The SUV segment has seen considerable growth in India and this is the reason the cross hatches have been doing rather well in our market. Every automobile manufacturer in India has a cross variant based on the premium hatchback from their respective stables. Joining this club now is Ford with their latest offering, the Freestyle. Another hatchback that went to the gym you say? Not quite. There’s more to it than what meets the eye. This is more than just a Figo on steroids as we found out.
Ford Freestyle Exterior
Ford unveiled the Freestyle earlier in February this year. It is based on the second gen Figo hatchback that is currently on sale in the Indian market. Ford has however chosen to give the Freestyle its own identity and there is no mention of the Figo name anywhere nor is there any badging on the car. So how the Freestyle stand out from the standard Figo in terms of looks? For starters, there’s a new front bumper with a faux skid plate and C shaped fog lamp housings. There are smoked headlamps along with an all black honey comb design mesh grille which looks really cool. The Ford badge moves from the bonnet to the grille in the Freestyle. The air dam in the front bumper features horizontal slats. Move on to the side, and you notice the black cladding on the wheel arches and along the lower part of the body, which gives the Freestyle its rugged stance. It comes shod with 15 inch twin four spoke alloys in a gun metal finish, that go well with the character this cross hatch. The roof rails are more than just a show piece and can carry a load of 50 kg. Ground clearance has been raised by 16 mm from the standard Figo to a substantial 190 mm. The rear features a reworked bumper that also gets a faux skid plate. The tail lights also have a slightly different profile. The ORVMs are finished in glossy black. It is interesting to note that there is no chrome anywhere on the car. The black elements offer a fantastic contrast to the exterior paint shades, unless you choose black. We particularly loved this White Gold shade on our test car. Overall Ford has done a brilliant job with the Freestyle and it definitely is a looker.
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