A Shining Star

A Shining Star.

The Ford Windstar was the first mini van to receive from the US government testing laboratories a double five-star rating for both driver and front passenger side crash testing and they did this for consecutive five years. Also for the past three years they earned the same five-star rating for safety for their optional side air bags helping to prevent injuries in side impact accidents.

The mini van being the ideal family vehicle Ford makes many family oriented options available for the new owners of this superb mini van.

All Windstars produced by Ford are equipped with sufficient room to comfortably sit up to seven passengers. The mini van I drove was equipped with two front low-back bucket seats and a modular rear seating that allows seats to be moved around in the interior or simply removed to make more room for cargo and equipment that you may want to transport in your van.

Taking place in the captain chairs behind the steering wheel gives the driver the impression of being at the control of a high-tech machine at the same time leaving the impression of sitting in the living room. I found the front seats to be very comfortable, I personally like to sit straight when I drive and I found that I could adjust the seat exactly to the position I prefer.

Some of the family-friendly features include; a conversation mirror that helps the driver and front passenger see how the children are behaving in the back. Rear seat stereo controls that allows rear passengers to listen to a particular style of music through a headphone while the front occupants can enjoy something different.
A Family Entertainment System that includes a television for the rear seat passengers viewing pleasure (The model I drove did not have this option.)

The Windstar's exterior styling is very basic when compared with other mini vans on the market. The color of the vehicle I drove was a beautiful Emerald Green with a Charcoal Gray interior; it made for a very attractive color combination.

Another family-friendly feature would be the dual sliding passenger doors, which should eliminate the mad rush to the door for first choice of sitting position in the back. I really appreciated the Reverse Sensing System that alerts the driver when there is something behind the van; I am concerned though if someone becomes totally dependent on this option, I for one would always take the time to look instead of only depending on this system.

During a recent trip to Las Vegas I rented the Windstar mini van so that the whole family could go together on a day trip to the Grand Canyon. I found that you can be very comfortable whether you were sitting in the front seats or in the rear cabin.

This is one of the positive thing about being older, you can let the children do the driving while you relax and enjoy the scenery and this is exactly for part of the trip. Driving this mini van on the highway was a real pleasure, the vehicle handles fine on both the road and on city streets. I did notice a little sway when turning when we were all in the van. We were five adults and two children, but aside from this it drives like a dream.

The Windstar I rented was equipped with a V-6, 3.8 liters, a 4-speed automatic transmission, 4-wheel anti-lock braking system. Another safety feature was the self sealing tires it came with.

When I travel I normally do not rent mini vans, but this time there was a need to rent a vehicle that could comfortably sit 7 passengers. I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the great driving experience and by the comfort of Ford Windstar 2002.