The Perfect Family Car

My husband and I went to our local dealership with the intent to purchase an F150 SuperCrew for my husband. They didn't have the one he wanted in stock, so we started to look at the Explorers.

I had an Explorer several years ago until we traded it in for an Windstar when we started our family. The novelty of driving a minivan wore off and I wanted to return to the SUV. When we started to look at the Explorers, it didn't seem to feel right for our family needs. The sales person redirected our attention to the Freestyle.

At that point, I had never even heard of the Frestyle before and was quite confused with which class of vehicle it falls under. After examining every inch of the interior, playing around with each gadget, and getting in and out of every possible seat; it seemed to be a better fit for our family. I couldn't believe how practical this vehicle was. Within 3 hours of being introduced to the Freestyle for the very first time, I became a proud owner of one.

Some of the things that convinced me to purchase the Freestyle on the spot:

Gas Efficiency - I commute 100+ freeway miles a day and the 27 mpg average definitely caught my attention (especially next to the 21- mpg of the Explorer).

Cargo Space - As an active family, we are often lugging around boogie boards, tents, beach chairs, coolers, and sporting equipment. Being able to convert the third row into cargo space is wonderful. Collapsing the third row is extremely easy that my 8 year old can do it all by herself (with supervision, of course). When the third row is in place (for accompanying friends and family), there is still enough room for cargo (much more than the Explorer offers).

Safe and Convenient Gadgets - Having the media controls on the steering wheel is advantageous to have in a world full of distractions. Being able to tune the radio, change CDs, and adjust the volume without taking my eyes off the road is one more thing I can do to ensure that I'm driving as safely as possible.

Plentiful Compartments - With a feisty 2 year old and an 8 year old who loves her space, we decided to buy the Freestyle model with the 2nd row console. Although this seating configuration now only seats 6 passengers overall, it gives our family the storage and space that allows everyone to be comfortable. With cup holders in each door, another 2 in both front and 2nd row console, and yet another 2 in the 3rd row, it gives every passenger easy access to their beverages (allowing me to keep my hands on the wheel). There are compartments throughout the vehicle where you can easily store snacks, games, books, and other little knick-knacks. Also, the 2nd glove compartment in the dash is a great place to keep all the important vehicle-related documents separate from all the others.

Style - I've owned a minivan. It's not quite a minivan. I've owned an SUV. It's not quite an SUV either. I've owned a sedan. It's definitely not a sedan. If anything, it's a revolutionized station wagon without the station wagon look and feel. I've read somewhere that the Freestyle took some of the better features of each and rolled it into one. I couldn't agree more. I feel great driving my Freestyle.

Smooth Ride? - Honestly, there is nothing spectacular about the ride. It does what it's supposed to do - get you from point A to point B. Ford tries to sell this vehicle as a crossover that offers similar handling and performance as a sedan. It doesn't. It's much better than the minivan (which always felt like I was towing a school bus), but performs more like an SUV (but better). Ford also knows that the consumers they are targeting are probably not too concerned with power and performance. They're right. This vehicle meets and exceeds my needs as a practical mode of transportation. Something's gotta give, but everything else you get is worth it.