Blue Booded Hot Hatch

Before I share my experience about my Ford Freestyle, I'd like to take this opportunity to clear some air of speculation around operations of Ford India. Yes, the much anticipated JV between M&M and Ford India will not take place. However, according to leading and credible automobile publications, Ford is going to maintain its status quo in India. Back to the review. After a lengthy and dependable ownership of my 2008 Swift VXi (with ABS - an optional extra back in the noughties), it was time to say goodbye. I love hatchbacks. So, I had set my mind on owning a hatchback which was more powerful, roomier, and extra fun to drive. After setting a budget and comparing a few proper hatchbacks on Carwale's app, I had narrowed down my choices to the Polo and Freestyle. I had driven my friend's Polo 'Highline' previously and was thoroughly impressed by it's build quality and driving dynamics, but the Freestyle Titanium Plus was clearly more bang for the buck. I chose the 'white gold' colour and had to wait for 3 months for it. But it was well worth the wait. The gear shift indicator suggests the driver to upshift at lower revs, but the engine begs to be pushed harder to extract maximum power in the available rev range. The steering wheel and chunkier tyres made me feel confident on the highway and made maneuvering through traffic effortless. People often criticize that the Freestyle lacks modern day features such as led and projector headlamps. But moving on up from a 12 year old Swift to the 'Titanium Plus' variant that comes equipped with 6 airbags, traction control, hill assist, and all the usual bells and whistles is just fine by me. I'd dare say that it makes sedans in the market today blush in embarrassment with such segment leading features. It isn't exactly a'fuel guzzler' but it doesn't feel shy about visiting the petrol pump one too many times. I've reserved a star from the ratings because it's still early days living with my car and I look forward to creating some happy memories in the immediate future. Cheers!