India will be amongst the first across the globe, where the all-new Freestyle will go on sale in the second quarter of 2018. “The global unveil of the Ford Freestyle strengthens Ford’s continued commitment to India to bring products that consumers want and value,” said Anurag Mehrotra, president & managing director, Ford India.
“With the cool, capable and connected Ford Freestyle, we are adding yet another great product to our diverse portfolio that will help us expand our family of happy Ford owners in India.” The all-new Freestyle will position Ford to address growing consumers’ demand for SUV-like vehicles. Such vehicles are being preferred owing to their commanding seating position and better ground clearance to tackle congested urban environment.
In 2017 alone, compact SUV sales in India grew 37 per cent compared to 9 per cent in total vehicle sales. And Ford has pioneered in this segment with the EcoSport, by consistently outpacing overall automotive sales in India, growing more than three-fold between 2013 and 2016.
“Just like we did with the EcoSport, we see a lot of potential in offering this compact utility vehicle to meet the SUV owning aspirations of first-time buyers or young achievers, who are looking to upgrade their small cars,” Mehrotra added. “Freestyle is more than just an expression. This powerful word immediately encourages you to push the boundaries and do more, just like the product,” said Rahul Gautam, vice-president for Marketing at Ford India.
The Ford Freestyle uses design elements common to more expensive mini SUVs. And it all begins with a unique grille with a dynamic, three-dimensional mesh. The front bumper of the vehicle has an integrated skid plate and sculpted fascia sections that create a protective full-width beam element, accentuating Freestyle’s SUV looks and credentials. The Freestyle will come paired with Ford’s all-new, three-cylinder 1.2L TiVCT petrol engine that is small, light, strong and delivers outstanding fuel efficiency.
The naturally aspirated engine will generate best-in-class 96 PS of peak power and 120 Nm of torque to deliver Ford’s fun-to-drive DNA. Consumers will continue to have a choice to opt for Ford’s trusted 1.5L TDCi diesel engine that generates class-leading 100 PS peak power and 215 Nm of torque. Freestyle will deliver sportier performance in all driving conditions and will feature a uniquely tuned suspension with increased track-width, high ground clearance, TCS, ABS with EBD and uniquely tuned EPAS among others.
The Freestyle will continue Ford’s leadership on safety, offering up to six airbags. “Freestyle represents our vision of a compact utility vehicle that delivers more on every count and is all set to surpass expectations of consumers, who want and expect more,” said Vinay Raina, executive director of Marketing, Sales and Service at Ford India. “With Freestyle, we are sure to delight consumers with a combination of compelling and capable features.”
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