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SUVs Ford Freestyle How Should Ford Promote the Freestyle?
22 messages, Last post on Sep 01, 2007 at 8:25 AM
You are in the Ford Freestyle Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Are you tired of driving a stealth vehicle? Or maybe you like being a member of the exclusive unknown club. What do you think Ford should do to get the word out on the Freestyle?
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Replying to: steve_ (Jul 29, 2006 10:29 pm)  Seriously though, we are over 25,000 miles on our '05 AWD SEL and love it. It is the perfect family vehicle for people who hate minivans. While I'm posting... I've seen a number of articles lately talking about the crossover fad. The upshot is basically people are dumping SUVs because of high fuel prices and moving to the crossovers. Oddly the Freestyle is rarely mentioned in these articles. They usually mention vehicles like the Toyota Highlander and Nissan Murano. Why doesn't anyone give Ford credit for this vehicle? Chad
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Replying to: saabturboid (Jul 20, 2006 6:25 am) |
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Replying to: passat_2002 (Jul 20, 2006 6:48 am) |
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Replying to: passat_2002 (Jul 20, 2006 6:48 am) Speaking of commercials, I saw an infomercial on the SPEED network about the "two-stage" hybrid Lexus performance sedan. They were on some race course and flogging it with two and four people inside. Accelerate, brake, pass. They made a point of saying it felt like a race car and that the CVT transmission was great! (OK, the CVT in hybrids is not identical to that in the Freestyle). Then, last night, I saw a Nissan Maxima commercial. It did not claim to be a hybrid, but it did say, "Maxima with CVT" like it was the new, got to have option. The driver was making RPM-shifting noises because the car was smooth and shiftless with the CVT. Maybe the CVT will get some respect after all. 
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Replying to: northlakes (Jul 20, 2006 12:37 pm) "Then, last night, I saw a Nissan Maxima commercial. It did not claim to be a hybrid, but it did say, "Maxima with CVT" like it was the new, got to have option. The driver was making RPM-shifting noises because the car was smooth and shiftless with the CVT." Yes, I've seen this ad too. I believe the Murano (which must be the Japanese word for butt-ugly ) has always had a CVT trany. With the planned shutdown of the Batavia plant.. I'm not sure of the future of the CVT at Ford.
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Replying to: passat_2002 (Jul 20, 2006 2:41 pm) It's smooth alright, but the acceleration suffers. It's not fast at all. I also wonder if Ford's implementation is to blame for "TURBO-LAG" or maybe it's some other component that slows things down. |
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Replying to: northlakes (Jul 20, 2006 12:37 pm)  Odie Odie's Carspace |
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How about promoting it for what it is? A 5 star safety rating, gigantic interior, storage galore, comfortable seating for 6 adults (okay the back is not first class, but unlike comparable CUV's an adult can actually fit comfortably back there), unbelievably easy to fold seats, more cargo room than most SUV's, and the fact that you get everything an SUV can offer you except the towing (which, frankly, most people don't need). Oh, and fantastic fuel mileage for such a beast (ours gets better mileage than our neighbor's Japanese midsize sedan, and she still *thinks* we're wasing fuel  ) Why don't they make a commercial with people living their lives. Show a family of 4 going to a warehouse store like Costco, and loading up with groceries and goodies and everyone still having a place to sit? Show a mom picking up a hoard of carpool kids from school, then show the dad on the weekend loading up the entire car with supplies from a Home Depot type store, and not looking embarassed that he's in a mommywagon. Show a family who has Grandma living with them, and how she doesn't have to climb a ladder to get into the family car -these seats are at hip height, perfect for someone who isn't terribly mobile. Highlight all the features that make the Freestyle so liveable, like the cubby in the dashboard, powerpoints everywhere, legroom for giants, comforts for every passenger. This is a vehicle for real people, I think it's time for some reality commercials rather than fantasy. We ended up looking at the Freestyle because I am not strong enough to pull myself up out of the seat of a sedan, and my mother isn't strong enough to hoist herself into an SUV. It's a winner because groceries and shopping bags sit at a height that isn't so low you break your back lifting them out. And as spacious as it is inside, it's far easier to drive and park around town than an SUV. We bought it on research alone, there were no ads pointing out all the features of this vehicle. Some terrific ads would've had us buying the care months earlier. |
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I think the word is slowly getting out, this was from click and clacks program and they recommend the FS. They have lots of people who listen to them. Dear Tom and Ray: I am beginning to look for a new car, a minivan. I like having four-wheel drive, since I often travel in lousy weather or have to drive through muddy fields. Should I get a van with all-wheel drive? Also, do you have a recommendation for a minivan? I'm leaning toward a Toyota Sienna right now. -- Jody TOM: One option may be a front-wheel-drive minivan. In moderately bad weather, minivans do quite well. They're heavy and have the engine right over the front wheels, and they have enough ground clearance to get you through a modest amount of snow with no problem. So if bad weather is just an occasional problem for you, front-wheel drive may be enough. Especially if you invest in four good snow tires. RAY: But if you have to drive frequently in unplowed snow or, as you say, onto muddy fields, then you really do need all-wheel drive. And in that case, a good backup option might be something like a Ford Freestyle.
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