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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  Fords make me uneasy - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Dale - February 7 - 8:25 am

  I bought the minivan because it works for my daughter in a wheel chair but I am concerned. The electric locks only work half the time and the front heater has cut out once. In both cases Ford repaired the problem under waranty but I hope once the 60,000ks are up I will not have many more problems. If buying new, dont buy the toys - they are only a nightmare. Poor gas mileage but nice and roomy. Runs nice.

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  Just a fun car - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By tarkin1944 - January 29 - 11:57 am

  This car has been so much fun to own and drive. Im a good driver and drive conservatively. The body part fits are wonderful and the interior is beautiful for a minivan. I only wish that Ford would continue to build them.

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  I love my van. - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Very Satisfied - January 22 - 9:25 pm

  My family of four purchased our Freestar in 2003. We have throughly enjoyed owning it. We have taken several trips and in 40,000 miles we are extremely satisfied. We followed our sons football team all over the state of IL in it. The rear tail gate and fold down rear seat work great. The sliding doors have been a life saver with our 2 year old.

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  2006 Ford Freestar - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By V. Blondahl - January 11 - 4:54 pm

  We have approx 5000 Km. on this vehicle as of today. It has spent 10 days in the shop since purchase. The computer has been replaced, a correction for excessive front wheel vibration has been performed, (a steady buzz-like vibration is still felt in the steering wheel). The engine knocks and rattles and rpm fluctuates at idle. We have a 98 Plymouth Voyager with 260,000 Km. that runs smoother and quieter than this new Ford. At approx. 700 Km. we asked for a replacement vehicle, offering to pay a fee for the accumulated mileage the dealer refused. I completed a customer satisfaction report listing the problems with this vehicle and Ford did not even bother to respond.

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  Great Van - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Rob R. - December 25 - 5:17 pm

  I had a 98 Windstar previously- Freestar has a much better interior, much smoother shifting transmission but gets worse city mileage. I have never had the van back to the dealer for any warranty repairs in more than two and a half years of driving - an excellent reliability performance!

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  Happy owner so far - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By Tim Lu - November 27 - 8:51 pm

  Had 2006 Sport for about a year and 25k, no problem so far. Drawn to it by the price (for the same level, 6-disc CD, reverse sensing system, alloy wheels DVD, etc), I would have spent $10k more on Japanese models. Overall, a great vehicle for the price.

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  Freestar-Limited - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Romeo Pierre - November 12 - 9:01 pm

  Very comfortable to drive. Excellent viewing of the road. Bright light to drive at night, very spacious cargo space, very quite on the road, not bad on gas 22 miles a gallon on highway.

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  First Van - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By escofam - November 11 - 3:44 am

  Went and looked at Toyota and Honda to compare the Freestar and there was no comparison. The Freestar had better safety features and a much better price. I was a little concerned about handling as the Freestar replaced a Taurus wagon but after our first trip the fear was gone. The van handles wonderfully with the optional 17" wheels. First vacation trip was with 5 adults and although the mileage was around 22 mpg the van pulled the hills effortlessly with the load. It was actually fun to drive and made the trip very comfortable. Since then it has made many more trips and I look forward to the trips.

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  Dont buy one - 2007 Ford Freestar
  By Jen - November 10 - 7:16 pm

  Ive had this van for a month and cant imagine why anyone would buy it with any other option out there. It rides like a covered wagon, has no nice options, cant get in without opening the drivers side first and then hit the button....even to get in the rear cargo area. I will be getting rid of it and would tell anyone to buy anything but this. The gas mileage is horrible and it rides like its 10 years old.

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  Love my Freestar - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Fred - November 10 - 5:10 pm

  This is my 3rd Ford van...a real power van that has you up and going quickly. Gas mileage isnt up to our expectations.