 176k miles 10 years later still running great, & no rust. Great car.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Freestyle!

[@Carguy442]

Thanks for showing clips of the original brochures. I am amazed at the variety of exterior colors offered back then compared to today's models.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It was a different time. Thanks for watching!

[@matthewgazak6231]

I loved my Freestyle. My dad was the original owner from 05 to 08 when he sold it to me. I had it until 2016 when the CVT started throwing error codes. No one would touch it other than the dealer who wanted $7K for a new transmission. Other than that, it still ran good. I replaced it with a Flex which seemed like a natural progression. I just sold that Flex to my 18 year old son and it’s still running good with over 160,000 miles.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Freestyle and for watching. It is appreciated!

[@TheHk1966]

Had one of these in late 2000s as a company car. Drove nicely, got decent fuel economy and was quite reliable.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience!

[@haggis525]

I owned what is considered by many - me included - to be the first crossover: a 1986 AMC Eagle. My apologies for bringing up AMC on a Ford channel but I definitely have a soft spot for AMC. I also had a 1994 Explorer... so maybe I'm not all bad. 😎

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I have owned a Rambler 770 classic and a 70 & 74 Javelin. Your comments are welcome and the Eagle is considered the first crossover. I thought of it as a 4x4 wagon 😉

[@Jordan_Rai]

My parents had this car, it was either a 2005 or 2006, I don't remember. but it was a very comfortable car for our family and lasted forever. They finally got rid of it a couple years ago, although it just kind of sat in their driveway most of the time in it's later years because they had gotten smaller cars when the kids were grown up. But they kept it around in case they had to transport more people or large items. It was a good car, definitely not a race car, and felt cheap inside with a lot of hard plastic. It was definitely durable and reliable.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your family’s experience with the Freestyle. It is appreciated.

[@andyd5492]

Next to the Freestyle in the same showroom was the Explorer. The CVT was a turnoff and by the time the changes were made fo the Taurus X, it was too late. Really enjoy your videos.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for your comment and for watching! It is appreciated!

[@gkstanfield]

My wife and I bought a 2008 Taurus X SEL AWD as an ex-rental in 2009; it served our young family very well as an amazing long-distance, all-weather car. It was extremely comfortable and spacious, and we passed it down to our kids in high school, who both shared it. The Taurus X became long in the tooth and more expensive to maintain after about 11-12 years in service, and both kids bought their own cars. I liked it- a Volvo in tough, outdoors Ford style.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

That’s a great story! Thank you for sharing it.

[@andrewkessinger5966]

My mom had one, she loved it, it was excellent to drive in any weather, smooth and reasonably comfortable, and it was a perfect size. Only long term annoyance was the rear brakes never lasted long. In the end, it started having CVT issues and just wasn’t worth it to her and my dad to spend a bunch of money fixing it up.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Freestyle. There's a reason Ford abandoned the CVT

[@jrchis]

We bought an '07 back in '09. The best car we have owned. Just gave it to my son for college. 16 years later and i've put less than $2000 in repairs.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It’s amazing how many people have great experiences with this car, thank you for sharing your story.

[@mcn1127]

This and the Chrysler Pacifica were ahead of their time, in my opinion both were nice looking cars.

[@s2meister]

To this day I still miss our 05 Freestyle AWD Limited. Had it for 11 years and it was reliable, comfortable and versatile. Had a 05 Montego 2WD with the "normal" automatic as well but the CVT in the Freestyle was a nicer drive experience.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Freestyle. It is appreciated.

[@thewiseguy3529]

These are special if you can find a good one. I would love to have one

[@edensker]

The look of the Freestyle never did much for me but I have adored its successor Flex, of which I have owned two.

[@kevinbrown1368]

I have had an '09 since new and it now was 225k miles and runs still like a new car so much so that I continue to use it as a primary vehicle. The Taurus X's are also amazing as corrosion problems are minimal. One thing that goes in favor of maintaining this vehicle is that replacing it would cost at least $60-70k!!!! Considering depreciation of a new car, maintaining my Taurus X is cheap. The one problem is that specific parts are beginning to get difficult to source. Ford has stopped producing many and the aftermarket has not filled the gap likely due to how few of these cars were sold.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Taurus X and for watching. It is appreciated!

[@raymond_sycamore]

I love station wagons. I forgot about these, and they are now a serious contender for my next auto trader beater car. They list for $3-$,5000 dollars!

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I would look for a 6 speed Taurus X

[@JwcubTHS]

@Tony’s Fords and Mustangs, was that your voice in the embedded commercial about the kids visiting their father? It sounded identical to yours. 🤔

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

No sir it was not. That’s quite a compliment. Thank you

[@GoTMLGo1967]

I thought the same thing…

[@jeffaulik3980]

I had one for 10 years, then sold it to a friend who still has it at nearly 250,000 miles. I only had to put a thermostat in it during my 10 years of ownership and it has been an excellent car. It's now showing its age as my friend does not keep it garaged like I did.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Outstanding! Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@jamesmcintire3800]

I always liked the Ford Flex. I’ve driven them and always found it to be very comfortable, very well laid out with an exceptionally good ride and handling.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I will have a Flex video coming at some point! Thanks for watching

[@cooperparts]

2008 ford Taurus X same color 165000 miles oil change tires brakes loved it changed oil in the PTU every 25000 miles great car

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I’m glad you were able to enjoy it for so long and thanks for watching!

