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SUVs Ford Freestyle Ford Freestyle - Taurus X
7447 messages, Last post on Mar 07, 2009 at 2:44 PM
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Replying to: raezmom3 (Mar 01, 2008 8:47 pm) Also, the sales numbers are miserable, only around 3000 per month, which is hard to understand for a car with everything going for it. It could just be the "wagon" look doesn't sell to many. It also doesn't help, and a sign, that Ford is not putting any advertising into the Taurus X, neglecting it like an unloved child. There is rumor that the Taurus X will be replaced by the already announced redesigned unibody Explorer coming in a year or two, which indeed looks much like the Taurus X. And the new Flex coming this summer is nearly identical in features and size on the same platform. I suspect Ford's not making any final decision on the Taurus X until they see how the radical new Flex design pans out, or the new Explorer is available in late 2009. Some people like me are turned off by the Flex's boxy looks. That's indeed why I just bought me a Taurus X Limited a few weeks ago. (BTW, it's a great car!) It could be Ford wants to leave their options open for now, or until they have a clear replacement. This is all speculation by many. But it's clear the Taurus X isn't selling, not being supported by Ford, and being squeezed out of the fleet by the similar Flex and new Explorer coming over the next months and years.
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Replying to: larryqw (Mar 02, 2008 2:25 am) I have a question for you larryqw. Did you get the 6 pass or the 7 pass? I wanted to order the limited 7 pass with ultimate pkg but Ford no longer will make those. They will only make the 6 pass with ultimate pkg. Do you know why? Is it a safety issue?
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Replying to: raezmom3 (Mar 02, 2008 4:48 am) Oddly, my two youngest girls (6 and 13) love the third row most of all, even though my 13 yo is 5'10" tall. I think it's because of the command seating that puts them up high with a great view. And it's fun like being in the back of the bus.. Accessing the third row is extremely easy with the nicely folding second row seats that make a very wide access to the third row. I can easily kneel in and help the 6yo to buckle her belt with out any strain. If I had a fixed baby seat in the six passenger version, I'd put it in the second row passenger side so I could see the little critter and hand off stuff while driving. And with the command seating, even that row is higher up for visibility outside. It's still very easy to get in and out of the third row by folding the second row on the driver's side. But if there's traffic, the kids still can go out the passenger side without folding the second row baby seat by just climbing over the second row console and going around. (Kids are like monkeys and the car is big - no problem for them, especially the smaller ones in back.) Actually, after using it, I think the six passenger configuration is very flexible and allows much easier access to everything. Also, even though I got the FWD, the unused AWD tunnel goes down the center of the vehicle, so the second row console fits nicely and gives cup holders and a nice storage area, especially for DVDs, remote control, and headphones in my car with the FES. (Incidentally, the FES is way more than just a DVD player, its another CD player and a multimedia system for audio as well. You and the kids can be listening to three different things at once.) The drive tunnel is unfortunate in the FWD, as you still give up space. Also you pay for it in ground clearance. When crawling under the Taurus X to install a 2" hitch for my bikes, I measured the ground clearance. It's 8 or 9 inches most everywhere, except the exhaust system that drops to just around 7 inches, with a lowest point just under the engine (Ford lists it as only 5.1", possible with full load and bouncing maybe.) It annoys me the exhaust is just below an big open hole available for the rear drive train I don't have, yet reducing the clearance. I don't work for Ford and have no clue why they discontinued the 7 passenger model (or that they did) for the Limited. It could be lack of demand. Unless you really need to sit 7 people, the 6 passenger version is very flexible, has more storage, and a much nicer feel. If you haven't driven the Taurus X, one surprise for me was the large size. I looked at the pictures and kept imagining something a little bigger than my Sable wagon . Even test driving it at the dealer with the big trucks on the lot didn't prepare me for how big it really was. When I got home and parked it next to my Sable wagon and wife's Freestar minivan, it dwarfs my Sable wagon and makes it's tires look like a toy wagon's. Overall, the Taurus X is the height and length of my wife's minivan, which is surprising from the pictures. It's got quite a bit of room. |
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Replying to: raezmom3 (Mar 02, 2008 4:48 am) I know you didn't ask me, but I'll answer your question anyway. You can get a TX Limited with 7 row seating however. You just can't get it with the ultimate package. As far as I know, Ford NEVER made a 7 passenger version of the Limited TX with the ultimate package. As you probably know, one of the features included in the ultimate package is heated second row captain's chairs with one-touch folding. So obviously if you couldn't get this feature if you had a second row bench seat, since the bench seat would negate the second row captain's chairs. What this also means is that you can't also get the power lift gate in the Limited trim if you want 7 passenger seating. That is because the power lift gate only comes with the ultimate package on the Limited trim. The thing that doesn't make sense, though, is that the power lift gate is a standalone option on the SEL and Eddie Bauer trims. So you can get the power lift gate and 7 passenger seating on the lower trims but just not on the Limited trim.
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Replying to: humblecoder (Mar 02, 2008 3:23 pm)
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Replying to: cmuniz (Mar 02, 2008 3:36 pm) Nevertheless, my smaller kids and wife seem to struggle a little with the seats. It might just be it's new and they need a little more training. Like my wife couldn't figure out she needed to lift the lever a second time to unlatch the seat, and doesn't want to listen to me, the way wives tend to be. As for strength, even my 6 year old can lift the second row seat if she uses two hands. However, the monkey she is, she usually folds down the back and then jumps out over the folded back, which is faster for her. I can open and close everything fine with one hand relatively quickly. On the lift gate, opening is very easy for everyone. On closing, it's just the lower part of the swing that's awkward, where I need either to give the gate some extra swift downward momentum, or reposition my hand outside the lift gate for a final push. I need another week perhaps to be sure and get everyone trained right. But I still think I don't need any of the power lifts and seats. They'd just get in the way.
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Replying to: humblecoder (Mar 02, 2008 3:23 pm) |
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Replying to: richfig23 (Mar 03, 2008 8:53 am)  18k on our black limited fwd bought new. We're still on the original conti's, religious oil changes/scheduled service have been the only real reason to take it in. A couple of fit/finish items when delivered were dealt with as well. I'd argue buying a used '05 makes for a good deal as well.
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Replying to: freealfas (Mar 03, 2008 9:43 am) |
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Replying to: richfig23 (Mar 03, 2008 8:53 am)
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