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:

• 

  freestar - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By BOBR - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Nice vehicle for a first time buyer of van and ford product

• 

  FREESTAR AFTER RETIREMENT - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By CARL - December 19 - 1:24 am

  VERY ROOMY AND GOOD HANDLING. USE FOR CRAFT SHOWS HOLDS LARGE PIECES OF FURNITURE AND OTHER ITEMS. WENT FROM A FORD F 150 WITH HIGH FIBERGLASS CAP TO 98 WINDSTAR VAN THAN TO THE FREESTAR AND CAN LOAD AS MUCH OR MORE DUE TO NO WHEEL WELLS IN THE WAY AS IN PICK UP BED. WENT TO THE FREESTAR WHICH ELIMINATED REMOVING THE THIRD SEAT AS IN THE WINDSTAR. WHAT I NEED IS FOLD DOWN SECOND ROW SEATS AS THEY ARE HARD AND HEAVY TO REMOVE AND REPLACE.(NOT HANDY)FOR OLDER , SMALLER AND SHORT PEOPLE. I AM 61" BUT THEY ARE STILL NOT EASY TO HANDLE .

• 

  Absolutely 1st Class Minivan - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Peter Leech - December 4 - 1:08 am

  First Class in everyway for the price!

• 

  almost a 9 - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Pinky98 - November 17 - 7:19 pm

  First tank of gas got me 19city miles Second, 24 highway miles Third, 23 highway & city Buying a 2004 this late in the season (October) got me over $11,000 off sticker price. Right now I only have 650 miles. I would suggest the $130. for the center console. Its a great storage space.

• 

  2nd van in 5 months - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Bob Folger - November 15 - 12:03 pm

  I have three young kids and rely heavily on the automatic doors and the seating for my kids to be able to get in and out of. The first two months of ownership we had repeated automatic door issues! It would open on its own, or not close when the button was pushed etc... The electronics on this vehicle I beleive are poor! The couple of months our van was in the shop more than at our house. Finally Ford broke down and gave us another van! I am writing this review because the problem just started again on the other psgr. door. We are on our way in to get a loaner. I am very surprised to see the high reviews of others but encouraged that maybe the two lemons that I got are just a fluke.

• 

  FreeStar Review - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By dorothy haynes - November 11 - 4:03 pm

  FreeStar has stablility more than I ever imagined and the side airbags that are available are a great added safety feature. The 4.2 engine gives pickup on interstates and town streets. I had a Windstar prior to this and with the FreeStar I actually found something that was even better. My elderly mother gets in easily and my dogs fit in perfectly. I love this van and I would buy it again.

• 

  My New Freestar - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Peter Leech - November 7 - 4:20 pm

  Having owned Lexus LS Cars for last 8 yrs this Van sure is a contrast, but we love it. I am an automotive engineer and a car lover & have never been more satisfied with a new vehicle purchase!!

• 

  i love my freestar - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By pARALEGAL34 - November 6 - 11:57 am

  Its a great van ,love the color ..the room is great also ..THANK YOU FORD !

• 

  Brand New w/only 11miles - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Pinkham - November 5 - 6:22 pm

  5 Nov 04 Just got it a week ago, Sticker price $29,267.00 Ford knocked off $11,000.00 with promotions. Feel sorry for anyone who bought a few months back without the deals. Gas mileage.....I live in the western part of Massachusetts hilly country its cold not the best for getting good gas mileage but heres what I got on my very first fill up. Went 230 miles & took 12gallons thats 19.1mi on the gallon. Drove with a light foot keeping rpm between 1000 & 2000 90per-cent of the time & tried not to hit the brakes. Hopefully when broken in this will improve. Attn: Ford - your gas & brake pedals that raise and lower is just plain stupid!

• 

  " The Best Minivan! - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Peter Leech - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 3rd Lexus LS400 for this Freestar & enjoy driving it every bit as much!! A few years ago I owned my own Mercedes Dealership for a number of years & I do know & "Love Cars & Driving"! I consider this Freestar a FIRST CLASS VEHICLE. Contact me for any other details!