Ford Freestar

The Ford Freestar is a minivan that was produced by Ford between 2004 and 2006. This is a good choice for your New York City car rental if you are travelling with a lot of people or cargo because it can accommodate up to 7 people. However, the fuel economy on this vehicle leaves room for improvement.

Minivan overview

When you choose this as your New York City rental car, you will find this is van has an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission as part of the van's standard equipment. There are five trim levels available. There are two gasoline-powered V6 engines. The smaller is a 3.9 L 193 hp and the larger is a 4.2 L 201 hp. The Ford Freestar replaced the Windstar when Ford wanted to change all of its names back to words starting with F. The Windstar was a popular model, and the name change confused consumers. However, Ford was able to take some of the problems associated with the Ford Windstar and improve on them, such as reliability issues. On the downside, the van is known for its sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, and an unimpressive cabin.

Safety

When you are here with your car rental New York City, you may learn that the Ford Freestar earned very good safety ratings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Ford Freestar near perfect ratings in its frontal and side impact tests. The only non-five star rating came in front-seat occupant protection in side impacts, where the Freestar got four stars. The Ford Freestar earned a 'good' rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) frontal offset test, though side impact results aren't as strong.

Awards

The Ford Freestar received recognition in 2009 for the 2005 model, which scored second place in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, right behind the Dodge Caravan. The Ford Freestar was replaced by the Ford Flex in 2007, as well as a more upscale model, the Lincoln MKT, introduced in late 2009.

Why a minivan?

Why choose a minivan for your rental car New York City? This will allow you to travel with a number of people (up to 7) or cargo on your trip. The minivan can help you navigate through the city and get to where you need to be. Getting around New York is easy with the Ford Freestar.

Ford Motor Company

The Freestar is produced by Ford, an American multinational automaker that is based in Dearborn, Michigan. It was incorporated in 1903 and encompasses the Ford and Lincoln brands, as well as a small stake in Mazda and Aston Martin. They also own the Mercury brand, which was discontinued at the end of 2010. Ford is the second largest automaker in the US and the fifth-largest in the world based on annual vehicle sales in 2010. The Ford Freestar is produced in the Oakville, Canada plant.

Mercury Monterey

When you are here with your New York City rental car, another close relative of the Ford Freestar is the Mercury Monterey. This twin of the Ford Freestar also seats seven passengers, but offers more luxury options than the Freestar. The Monterey was produced until 2006, when production was stopped as minivan sales gradually dropped.

When you are here with your New York City car rental, you will find the Ford Freestar is a good choice to explore the city and surrounding area. Its great for families looking to bring kids around the city, but may not be the best choice for fuel economy if you are planning on exploring Long Island and beyond.