Comparing the Freestyle with its demi-namesake, the Freestar minivan, the compromises become apparent. In overall length the Freestar is barely two inches longer, but it's nearly four inches taller and its wheelbase stretches almost another eight inches (accommodating those convenient sliding side doors). These added inches endow the Freestar with a maximum 130.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity, versus the Freestyle's 86.5 cubic feet. All of which says it's not a minivan.
Against the Escape, however, the Freestyle measures up quite well. It's almost two feet longer, with a 10-inch longer wheelbase. And the Escape is barely an inch and a half taller. Inside, the Freestyle offers fully 20 cubic feet of additional cargo space. And though less than an inch shorter in wheelbase than the Explorer, the Freestyle is more than an inch longer overall. The Explorer is, like the Freestar, taller, by some four inches, which helps explain why the Freestyle's seating position is 5.5 inches lower than the Explorer's.
With the Freestyle, then, the stylists' compromises seem to have worked. While it's none of the above, it's some of the above, and some of the best of the above, at that. Next Page