Ford introduced the Freestar just in time for kids so they could see “Finding Nemo” from the backseat of the three-row MPV.
Built as a replacement for the second generation of Ford Windstar, the Freestar tried to make people forget about the 2000 model, which suffered from reliability issues. But the blue-oval brand made a new car on an old base and expected the things to work better. The car featured the same platform as its predecessor, but the vehicle was heavily transformed.

From the outside, the Freestar kept the same rounded shape as before, but with bigger headlights and grille. Its raked hood was almost in the same line as the windshield. Like on its predecessor, Ford installed sliding rear windows for the mid and rear-seat rows. The MPV featured a slightly raked and rounded tailgate in the rear, so the car didn’t abruptly end. The wide and tall tailgate cut a slice from the rear bumper, allowing a lower loading height.

Like any other minivan built to carry kids to and back from school and the family on weekends, the Freestar featured a roomy interior fitted with up to seven seats. As an option, the middle row could have been fitted with captain seats for additional comfort. Ford installed a car-like dashboard with a wide and flat center stack for the sound system and the HVAC unit for the driver. At the lowest side, there was a basket and a pair of cupholders for mom and dad.

Ford installed two new engines in the Freestar. The base version was powered by a 3.9-liter V6 unit, while the top-spec featured a 4.2-liter. Both were paired as standard to a 4-speed auto.