This is the new Ford Freestyle, a “compact utility
vehicle (CUV)” that will be sold in Indian and South American markets later
this year. It is essentially a crossover version of the Figo hatchback that
recycles a name previously used for the discontinued Taurus X.
There’s plenty of design revisions
to mark the Freestyle from a Figo. For starters, there’s a diamond-patterned
mesh for the front grille rather than horizontal slats seen on the Figo. The
bumpers have also been swapped out for new ones, which together with the faux
silver skid plates, black plastic body cladding and roof rails, provide a
rugged look for the Freestyle.
Inside, the Freestyle is largely similar to the
Figo, except there’s a new centre stack for a 6.5-inch touchscreen. The display
is linked to the car’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, which comes with media
playback, navigation as well as compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto.
Under the bonnet, the Freestyle is powered by a new
1.2 litre naturally-aspirated three-cylinder Ti-CVT petrol engine from its
Dragon range. The mill produces 96 PS and 120 Nm of torque, with drive being
sent through a five-speed manual transmission. The Figo’s 1.5 litre TDCi unit will also be offered
with 100 PS and 215 Nm.
An official launch with pricing will only take place
in the second quarter of 2018, with the Freestyle being positioned below the
B-segment EcoSport. The model, which is produced in India, will also be
exported to Europe, Africa and Middle Eastern markets.
