In 2004 Ford freshened the Windstar, and renamed it Freestar. The most notable improvement was a flat-folding third-row seat. Handling improved somewhat, but fit and finish remained unimpressive.

The Ford Freestar received a five-star Frontal Crash Test Rating from the NHTSA and a "Good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2007. Also, Freestar's 4.2L V6 has the highest ...