Even with a new name, Freestar is still a minivan

Ford Motor Co.’s Windstar has given way to the Freestar minivan for ‘04, which is not to be confused with the Freestyle crossover due out for 2005.

Styling is a little less conservative than that on the Windstar, but you won’t mistake Freestar for anything other than a minivan.

Freestar sports three looks with such things as body-color grilles and bumper fascia (S and SE), black grille and bumper fascia (SES) or chrome grille and bumper fascia strips (SEL/Limited) to set the models apart. Limited also gets two-tone lower body color.

The biggest change is inside, where Ford has admitted its mistake in asking folks to remove the rear seat, find a place to store it and then put it back. This chore made few friends.

Instead, Ford has followed the lead of Honda Motor Co. in its Odyssey minivan with a standard third-row seat that flips and folds flat into the floor so you can increase cargo capacity without increasing medical coverage. Pull the cord, press the latch and the seat goes without having to go out.

Or, you can flip the third seat and have it face rearward so soccer moms can sit under the cover of the hatch lid while watching the children cavort on the field. Take note, however, that it looks and feels a bit awkward to have to sit on a headrest, with the seat back having become the seat bottom.

To get into the second row, traditional power sliding doors are located on both sides of Freestar. The power sliders are standard on the top-of-the-line Limited tested, a $900 option if you settle for an SE, SES or SEL. Otherwise you get manual doors on both sides.

The rear lift gate is manually controlled for now. A power lift gate that responds to key-fob commands will be offered later in the model year.

Windstar came with a 3.8-liter V-6 rated at 200 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. The new Freestar offers a 3.9-liter V-6 rated at 193 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque, and a 4.2-liter V-6 rated at 201 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque.

The 4.2-liter is standard in the Limited. It’s smoother, quieter and more energetic off the line or into the passing lane than the 3.8-liter ever was, thanks to the increased torque.

The Freestar’s ride is fairly smooth and more road friendly than it was in Windstar. The suspension has been tuned to be less bouncy over uneven road surfaces. There’s also less body lean in corners, though you won’t mistake handling in a long, slab-sided van for that of a sedan.

Notable safety features include an optional ($695) air-bag canopy system -- side bag curtains front to rear that deploy in a side impact and stay deployed for several seconds when sensors detect a pending rollover.

And the front passenger seat incorporates a weight sensor that deactivates the air bag when empty or a child is placed upfront rather than in back where the child belongs.

Also of note, there’s a covered stowage compartment in the top of the dash, a feature that will be found in other Ford products soon; numerous stowage pockets plus cup/bottle (10 total for seven seats), coin, map and whatever holders; and a “kangaroo pouch” below the driver’s seat for maps or gloves.

About the only gripe with the Freestar is that Ford went to great pains to make the buying process complex, starting with a choice of S, SE, SES, SEL and Limited versions, each providing a step up in standard equipment. Option packages add to confusion.

For example, power brake/gas pedals that motor up to 4 inches closer so you don’t have to motor the seat 4 inches closer to the steering column are standard on the Limited. But in other models, you have to get Value package II at $710 to get the pedals plus heated mirrors with integrated puddle lamps and turn indicator arrows in the glass.

Too many letters and Roman numerals mean too much time and too much money trying to equip the vehicle.

The base price on the Limited is a hefty $32,945 -- before adding any options.

One option not on our test vehicle was a DVD entertainment system at $1,395 -- a must if you travel with little kids and want to avoid the mind-numbing “Are we there yet?” questions.