2004 Ford Freestar Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Ford revamps its minivan for 2004, giving it new styling and features, and changing the name from Windstar to Freestar. Mercury gets a version called the Monterey. Freestar comes in a single body length that's similar in size to such rivals as the Toyota Sienna and Dodge Grand Caravan. Freestar comes in S, SE, SES, SEL, and Limited trim levels. All have 7-passenger capacity and include two 2nd-row bucket seats. The 3rd-row bench folds into the floor--a first for a Ford minivan. The 3rd-row bench also flips for rear-facing "tailgate" seating under the open liftgate. Power operation is available for the sliding side doors. S, SE, and SES models have a 193-hp 3.9-liter V6. SEL and Limited models use a 201-hp 4.2-liter V6. A 4-speed automatic is the sole transmission. All-wheel drive is not offered, but antiskid control is optional on all but the base S model. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard. Head-protecting curtain side airbags that cover all three seating rows are optional; they are designed to deploy in a side impact or when sensors detect an impending rollover. Self-sealing tires are available on all but the base S model. Rear DVD entertainment is optional. Options added midyear include a rear cargo organizer and 17-inch alloy wheels vs. standard 16s.

News

Freestar is just out of the box, but keep checking back with us for further news as we get it.

2004 Ford Freestar Road Test

Pros	Cons

Passenger and cargo room	Fuel economy

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

SEL	Class Average
6	4.6

Only models with 4.2-liter V6 made available for testing so far. With this engine, Freestar and Monterey have sufficient power for most driving situations. Transmission delivers smooth, prompt shifts.

Fuel Economy

SEL	Class Average
4	4

Test Monterey with 4.2 V6 averaged 16.6 mpg in a mix of city/highway driving. Both V6s use regular-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

SEL	Class Average
6	5.7

Long wheelbase provides stable ride, though sharp bumps and ruts register sharply. We have not tested a Freestar with optional 17-inch tires. Body structure transmits unpleasant vibration on coarse pavement.

Steering/Handling/Braking

SEL	Class Average
4	4.6

Handling is merely competent, with noticeable body lean in turns. Smooth, progressive brake-pedal feel, but stopping power feels unexceptional.

Quietness

SEL	Class Average
5	5.2

V6 sounds coarse and strained when cold or under full throttle. Very little wind noise at highway speeds. Road noise modest in front but much louder in back. Despite upscale positioning, Monterey seems only marginally quieter than Ford Freestar overall.

Controls

SEL	Class Average
6	6.1

Freestar and Monterey share dashboard design. Instrument layout clear. Most controls handy and well-marked, but those for climate system mounted too low for easy driver access. Mercury version has more bright interior trim than Ford model and some slightly richer-feeling materials, but in general, both Freestar and Monterey cabins abound with budget-grade plastic.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

SEL	Class Average
7	6.2

Height-adjustable seats and power-adjustable pedals standard on uplevel models, available as options on most others and allow ample seating adjustment. Very tall drivers may wish for more rearward seat travel, however. Optional cooled front seats exclusive to Monterey work quickly for added comfort in hot weather. Outward visibility good to all directions. Monterey comes with front- and rear-obstacle detection vs. Freestar's available rear-only system.

Room/Comfort (rear)

SEL	Class Average
7	6.9

Seats nicely padded, supportive in both 2nd and 3rd rows. Second-row buckets slide fore and aft a few inches, but leg room is limited for tall adults. Fold and tumble 2nd-row seats make 3rd-row access easier. Third row best suited to children and small adults. Rear-folding "tailgate" capability a fun feature.

Cargo Room

SEL	Class Average
9	9.3

Lots of space even with all seats in place, thanks to deep floor well required to house folded 3rd row. Second-row seats remove or can tumble forward without the need to remove headrests. Third row folds easily into floor well. No excess of interior bins and pockets. Usefulness of center console between front seats undercut by intrusive parking-brake lever. Folding third-row seat exposes two metal sidewall brackets that intrude into cargo space.

Value within Class

SEL	Class Average
5	6.2

Freestar and Monterey can't match such rivals as Honda Odyssey or Dodge Caravan for driving enjoyment, or Toyota Sienna for refinement. On the upside, these revamped Ford and Mercury minivans boast some laudable safety and convenience features, base prices are competitive, and discounts should be available.

Total Score

SEL	Class Average
59	58.8

Scores for all Minivans

Low Score		44
Average Score		58
High Score		70

2004 Ford Freestar Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 02/12/2004

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Cargo 4-door van	$21,530	$19,617	$685

S 4-door van	$23,915	$22,217	$685

SE 4-door van	$26,390	$23,942	$685

SES 4-door van	$28,210	$25,562	$685

SEL 4-door van	$29,455	$26,670	$685

Limited 4-door van	$33,090	$29,905	$685

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Cargo

Powertrain

3.9-liter V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, tire-inflation monitor.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Front air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, cupholders, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM radio, digital clock, tachometer, intermittent wipers, visor mirrors, rear defogger.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, 235/60R16 tires, wheel covers.