[@dmandman9]

I sometimes wonder if part of the problem for the rapid drop off in sales in addition to those already mentioned was the early problems with the CVT. I worked at a Ford dealership When vehicles came out. And the CVT was giving problems almost the moment they were released. Even if they were not the cause of the poor sales, I think they did contribute to the fact that many of them disappeared off the road fairly quickly. Virtually all the surviving vehicles are equipped with the 6-speed.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I would agree. When building these GM had just gone a complete mess with their first CVT and Ford told people that they wouldn’t have the same issues because of the chain drive. 😉

[@dmandman9]

@ With GM are you referring to the old Dynaflow transmissions? I remember my dad saying how unreliable they were. I think they accomplished it through a variable pitch torque converter. Am I correct?

[@Hobotraveler82]

I like the Freestyle/Taurus X. But I'd go with the latter only cause better transmission. Great video 😊❤

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thanks for sharing and for the kind words

[@GoTMLGo1967]

3.0 underpowered for the size (even in the five hundred/taurus sedan) and CVT transmission we’re the killer. Even though the replaced them with the facelift, the damage was done. I hope Ford one day comes back to their senses and builds cars again. If they do, a comparator to the Subaru outback would be worth investing in. Similar to the Freestyle/taurus x. For someone who doesn’t want a van or suv, it’s a modern station wagon with AWD. And hopefully they can put a reliable naturally aspirated V6, NO ECOBOOST! Thanks for the video.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It was a good car in many ways, but the transmission and engine were not its strong suits. Thanks for your comment! I too would like to see another Ford car

[@maconp1119]

CVT SUCKS. I have a duratech fusion and the select shit 6 speed and it hauls ass.

[@nedaCFilms]

I have a 2006 AWD Limited with almost 300k and runs great besides needing a coil pack lol. It is an absolute tank in snow. Maybe better than the Outback I had before it.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Freestyle, it sounds like a great car.

[@petertornabeni602]

That was a nice vehicle, absolutely versatile… the AWD .. a plus. Shoulda been named the Taurus wagon from the beginning

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I agree!

[@trainglen22]

My friend had one of these. It was limited in blue with the silver lower part.

[@fredfuchs3573]

Holy crap that was a mouthful

[@carlbusque]

Tested one, really like it but it was expensive. Thought the finish was very good.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

They were not cheap but it was a nice vehicle. Especially if you picked up a Taurus X. Pricing was another reason sales fell off. Everything else while slightly smaller was much less money

[@TK-ff5kc]

Bought my Fwd 2008 Taurus X in 2014 with 200,000 miles for $4500. It now has 316,000 miles and so far I have done fuel injectors, spark plugs, oil sensor, brakes, frt lower control arms/ball joints. It's had a hard shift around 30mph, doesn't like stop and go traffic and don't put in reverse before stopping for a few seconds. So aside from the dreaded water pump time bomb this has been a reliable "crossover" and really owes me nothing.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

That is quite a story thank you for sharing it!

[@broeheemed32]

Since when do CVTs shift?

[@TK-ff5kc]

@@broeheemed32 Because they "Taurus" from 2008 have automatic transmissions, not CVTs.

[@brentvance3958]

I had one also it had 229k when a truck rear ended me. Never had a problem with the transmission

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank for sharing!

[@blautens]

Another great video! I've never driven these, but I do know the platform is very safe and rigid. But the styling was super bland (not bad, just bland). Not "manly" enough, like the Explorer was, if I were to guess. (Which is a silly criteria, imho, for a people mover) But wow - it's replacement, the Ford Flex - the styling might have been polarizing, but I loved it. I feel badly that Ford was swinging and missing on these crossovers during that era.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I think you nailed it. They were very safe and comfortable to drive but they did not grab attention. Thanks for watching.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the video. It was good for the content and footage. It was sad this vehicle did not succeed in the market. It did not help being sold next to Ford Flex. I did not like the front styling on the Flex. The concept of the Ford Flex had it right. Taurus X did become a better vehicle, but people did not know. It got lost in the line up I guess.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for watching

[@JTKels]

Brother, I would love to see you do a segment on Lexus SUVs

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you very much but Lexus is just way outside my wheelhouse

[@roberta2540]

I always thought the Freestyle had better styling and a better name, but the Taurus X had better mechanicals. It's styling also inspired the Territory sold in Australia and New Zealand.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I would agree with you on your first point and i need to look into the Aussie & New Zealand Fords vehicles at some point for sure

[@ljmorris6496]

The Freestyle/Taurus X was eventually successful..it became the current Explorer..

