The 2004 Ford Freestar was launched as a successor to the aging Windstar minivan. From its inception, the Freestar suffered from something of an identity crisis: described as both a 'van' and a 'wagon' in Ford's marketing materials, it was also sometimes lumped in with the SUV offerings from Dearborn.

The Freestar may have been an idea whose time had come...and already gone by the time it was rolled out. Although many suburban moms had loved their Windstars in the '90s, the market for large family passenger vehicles had changed pretty dramatically by 2004.

Drivers who were looking for lots of room at a relatively low curbweight, and who didn't mind giving up some agility, did find the '04 Ford Freestar to have some advantages over comparable SUVs. Because it was relatively low to the ground, the Freestar was easier to get in and out of (and easier to customize with ramps and lifts for drivers with disabilities).

The 2004 Freestar came in cargo van and passenger van body styles, and in Standard and Limited trims. Drivers and reviewers praised the Freestar for its quiet ride, thanks to some high-tech acoustical engineering and insulation from Ford. The '04 Freestar seated seven, and had a cargo capacity of 137.8 cubic feet (with seats removed). Gas mileage was a respectable 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway.