At a starting price of Rs 5.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Ford Freestyle was a competitively priced vehicle when it was launched. Given the fact that it undercut its hatchback cousin, the Figo, on the price chart by a whopping Rs 42,000, it might as well have been an understatement if we called it 'aggressively' priced.
But Ford has now silently increased the prices of some variants of the Freestyle, without any change in the equipment list. We don’t know the exact reason why the prices have been increased. But given how aggressively the Freestyle was priced, it might have made it difficult for Ford to price its upcoming cars like the Aspire facelift and Figo facelift attractively without hurting its own pockets.
Here is a price comparison of the new and old prices of the Freestyle
| Launch Prices | New Prices | Difference | |
| Rs 5.09 lakh | Rs 5.23 lakh | +Rs 14,000 | |
| Rs 5.99 lakh | Rs 6.09 lakh | +Rs 10,000 | |
| Rs 6.39 lakh | Rs 6.58 lakh | +Rs 19,000 | |
| Rs 6.94 lakh | Rs 7.03 lakh | +Rs 9,000 | |
| Rs 6.09 lakh | Rs 6.19 lakh | +10,000 | |
| Rs 6.99 lakh | Rs 6.99 lakh | Nil | |
| Rs 7.35 lakh | Rs 7.48 lakh | +13,000 | |
| Rs 7.89 lakh | Rs 7.89 lakh | Nil |
Takeaway: Prices of all petrol variants of the Freestyle have gone up in the range of Rs 9,000 to Rs 19,000. On the other hand, in the diesel, only the Ambiente and the Titanium variants have seen a price hike.
Even with the increased prices and no change in equipment, the Freestyle continues to be a value-for-money offering under Rs 10 lakh in our books, especially when you consider the fact that some of the features that the top-spec Freestyle packs are not on offer on many bigger and pricier cars.
Apart from standard safety features such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors, the top-spec Freestyle comes equipped with side and curtain airbags, ESP, traction control and hill launch assist. Other features on offer include rear parking camera, 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, auto climate control, rain sensing wipers, auto headlamps and push-button start. It continues to be the most affordable car with these safety features on board.
Also Read: Waiting Period On Ford Cars: Will You Get Delivery By Navratri?
Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.
