New Car Overview of the 2005 Ford Freestyle Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle

Description: Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $24,945 - $30,245
Invoice Price Range: $22,870 - $27,640
Where built: USA

Ford's new five-door crossover wagon goes by the tag of Freestyle. It blends the rugged look of a SUV with the versatile cabin structure of a minivan and the sure-footed handling of a sporty sedan with optional AWD grip. Structural components and primary mechanical hardware come off a platform designed by Volvo of Sweden.

The innovative cabin design brings a score of different configurations for seats and cargo space. There's room for six or seven adults on three tiers of seats with buckets up front and a back bench folding flat into the floor. Seats on the second row work as either a bench with seatback split or reclining captain's chairs with optional floor tracks to vary the legroom.

Trims run up from the base SE and a deluxe SEL to luxurious Limited with perforated leather upholstery and wood grain lining the dash center stack. For power Freestyle stokes

Ford's dual-cam 3.0-liter V6 producing 203-hp with a CVT from ZF-Batavia. The AWD device operates in FWD mode unless on-board wheel sensors detect slippage and the smart device diverts some of the engine's power to turn the rear wheels.