Overview & Reviews

With its Freestar, Ford learned the hard way that in the world of automobiles, there are few segments more cutthroat than the minivan category. Moms have ruthlessly high standards when it comes to their family transportation, and only those haulers with the most compelling mix of refinement, convenience features and luxury amenities survive. The Ford Freestar's sales had been disappointing from the outset, and as a result, 2007 was its last year of production. Crossovers, Ford believes, are the future of family transportation.

Ford's minivan wasn't completely without merit. Safety is an important factor in minivans, and in this area, the Freestar didn't come up short. It earned a perfect five stars in NHTSA frontal crash tests, and mothers and their pint-sized soccer stars were protected with features like standard stability control and optional side curtain airbags. Unfortunately, its success in this area paled in the face of its litany of shortcomings, which included sluggish acceleration, dismal fuel economy, ungainly handling and an unimpressive cabin.

For these reasons, savvy used minivan shoppers will find the Ford Freestar a relatively unsatisfactory proposition. If you're looking for a minivan, you'll no doubt find your needs better served by one of its competitors.

Most Recent Ford Freestar

The Ford Freestar was a seven-passenger minivan. Three trim levels were offered: SE, SEL and Limited. The Freestar could also be had in a cargo van body style, making it ideal for contractors needing a light-duty hauler.

The base SE trim was reasonably well equipped, with air-conditioning, full power accessories, a CD player and keyless entry all standard. The SEL added tri-zone air-conditioning, a power driver seat and second-row captain's chairs. The top-of-the-line Limited included upgrades such as chrome wheels, leather upholstery and automatic climate control.

Two engines were offered. A 3.9-liter V6 for the SE provided 193 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. The SEL and Limited trims got a 4.2-liter V6 that generated 201 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque. Neither engine was especially frugal, turning in real-world fuel economy numbers that were among the poorest in the segment.

At first blush, the Freestar's cabin seemed like a winner. But a closer look revealed shortcomings. Materials looked nice but to the touch became apparent as subpar for the segment. The legroom in the second row was cramped. The lack of versatility didn't help either. Those second-row seats were heavy and tough to remove. And though the third-row seat folded flat, it didn't offer a 60/40 split like virtually all others in its class. At 135.7 cubes, cargo capacity fell short relative to others in the segment.

In editorial reviews, the Ford Freestar earned praise for having reasonable around-town power and a forgiving ride. The engines didn't fare as well when pushed, though, as they ran out of breath when quick passing was attempted. Performance was exacerbated by the van's aged four-speed automatic transmission -- most competitors used more advanced five-speed units. Also, the engines had a rougher, noisier power delivery than nearly any other V6 in the minivan segment. In consumer ratings, the Freestar was panned for its poor ride quality and dismal fuel economy.

Past Ford Freestar models

Ford introduced the Freestar back in model-year 2004 to replace the aged Windstar, which was sold from 1995-2003. Although Ford touted it as an all-new vehicle, the Freestar minivan was little more than a rebadged Windstar with minor upgrades, including a freshened interior equipped with a fold-flat third-row seat. A pair of more powerful V6 engines replaced the Windstar's 3.8-liter V6. Unfortunately, Ford's minivan put on weight during the transition, so even with the larger of the V6s, it was no faster than before and slightly less fuel-efficient to boot. This made the Freestar about as appealing as, well, the Windstar. Straight off the bat, it was trampled by the competition, both import and domestic, and Ford did little to rectify the situation.

The Freestar remained pretty much unchanged for its production duration, so buyers shopping for one on the used market will find few differences between the model years.

User Reviews:

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  Nice van for the money - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Stephen - December 15 - 4:46 pm

  My wife and I bought our 2004 Ford Freestar Limited after several months of researching several brands of minivans. Our van is completely loaded and has the Advance Trac and traction control.

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  Ford Freefall - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By jgenovese - December 6 - 8:17 pm

  transmission failed at 45000 miles without warning. The vehicle was impeccably maintained. The failure was not do to neglect or abuse. Of course, this was after the warranty was up, (barely), so Ford is hanging us out to dry. So much for rewarding customer loyalty. (This was the 9th new Ford I have bought in 23 years.)

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  What I Like About My Van - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Ginger - December 3 - 6:41 pm

  I love driving this vehicle. It is comfortable and easy to park. I find that my gas mileage is about 22 mpg. on the freeway and slightly less in town. Most of my driving is work related and I have more than enough cargo space. I have never had any problems mechanically, as I am very careful following the manufacturers service instructions.

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  Ford Freestar - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By TJ Wendel - October 29 - 4:43 pm

  2006 Ford Freestar minivan is a great vehicle. The only problem I have is the bench 2nd row seat. Its only comfortable for kids. Adults are very uncomfortable sitting on it.

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  Freestar transmission failure - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By last_ford - October 4 - 2:40 pm

  We have an 05 Ford Freestar the rear brakes went bad after 22,000 miles and now at 37000 miles the transmission has had an "internal failure" of the fluid pump resulting in the need for a new transmission for $3500. The mechanic at Ford (with 22 years experience) has never seen this before, yet Ford will not cover the repair because it is 1200 miles over the bumper-to-bumper warranty. The main reason why Ford does not increase their warranty to 5years/60,000 miles is beacuse most of their vehicles would not make it that long without some type of failure. Ford Motor Co has refused to help and so has the dealer-very frustrated-WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN and neither should anyone else.

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  We like this Van! - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By Dale - October 1 - 3:22 pm

  Having bought a 1995 Windstar 3.8 in 1997, it was tough for us to want to return to Ford for a mini-van. After driving or riding in Toyotas, Dodge & Chrysler, we felt the new Freestars offered the most amenities, nicest ride (smooth) and...after 11 years, Ford would certainly get it right. In my opinion they did. We bought the van used with 33500 miles. Smooth shifting plenty of power with the 4.2 engine. The leather seats and 6 disc CD changer were added nice features. Mileage so far with a combination of highway/town driving has stayed at 21.4 MPG avg. Unfortunately Ford has decided that 07 is the last year for their mini-van...too bad,they have finally made a great mini-van.

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  Not as good as a Chrysler - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Tsunami - September 27 - 2:00 am

  We have had this vehicle for a little over six months and it has spent six days in the shop. The uphill pull is gutlessn and there is not a lot of torque going up steep grades. The fuel economy hasnt been even close to to the posted estimates at the dealer and the overall ride isnt as smooth as a Chrysler.

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  Alright Van - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By portoluri - September 26 - 8:53 pm

  It is big inside and the captains chairs and double open doors work well with a 2 yr old and newborn. I have had problems with the sliding doors sticking, and he brakes you practically have to put your foot to the floor to stop, and when at the shop they say theres nothing wrong w/the brakes, and I always have a vibrating steering wheel, which they say the car just needs to "warm up". I had an SUV before and get about the same gas mileage as I did with that for city 15-18 miles, w/gas at over $3 a gallon, its very expensive! The paint has chipped off from the radio controls, Overall, there is a lot of space and rides nice. Dont know if I would buy another van or Ford van again.

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  My 2004 Ford Freestar Van - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Al Hudgens - September 21 - 11:45 pm

  Always wanted a van and purchased this to help my Mom move from Calif to Washington State and it performed great on the mountain highways. Plenty of room. Scheduled services priced way lower than my experience with a Honda Accord. Road noise is my only complaint.

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  poor and unrelieable - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Tara Burns - September 10 - 10:57 am

  everything is breaking, mirrors, heat seats, doors, transmissions, wheel problems that the dealer wont fix.