Any more options?

[JaCkaL829]

Well as some of you members might already know I`ve been looking for a new car. Now I might not be the only one. My mom`s van(the one i`m pimping) has been having a couple of problems, so she thinks it might be a good idea to just dump it and get something new, instead of putting $ into a 9 year old van. I do agree with her because i`m not that fond of the van, its not exactly the nicest one. Anyway she was pushing for another minivan, preferably the Kia sedona :o . I was trying to convince her to go for the Sorrento, but she really doesn`t want an SUV and really wants the extra seats. Anyway this morning we go to a Ford/Kia dealer just to *LOOK* at the Kia vans. So we look at them and there really pretty bland looking inside and out. My father really didn`t like the interior at all, and it wasn`t much of a difference of our old van. So luckily my father starts looking at the Ford Freestyles which were next to the vans. I originally though it was a redesigned Escape so automatically though it didn`t fit our needs. Anyway the Freestyle is like a hybrid of a mini-van and SUV. Fits 7 people, not a gas guzzler,relatively small and the option of AWD. It seems pretty versitile all the seats fold down and up, so we would have the room. I really never heard or seen this car, but it really seems to fit my mother`s criteria good. Anyone have any thoughs or other suggestions? We just started looking around, but are there any other car manufactuers making these kinds of hybrids? I know there are SUVs with optional 3rd row seating, but we don`t want something that big.

Thanks!

[Accumulator]

I`m certainly no expert on that sort of vehicle, but I *think* the Toyota Highlander is the same sort of thing. More expensive than the Freestyle though.



FWIW, I read a comparison test between the Freestyle and a Honda minivan, made the Freestyle sound pretty good. IIRC it`s really just a jacked-up wagon version of the Ford 500 sedan.



IMO your mom will find that a minivan, or one of these "crossover" vehicles, or a "regular" SUV will suit her needs best. Just need to figure out which one is really gonna be right for her. Stuff like the doors (minivans slide, crossovers swing open like normal car doors), step-up height, visibility, things like that can make all the difference.

[boywonder]

If your parents drive the Freestyle, they will like it. The only thing that I don`t like about them is that they are underpowered (Rumor has it that a 3.5L V6 is coming out later this year). The 200 hp Ford Duratec V6 moves quickly but not as quick as some of the competition (even the Volvo it`s based on). Outside of that, the Freestyle is VERY roomy for a crossover SUV. I found a comfortable seating positon with no problem (even with a sunroof). Another thing I love about them is that they handle pretty nicely. This vehicle does not have the typical top-heavy feel that many SUVs normally have and that`s a very good thing when you are making an emergency maneuver.



Another sweet thing is the cargo space. Bluntly, this vehicle has almost as much cargo space (with seats folded) as the Explorer. Even the front passenger seat folds flat to give an impressive amount of cargo capacity.



The ergonomics of this vehicle are pretty decent. Controls fall to hand pretty easily.

[JaCkaL829]

I would like for my mother to get a Highlander but they are way out of our price range. I was discussing this with a couple friends last night, who are into new autos and they all told me there were a lot of choices, but when it came down to naming 7 seat cars, they had a hard time. The more and more I read about the Freestyle, the more I am impressed. I think it would be better for her to have something that isn`t quite as big as a mini-van or SUV, because a majority of the time its only her and my sister driving to school everyday.

prinz: I guess driving slow runs in the family because we all do it ;) I think the 200 hp would be fine for my mother; we are coming from 4 cylinder cars.

[boywonder]

If she does decide on the Freestyle, here are a few caveats:



- If she doesn`t want to go over 30 large, don`t get the Limited. She would be better off with the SE or SE-L (The model I test drove was a SE-L). If she wants a fully optioned Limited AWD, it will set her back around $33-35 grand.



- The monochromatic treatment is reserved for the Limited as is black interior. The interior color choices for the SE and SEL are limited to gray (Shale) and tan (Pebble). The exterior treatment is a body color with an accent color for the lower parts and the fender flares.



As I stated before, this vehicle is based on the Volvo XC 90 which means the reputation for safety is engineered in this crossover.



Option List & Prices (as taken from Ford`s website)



Safety Package $695.00



- Side Impact Air Bags

- Anti-Theft Perimeter Alarm

- 3 Row Safety Canopyâ„¢ with Rollover Sensor







Options/Upgrades



Auxiliary Climate Control $650.00



DVD Family Entertainment Center w/2 Wireless Headphones $995.00



HomeLink® (Universal Garage Door Opener) $115.00



Power Moonroof $895.00



Power Adjustable Memory Pedals $175.00



Reverse Sensing System $250.00



2nd Row 60/40 Bench Seat (7-Passenger Seating)





She could get a FWD Freestyle and save at least 2000 bucks.





BTW, how`s your Maxima hunt going?

[JaCkaL829]

Thanks for the helpful information prinz! It would have taken all day for the dealership to tell us that.



The Maxima hunt is going bad. :mad:

I didn`t think i`d be having such a hard time finding one but there are lots of high mileages ones in the 12-13k range which is way to overpriced. I even opened up my search to GXEs and SEs as long as they have spoiler, leather and sunroof. Looking at more and more pictures I think i`d rather have a Gray Lustre, but I can`t find a decent one. Oh well I`ve already waited a year, I guess I can wait a little longer. :rolleyes: