2005 Ford Freestyle Interior, Cargo & Accessories

Inner Space: There's more to seats than a place to sit
Seating configuration is what these cars are all about. And while the Pacifica and Freestyle both seat six, there are subtle differences, especially in the size and shape of the third-row seats and the storage areas behind them. The Pacifica's way back seat is a lot wider, giving 58.0 inches of shoulder room as opposed to the Freestyle's 50.8. But the Ford's humpback roofline gives it the nod in terms of headroom, at 38.6 inches versus 35.4. The Freestyle also gives an important 3.4 inches more legroom. All in, the Ford's third row is a happier place than the Chrysler's, if a bit more shoulder-to-shoulder.

How the seats flip and fold differs as well. The Pacifica's third row falls flat by just pulling a lever and pushing the seatback forward. That means reerecting it is easy from the passenger doors--but it's a long stretch to do so if you're standing in back. Ford asks you to push a lever and pull a string, and the seat's flip-and-fold action puts it at the aft end of the cargo area, making it easy to flip back up from there when desired.

When the seats are up, the Pacifica has a shallow, but covered, package tray for storing small items out of sight. The Freestyle has a large and deep cargo well behind its third row, but it's not covered or enclosed.