[@danielferstendig]

This is the country squires descendant.

[@MartinMcelhaney]

I never knew of the Taurus X. The Freestyle didn't look bad, but i would have gotten an Escape over a Freestyle myself. Ow and you brought the flex up, have you noticed that Rivion and Hyundai make an EV today that looks similar to what the Flex looked like back in the 2000's? I actually liked the Flex a little myself. =)

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for watching and for your comment.

[@desertmodern7638]

I am always amazed that although I'm a total car enthusiast there will occasionally be one I've completely forgotten about. The Freestyle is exactly that. Perhaps they're forgettable for the same reason they didn't sell better. The styling is pleasant but probably too car-like and anodyne to make much of an impression. And if the 3.0 litre and CVT made an impression, it maybe wasn't a great one. Too bad, as the basic vehicle seems sound, and the improvements certainly helped, judging by a family member's 2008 3.5 litre Taurus sedan, which is a very competent car.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

The 6 speed GM/Ford worked on together was a good transmission but it was indeed too little too late

[@rdrogel]

The conventional auto trans on these will outlive the CVTs

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

In most cases I’m sure it would

[@garyausher]

I never heard of it either. The forefather of the Edge?

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Thank you for watching and sort of but not really.

[@jeffaulik3980]

It became the Taurus X then the Explorer.

[@michaelwhite2823]

If it had crome bumpets, eood suding and a 460 engine I'd have bought it.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It's an interesting take. I might have liked it too.

[@robertdoyle8785]

I mean, they basically still make it with the current and previous generation of Explorer.

[@kc0lif]

i like ford excursion😊

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

One of these days I’ll cover those and they bring a ton of money now if you have rust free example

[@HemiChrysler]

I scrapped a relatively new Freestyle, at the time, because of CVT failure. The sellers still owed thousands upon the car, thus I felt sorry for them. That CVT ruined this car; transmission rebuilders won't repair it.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It was replaced by the time the Taurus X launched. Ford really thought they had this figured out because of the chain drive. Not so much.

[@nickn815]

For some reason I thought the Ford Edge was the successor to the Freestyle \ Taurus X

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It was you have to watch the entire video 😉

[@dougjones4007]

I know that it was kindave a flop but the Ford 500 was a very good looking car!

[@AGBULLIT]

I owned one. It was great until the service department nickel and dimed us to death instead of doing an overhaul of the engine. We ended up trading it in.

[@Wooley689]

Freestyle, truly didn't pay any attention to them and don't really know anything about them until now. Now the Flex, those stood out and caught my eye. That ad for the freestyle with the dad being dropped off was horrible, he gets left and is sad while the ex-wife cheerfully leaves with the kids in her new car with a smile and good mood.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

That ad was awful! I put in there thinking no wonder they had a hard time selling a car because they were too busy talking about bold moves?

[@kcindc5539]

Of course she was in a good mood. She took off with the kids in her new car back to (we can fairly assume) the house, and god knows what else….

[@Ronn-p3r]

Friend had one..traded it for 2021'Ford Escape..can't remember what she paid for it

[@christophersmith1155]

this was a nice car. sad it only lasted five years. ford should have stuck with it. plus the Taurus.

[@danielferstendig]

It was intended to replace ford country squire

[@jermainec2462]

It was a wagon 😂😂😂

[@ferdfirtz]

Ford Crown Victoria is a body on frame vehicle is it an SUV? Jeep Grand Cherokee is unibody. Is it a car or Crossover?

[@Alaska_Engineer]

“Freestyle” is a “NO-style”! Sure, it gets better mileage than my Torino wagon… but I’ve got a rear facing seat, big & littles, and a 460.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

It’s all about perspective!

[@ryanelectra225]

I think it was just too bland, like the 500. The cvt didn’t help

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I would have to agree and it was more expensive than most crossovers

[@dtranger]

Americans don’t like station wagons or anything that resembles one. The Dodge Magnum died quickly too.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

Most don't true. The classic wagons are making a comeback for sure. Thank you for your comment and for watching!

[@dmandman9]

The freestyle was like the 500 it was based on. A solid (the non CVT versions) vehicle, but totally unremarkable, fully forgettable. Not ugly. But not good looking either. Performance was middling.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I can't disagree on any of your points.

[@ferdfirtz]

SUV Crossover both over priced Station Wagons!

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

I would agree and I would prefer the wagon only because it sits lower

[@charleslicha2770]

I bought one new in 2006. Worst car I ever. Worse than any used car I ever had. Overall Ford did almost $17,000 in warranty Work.

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

The comments are all over the place on the Freestyle. From your experience which is awful, to it's a tank from others. Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience. Horrifying as it is.

[@davebodi]

I'm a FORD guy & I never heard of this !

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

They were built promise. :)

[@davebodi]

@@TonysFordsandMustangs To replace my 1994 Taurus Wagon. I like being lower !

[@TonysFordsandMustangs]

@@davebodi agreed.