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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  No problems - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By brett65 - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Nice ride, reliable transportation. No problems in 7 months and 6000 miles. Owned a Nissan Quest twice previously and the Freestar is every bit as good and better on some features.

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  Very Reliable, Comfortable, and Quiet. - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By Dan - May 6 - 6:09 pm

  Ford corrected the transmission for 2006 and 2007 models. Earlier models had transmission failures. I have 82,000 miles on this cargo van, and it has been trouble free. It is quiet inside, and drives like a regular passenger van because the cargo model has a full cloth headliner and trim panels all the way back to the tailgate. In fact, we prefer this vehicle for vacations. More cargo space than a thirsty SUV. I get 25 mpg on the freeway if I drive 60. At 70mph, it drops to 23 mpg.

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  My New Freestar - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Pamela Canfield - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is wonderful! I have owned Caravan, Windstar and 2 Explorers before this. I do not even have young children to cart around any more but missed all the comfort and roominess of a minivan. As a mother of grown & nearly grown children & new grandma I am probably not a typical minivan owner. The ride is the smoothest yet and everything is at my fingertips. It is fun to drive and I am proud to own it.

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  Thanks Ford! - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By T. G. Gibson - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Owned a Windstar previously, NO comparison! Not only enjoyable to drive, but the bigger engine gives the Freestar new energy.

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  Works ok but so many little problems - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By IRISBRAMBLE - March 17 - 12:49 pm

  Bought this car after my brand new jeep was totaled in a car accident that was not my fault. I bought straight out from my mechanic it had 90,000 miles on it. Never of the electric sliding doors work right they get stuck, they dont open, or open again after closing. Power locks sometimes dont work, and the alarm sometimes goes off for no reason. The tire light is constantly on and it burns oil, I have had the fuel system and lines goes several times, and converter went as well. The most annoying thing is about 6 months ago I lost all radio reception and just a week ago my front windshield wipers stopped working. I have had this van almost 3 years and it still runs so I cant get rid of it but i wish I could.

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  Freestar vs Windstar 99 - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Boo Boo 99 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  I owned a Windstar and loved it. Got rid of it because the transmission started to go. So I bought a Freestar SE for 16,500. The interior is more refined and it handles better on the road. The engine is quieter and the transmission much smoother. Bought the ext warranty. The SE model comes with the smaller engine. Acceleration is horrible compared to my old Windstar LX which had the larger V6. For that reason only get the upgraded FreeStar with the bigger engine. I am not excited about the Freestar but it beats 24,000 for an Honda Oddessy. If you can stand the acceleration the freestar is a bargin

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  Look again - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By farealjace - September 30 - 2:00 am

  The numerous dual tier layers of storage in the doors. The stnd. fold and flip third row seat with the tailgating feature. Storage tub in the rear, it helps avoid groceries from rolling all over the vehicle when suddenly braking. ABS and 4 wheel disc brakes are a standard feature. Its also very easy to enter the third row seat from the second row unlike the Caravan. And the seats fold forward easily without using cheap tethers. And as far as performance this is the first one Ive seen with a 4.2 liter engine. It rides like a dream.

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  Try it - youll like it! - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Conway - August 18 - 2:00 am

  We disagree with some of editors review. Even though weve only had vehicle a short time, driving is a definite pleasure; even better than our Taurus. We do have almost all options on our vehicle; most importantly, all of the safety features available. Have plenty of power for both around town and highway driving.

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  New Ford - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By KevinD - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Smooth ride, car-like. Have only had vehicle for a few weeks and 1000 miles. Kids love the DVD player.

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  Best ever - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By seller - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Great van for the do everything family. Sound systen is awesome, as well as the overall comfort of the van. Ford really did their homework on this model.Great engine with the 4.2 litre, it actually drives like a car! The power side doors with synchronized turn signals on the mirror are great for dropping the kids off for school or anywhere.