S adds to Cargo:

Comfort and Convenience Features

7-passenger seating, 2nd-row bench seat, 3rd-row stowable bench seat, intermittent rear wiper/washer, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

225/60R16 tires.

SE adds to S:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Cruise control, AM/FM/CD player, map lights.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Rear privacy glass, roof rails.

SES adds to SE:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Rear air conditioning, tri-zone manual climate controls (including rear controls), 6-way power driver seat.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

235/60R16 tires, alloy wheels.

SEL adds to SES:

Powertrain

4.2-liter V6 engine.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Leather-wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls, 2nd-row captain chairs, keypad entry, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, rear radio controls, illuminated visor mirrors, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, outside-temperature indicator, conversation mirror, automatic headlights, cornering lights.

Limited adds to SEL:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Leather upholstery, power-adjustable pedals, tri-zone automatic climate controls (including rear controls), heated power mirrors w/turn signals, power sliding rear doors, trip computer, analog clock.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Value Group
Cargo	$690	$587
Cruise control, rear privacy glass.

Electronics Group
SE, SES	$290	$247
Overhead console, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, outside-temperature indicator, automatic headlights. SE requires rear air conditioning.

Value Group I
SES	$245	$208
Power-adjustable pedals, perimeter alarm.

Value Group II
SEL	$710	$603
Power-adjustable pedals, heated power mirrors w/turn signals, puddle lights, trip computer, perimeter alarm.

Value Group III
Limited	$240	$204
Universal garage-door opener, perimeter alarm.

Active Safety Pkg. I
Cargo, SE, SES	$730	$621
Traction control, brake assist, antiskid system.

Active Safety Pkg. II
SEL, Limited	$975	$829
Active Safety Pkg. I plus rear-obstacle-detection system.

Class II Trailer Towing Pkg.
Limited, S, SE, SEL, SES	$335	$285
Trailer-tow wiring, heavy-duty cooling and battery. NA Cargo.

Safety
Curtain side airbags
Limited, S, SE, SEL, SES	$695	$591
Includes front side airbags. S, SE require rear air conditioning. NA Cargo.

Comfort and Convenience Features
Rear air conditioning w/tri-zone manual controls
S, SE	$675	$574


DVD rear-seat entertainment system
SE, SES, SEL, Limited	$1,395	$1,186


Floor console
SE, SES, SEL, Limited	$150	$128


Leather upholstery
SEL	$890	$757


Cloth upholstery
Limited (credit)	$-445	$-378


Heated front seats
Limited	$245	$208


6-way power driver seat
SE	$325	$277


6-way power passenger seat
SEL, Limited	$305	$259
SEL requires leather upholstery.

2nd-row captain chairs
SE, SES	$795	$676


Memory Pkg.
Limited	$305	$259
Memory system (driver seat, mirrors, pedals). Requires Active Safety Pkg. II, curtain side airbags.

AM/FM/cassette/CD player
Cargo	$350	$298
SE, SES	$105	$89
SE, SES include rear controls.

AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer
SEL, Limited	$150	$128


Power sliding rear doors
SEL	$900	$765


Cargo-management system
Limited, S, SE, SEL, SES	$125	$107
NA Cargo.

Cargo net
SE, SES, SEL	$25	$22
Std. Limited.

Smoker's Pkg.
Cargo, Limited, S, SE, SEL, SES	$30	$26
Lighter, ash tray.

Appearance and Miscellaneous
Rear privacy glass
S	$415	$352


Roof rack
SE, SES, SEL, Limited	$95	$81


Self-sealing tires
SE, SES, SEL, Limited	$280	$238


17-inch alloy wheels
SES, SEL, Limited	$245	$208

2004 Ford Freestar Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Ford Freestar 4-door van

Wheelbase, in.	120.8

Overall Length, in.	201.0

Overall Width, in.	76.6

Overall Height, in.	68.8

Curb Weight, lbs.	4275

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	134.3

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	26.0

Seating Capacity	7

Front Head Room, in.	38.8

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	40.7

Rear Head Room, in.	39.7

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	38.0

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	ohv V6	ohv V6

Size, liters/cu. in.	3.9 /238	4.2 /256

Horsepower @ rpm.	193 @ 4750	201 @ 4250

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	240 @ 3750	263 @ 3650

Availability	Standard	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

4-speed automatic	17/23	16/23

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Ford Freestar 4-door van

Front Impact, Driver	5

Front Impact, Passenger	5

Side Impact, Driver	4

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	5

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	5/100,000	Focus only.

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	5/unlimited	--

Free roadside assistance	3/36,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: Canada

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2004 Ford Freestar Photos

Also in the 2004 Ford Freestar Review:

Ford Freestar

Ford Freestar Road Test

Ford Freestar Prices & Equipment

Ford Freestar Specs & Safety

Ford Freestar Photos

Ford Freestar Full Review

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