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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  Great Value - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By DJ - March 16 - 10:33 am

  Just replaced my old Windstar and this van is terrific. It does everything better. It only has a couple thousand miles but I could not happier, the value was incredible. I got a loaded vehicle for about $22 K. So far I have not had any issues and would recommend this van.

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  Overall, not a good car - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Ian - March 13 - 9:19 am

  I thought that the car ran nicly, but after about 3,000 miles we had to take the car in to get the entire electrical system replaced. That was not the problem they found a problem that the dealer needed a specialist to fix. My children think that the rear seats are too low, and lastly the the interior is already ripping at the seams, literally. So over all this car is not a good car to buy and what I think anyone who is looking at this car to do is buy the competitive Mercury Monterey.

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  Ford Freestar, great value, - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By ben - March 6 - 4:57 pm

  If youre looking for a van to buy and keep, not trade in a lot, buy the Freestar and buy an extended warranty. I have a 1998 Windstar and the Ford service centers are really number 1. When youre on the road and you need service or something happens, youre in good hands. The van is great.

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  I have a Lemon! Do you? - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Rockn Ark - February 26 - 7:08 pm

  I purchased my 2004 Freestar Limited after an accident ruined my mint condition 94 Aerostar from the rear. As of 02/01/05 the dealership has replaced the CV joint twice(1st one fell out at the dealership 2nd one was found to be defective by my husband). It took 14 days to repair it the 1st time (going on their lot and taking one from a 2005). On Monday it will have been at the dealership for 8 days because the right passenger tire must be replaced due to vibration while driving at 45mph. I have owned this car for 57 days and it has been at the dealership for 22 days of this month. I call this a LEMON!

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  Should Have Kept the Windstar - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By RB - February 21 - 5:00 am

  They should have made continual improvements to the Windstar and not taken away the basic and great features of it to upgrade a few others and call it a Freestar. I like the 4 wheel disc brakes, and side airbag upgrades. However, I do not like the cheap looking interior, no fog lamps, no rims (on same model), and NO center console.

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  First Time Ford Owner. - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By The Five Farrells - February 20 - 5:19 am

  Main reason I wanted to purchase this was its stylish body look, and the feel I got when I was sitting behind the wheel.Totally feel at ease when the wife and kids are doing their thing (school, sports, errands, etc.). I am confident in their safety, and confident that the vehicle will perform as directed in the brochures we read. Ford did a quality job with the redesign because we are going to stay in the Ford Family of Freestar. Look for the five Farrells in 2006 when we will be ready to trade up to a newer version.I am impatient to wait...and confident you will continue to compete with the foreign vehicles on the market.

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  driver - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Pete - February 12 - 11:46 am

  Enjoy driving it, its a gas guzzler comparing it to other minivans and a has small gas tank. Averaging 300 miles to a tank or 12.3 miles to gallon of gas. Still dont know why they advertise it for 17 mpg city to 22 mpg for freeways.

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  Good Van - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Van Owner - February 1 - 11:58 am

  This is our first minivan and we really like it. The ride is very nice and the power is decent. It is very comfortable especially for long trips. So far we have no regrets.

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  Freestar SES - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By allisonw - January 15 - 12:42 pm

  I have only had this minivan for a few days but I like it very much. I have the optional 17 inch rims, so the ride is much smoother than on the 2005 Caravan that I rented last spring. I dont understand why this van received such low ratings from consumer magazines and online services, because I actually find it far superior to the Caravan that they love to rave about.

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  Dont go there - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By FordMan - January 6 - 7:13 pm

  After approximately one year of ownership and 8+ visits back for various repairs I call it a Lemon. The dealer calls it normal for a Ford Freestar. In fact the Service Manager had one for a Demo and turned it back in because of problems. Im a Ford man and have owned them since my first one in 1974. This vehicle has shaken my confidence in Ford. Ford had a silent recall on the front brakes of the vehicle. You get a high pitch squeal and after taking it in twice the dealer admitted that the calipers and their brackets had to be replaced. I own a 2000 Mustang with 40K+ miles it doesnt have any rattles and has never been into the dealer for anything. Dont buy a Freestar.