Best Used Minivans: 2006-2007 Ford Freestar
When the Ford Freestar was new, it wasn’t very competitive. A re-hashed Ford Windstar with a new face and name, the Freestar simply couldn’t match the best minivans in the class on a number of fronts. Today, that still holds true amongst used models, but the 2006 and 2007 versions of the Freestar are reasonably safe and reasonably dependable, and they’re reasonably cheap to buy.
In NHTSA crash tests, the Freestar received 4- or 5-star ratings, and the IIHS gave the van a “Good” rating for frontal-impact protection and a “Good” rating for rear-impact injury prevention. Without the optional side-impact airbags, the Freestar rates “Poor” in IIHS side-impact crash tests. So be sure to get an example equipped with those side airbags, because with them, the 2006 and 2007 versions of the van rated “Acceptable” in this regard.
Reliability for this model is average, and like other minivans, the Ford Freestar offers three rows of seats, and the third-row seat can fold into the floor to expand cargo capacity. Take the second-row seats out of the van, and a Freestar offers 135.7 cu.-ft. of cargo volume, making it smaller than primary competitors but still roomier than most SUVs.
Sometimes, vehicles become more compelling with age. The 2006 and 2007 versions of the Ford Freestar are those kinds of models.