Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross: Price, specification, features, engine comparison

Ford has just unveiled its Freestyle crossover in India, which comes based on the Ford Figo hatchback. The prices of the car will be announced at a later stage and its global debut has taken place in India only. This is not the first time that a manufacturer has introduced a crossover keeping its already existing model as the base. The Indian car market has seen multiple players in the crossover hatchback segment like the Toyota Etios Cross, Hyundai i20 Active and more, which are still doing a decent job in the market. A crossover has all the benefits of a hatchback and the intent of the manufacturer is to offer a sportier appeal to the car which enhances its desirability quotient. The benefit of taking the already existing hatchback is that the prices of the crossover don’t get very much high as some simple touch ups do the trick. Having said that, here is a detailed comparison report between the newly unveiled Ford Freestyle and three of its most challenging rivals – Hyundai i20 Active, Honda WR-V, and Toyota Etios Cross.

Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross Design

The new Ford Freestyle looks significantly bolder than the Figo on which it is based. The crossover therapy has been applied neatly with a subtle growth in dimensions as well as character, thereby lending the car enough visual appeal to give a tough fight to the Honda WR-V, which looks to be the most premium crossover in this comparison. The Freestyle also reminds you of the Punto as it comes with a similar looking front fascia. The Hyundai i20 Active, on the other hand, does not get a very substantial crossover appeal as it gets some subtle changes compared to the standard model. The Honda WR-V outshines the two in this regard and as already mentioned, it is the best-looking crossover here as it does not get just a set of sticking plastic parts for the hatchback to crossover transition. The WR-V looks like a Jazz on steroids and it ticks some boxes as to what things to keep in mind while designing a crossover. Last, the Toyota Etios Cross has received the noisiest crossover treatment here, which is evident by the jarring plastic cladding and crash-guard up front. For this reason, the car feels a bit overdone and hence, fails to do justice to the crossover term and is the least premium-looking vehicle in its segment but does have a bit of rugged appeal too.

Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross Engine Specifications

The newest contender here, Ford Freestyle gets its power from two engine options. One, the 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine is good for churning out a maximum power output of 100 hp while the 1.2-litre Dragon series petrol mill does 94 horses. Both engines come mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The Hyundai i20 Active also draws its power from two mills. The 1.2-litre petrol engine develops 82 hp of power along with 115 Nm of torque while the 1.4-litre diesel engine cranks out 89 hp of power and 220 Nm of torque. The petrol mill comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox while the diesel mill gets a six-speed manual transmission. The Honda WR-V is no behind in this regard and the company is offering 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre diesel engine. While the former is good for 89 hp and 110 Nm, the diesel engine produces 99 hp and 200 Nm. The petrol engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission while the diesel mill gets a six-speed manual unit. Last, the Toyota Etios Cross is being offered with a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel engine out of which the former makes out 79 hp and 104 Nm while the latter produces 67 hp and 170 Nm. Both engines get a five-speed manual gearbox.

Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross Features

The new Ford Freestyle gets Figo Sport inspired interiors along with an infotainment system that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with the company’s SYNC3 connectivity option. The 6.5-inch floating touchscreen system has been lifted from the EcoSport facelift. The Hyundai i20 Active gets projector headlamps with Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) that look neat and sporty. The car gets an automatic climate control system along with a remote controlled boot. The Honda WR-V here, also gets an automatic climate control system, a reverse camera along with the essential safety features like speed sensing lock, child safety lock, and engine immobiliser. Last, the Toyota Etios Cross has been integrated with a reverse camera along with a touchscreen infotainment system and steering wheel mounted controls.

Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross Dimensions

The dimensions of the Ford Freestyle have not been revealed and the company says that the exact figures will be announced at the time of launch. One thing which is sure is that the new Freestyle will have slightly larger numbers than the Figo Sport, all thanks to the plastic claddings and a new bumper. Even after the increase in numbers, the length of the new Ford Freestyle will stay under 4-meter. Also, the ground clearance is expected to go up by 20mm to 30mm when compared to the Figo.  For reference, the Figo measures 3886mm x 1695mm x 1525mm (LxWxH) and has respective wheelbase and ground clearance of 2491mm and 174mm. The Hyundai i20 Active has overall body dimensions of 3995mm x 1760mm x 1555mm (LxWxH). The wheelbase and ground clearance of the car stand at 2570mm and 190m respectively. The Honda WR-V, in comparison has dimensions of 3999mm x 1734mm x 1601mm (LxWXH). The car has lesser wheelbase and ground clearance than the Freestyle at 2555mm and 188mm respectively. The Toyota Etios Cross measures 3895mm x 1735mm x 1555mm (LxWxH) and has respective wheelbase and ground clearance of 2460mm and 174mm.

Ford Freestyle vs Hyundai i20 Active vs Honda WR-V vs Toyota Etios Cross Price

The prices for the new Ford Freestyle are yet to be announced and the figures will be revealed sometime in April. The Hyundai i20 Active starts at a price of Rs 6.7 lakh while the Honda WR-V can be yours for a price of Rs 7.77 lakh. The Toyota Etios Cross is the most affordable car out of the three here as its prices start at Rs 6.4 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi).