With acres of greenhouse, there’s outstanding visibility from all seven seats. And I was serious about carting around five 200lb teenagers. Unlike most so-called seven passenger vehicles out there, the Freestyle’s third row seats are actually accessible to full size people (and their feet).
Both the split 2nd and 3rd row seats fold easily into the floor to make a flat load area. The space created back there is truly humungous. However, no power-operated liftgate is offered in ’05.
The Freestyle puts a priority on occupant safety with an optional package (developed by Ford-owned Volvo Cars) that includes side impact (SIPS) and side curtain airbags for all three rows of passengers.
One thing that’s not so safe, however, is the glare thrown up by the light color dash. I found it dangerously impeded forward visibility in the bright sunlight.
