Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
SUVs Ford Freestyle Ford Freestyle - Taurus X
7456 messages, Last post on Nov 14, 2009 at 7:03 PM
You are in the Ford Freestyle Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
|
Replying to: coldcranker (Aug 11, 2008 7:05 pm)
|
|
|
|
|
We just picked up an 08' Taurus X SEL FWD, with leather, SYNC, SEL Interior Convenience and Power Packages, 50/50 3rd row, and Sirius for $26,400 inc freight - about $2k under invoice. For the feature content, practicality, safety, and yes - efficiency (given the vehicle size), I think it's a screaming bargain. We had to replace our ~8 year old MPV, and like many families, we need the space of a full size vehicle with three rows. As much as I like more efficient people movers like the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo, they are simply too small (good luck getting two or more hockey gear bags, cooler, and folding chairs behind the third row in either of those cars). Not to mention the third rows in those vehicles are clearly kid-sized only, which limits their usefulness IMO. As for the fuel mileage of the Taurus (and Flex for that matter), relative to the competition, it's right in line or better. Show me another full size, 7 ADULT seat vehicle that is more fuel efficient (and I'm not talking about insignificant 1mpg differences either). The fact is, there will always be a market for vehicles like this. There will always be people that need the space, and can afford the gas, even at $4/gal. Let's also not forget that people getting out of big body-on-frame truck-based SUVs like the Expedition or Suburban will see the mileage of the Taurus-X / Flex as a huge improvement. |
|
|
Replying to: bdyment (Aug 12, 2008 6:08 am) In contrast, my Taurus X is getting over 20 MPG in daily use. Commuting to work with 70% highway, I average 23-25 MPG for the whole week with the Taurus X, depending on how much city driving I do on errands. That mileage is just fine for such a useful vehicle, and way better than the alternatives for the same capability - a minivan or SUV. Still, it will be nice when Ford EcoBoost comes out, and mileage increases 20-25%, in my case up to 25-30 MPG overall average in daily use for the large vehice. Some people will then be upset if they'd bought a cramped and less useful compact car to get better mileage, providing for a insignificant extra savings at that point. |
|
|
Replying to: coldcranker (Aug 11, 2008 7:05 pm) You're forgetting that the Flex has been a slow release to dealers and is only now starting to trickle into some in smaller markets. Also, the ad campaign does not start until late this month or sometime in September. Sales were low for July but they weren't easy to find unless you wanted one of the first copies built which around here were 99% Limited models with just about every option. I'm not saying the Flex will be a runaway success. But you do have to take the lack of inventory into consideration when judging first month sales. I'd wait until the ads hit the airwaves before measuring full month sales because dealer inventories are sure to be up to par by that time. |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: volkov (Aug 11, 2008 10:23 pm)  The web videos for the Ford Flex are similar in some ways to the TV segments. They are at ...Click here and then click on "Watch Videos" on the website... I have an '05 Freestyle, and I laugh when I think of the low-key, barely there, mellow, boring ads Ford did for the Freestyle/TaurusX, while the Edge and Flex get star treatment.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: bdyment (Aug 12, 2008 6:08 am) About the "promise" of Eco-boost: I don't see how you can get 20% greater efficiency out of the Ecoboost concept. The current Mazda CX-7 uses an engine that is very, very similar to Ecoboost right now (smaller 4-cylinder, direct injection, turbo) and it gets terrible MPG!!! If the CX-7 engine was maybe at 1.9L instead of the present 2.3L, you might be able to get about 10% greater MPG, which is about the displacement that Ford will do for Ecoboost in a vehicle that size. But not 20%.
|
|
|
Replying to: coldcranker (Aug 13, 2008 9:27 am) There are some airing and I've even seen a billboard or two for the Flex. However, they have not released a full-on media blitz yet. Wait 2 or 3 weeks and you'll be sick of seeing them.
|
|
|
Replying to: coldcranker (Aug 13, 2008 9:41 am) True about the CX-7 FE. Same goes for the Acura RDX, similar engine, terrible FE. However there is one big difference in the EB engines. They have 2 turbos, not one, and they don't work in a traditional TT fashion from what I've gathered. This seems to be something brand new. Here's a video describing the technology. I still haven't seen a good description of how it will save so much fuel, but this is about as good as I've seen so far.
|
|
|
Replying to: baggs32 (Aug 13, 2008 6:11 pm) |
|
|
Replying to: baggs32 (Aug 13, 2008 6:20 pm) One has to wonder if those two aren't cases of too small an engine trying to push a heavy vehicle and then making it worse by using gearing to improve performance, not FE. The Mazda5 might be guilty of that too.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
SUVs Ford Freestyle Ford Freestyle - Taurus X
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2007 Ford Freestyle
2009 Ford Taurus X
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
