Getting a fix on Freestar
Ford makes over its popular minivan

DEARBORN, Michigan - With shock and awe products like the new F-150 pickup, GT and Mustang on the horizon, it's understandable why Ford is billing its significantly new Freestar minivan as a "sleeper product." Occupying the vanilla end of the automotive spectrum, minivans have become a symbol, or should I say albatross, of middle-class family life. Nonetheless, a whack of minivans (about 200,000 a year) are sold in Canada each year, more per capita than even our American brethren.

Canadian minivan buyers are a strange breed. They're more concerned with the number of kids they can carry and how much hockey equipment will cram in the back, rather than the hardcore horsepower and torque numbers car buyers go for. That's why when the engineers at Ford started their presentation on the new Freestar, I was elated. There were no zero to 100 km/h acceleration times or top speed quotes; instead there were numbers like nine cupholders, three rows of seating and five-star safety.

Indeed, after spending some time behind the wheel of the Freestar, it's obvious Ford understands the modern minivan buyer and has addressed the issues that were holding back its old Windstar minivan. Freestars are built in Ontario at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant, the result of $600 million in renovations.

Overall, the Freestar is more a significant refreshment of the old Windstar than an all-new vehicle. The vehicle's silhouette is mostly unchanged, the styling is slightly smoother and there's a new grille and headlights up front. Oh, and if you're wondering about the new name, it goes along with the new corporate edict at Ford that cars and minivans (with the exception of the Mustang and Thunderbird) start with the letter 'F'.

It's inside where Freestar has improved by light years over the outgoing Windstar. Noteworthy is the third row seat, which now folds flat into the floor with the headrests in place. Eliminating the need to store and carry a heavy bench seat, the third row hides away with three fairly easy pulls. With the seat up there's enough room in the storage well for a full-size hockey bag or a family-sized load of groceries. The third row can also flip back, doubling as a tailgate bench seat. This class exclusive feature keeps mom and dad dry and cool while they cheer on junior at the soccer field.

The second row, available as either a bench or captain's chairs, allows the Freestar to carry up to seven people.

Beneficial for moms carrying their young 'uns, the second row can be flipped forward for third row access with one hand.

There's 134 cubic feet of storage behind the front seats if the third row is stowed and the second removed, though row two's captain's chairs weigh about 70 lb each, so they're probably not going anywhere.

Keeping the squeaky-clean safety reputation of the outgoing Windstar was a primary concern for Freestar engineers. Despite changes to the overall design, a five-star rating in front and side impact remains. A segment-exclusive airbag safety canopy protects all three rows in an impact and can stay inflated for up to six seconds in a rollover. Three point belts for all occupants are standard, while adjustable pedals are optional. There's no all-wheel drive version of the Freestar, but with standard 4-wheel disc brakes and Ford's available AdvanceTrac stability enhancement system, there should be no trouble in rough weather.

While U.S. customers will have the option of a smaller engine, all Canadian Freestars will come standard with the new 201 hp, 4.2-litre V6. An evolution of the old 3.8-litre V6 from the Windstar, the new engine delivers best in class torque at 263 lb-ft. Combined with the smartly tuned 4-speed automatic gearbox, the engine provides quick launches and good power for passing on the highway. Fuel economy is expected to be in the neighbourhood of the Windstar, with a range of around 800 km (500 miles).

Travelling the roads of Michigan is sometimes akin to traversing bombed out sections of Kabul. Thankfully, a new front suspension and reworked rear end are sprung softly enough that most bumps went unnoticed. To Ford's credit, NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) has improved in the Freestar, especially wind and engine noise. However, there are still a few rattles inside that could keep the Freestar out of the über minivan leagues occupied by Toyota and Honda. Our only overlying complaint was that the Freestar tends to understeer quite a bit. A sport suspension package with larger wheels, tires and swaybars did help.

It seems Ford asked itself all the right questions when bringing its aging Windstar up to snuff, and put in the hours to make things right. Ford has pegged the base price at $27,195, which should help to keep the men and women at the Oakville Assembly Plant plenty busy.

Immediate competition:
Chevrolet Venture, Dodge Caravan, Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona, Mazda MPV, Toyota Sienna