Ford Windstar

The Aerostar's Replacement

The Windstar replaced the Aerostar as Ford's primary minivan despite the fact that they were sold simultaneously during the new model's first three years. The Aerostar was available as a passenger or storage vehicle, and when the Windstar was revealed for the 1995 model year, it was apparent that this was the new passenger van for Ford. When it was released, it was one of the top minivans, preferred for its exceptional steering and ride. It was built on a front-wheel drive platform with a 3.8-liter V6 that produced 155 horsepower. Trim levels for the Windstar included a cargo version, the base, GL, and the higher LX. A year later, the 3.8-liter improved to 200 horsepower, while a 3.0-liter with 150 horsepower became the standard engine. In order to compete with Chrysler's luxurious Town & Country, the upscale Limited trim came with synthetic wood styling and a leather upholstery interior for the 1998 model. All models this year also restyled the grille and headlights to give the fascia a new look.

The Second Generation

For the 1999 model year the second generation Windstars came with improvements like dual sliding doors, reverse sensors, and two new SE and SEL trim levels - both of which included dual sliding doors as a standard feature. All models still came with the same engines as the first generation, which didn't change until the 2001 model year when the 3.0-liter was dropped. For the following year, sliding doors became standard and few minor changes were made to the 2003 model. For the next year, in anticipation of the third generation, Ford replaced the Windstar to the Freestar, which lasted until 2007.