2003 Ford Windstar Minivan Reviews & Ratings

Ford Windstar is as large as the largest minivans, so there's lots of room inside. Kids love the spacious feel, while adults appreciate the generous legroom and headroom, especially in the center bucket seats. The nicely designed and substantial dashboard wraps around the driver, positioning the radio and climate controls within easy reach. Two cup holders are attached to a tray that slides out; spring-loaded sides allow them to accommodate a variety of containers. A convenient wide-angle mirror helps the driver keep an eye on what's going on in the rear seats.

We had trouble getting comfortable in the SEL. We found the front seats in flat, with little side bolstering. That made getting in and out easy, but left us with no side support for going around corners.

Some people like center consoles in minivans, others find them inconvenient, as it makes it difficult for adults to walk between the seats and into the rear of the vehicle. (Of course, it doesn't upset kids, who just clamber over it.) SEL and LX Deluxe come with the center console on the floor between the two front seats; LX and SE models don't have it, unless it is ordered as an option ($155).

Pedals are power adjustable, a genuinely useful feature Moving the pedals closer to the seat at the touch of a button is beneficial for drivers with short legs. This allows them to sit farther from the steering wheel, for better driving position and to avoid potential injury from the airbag.

Center-row seats are buckets in SE, SEL and Limited. We found them heavy and awkward to remove. LX buyers can choose a center-row bench, or buckets ($745). The bench seat can be positioned left or right, for your choice of either curbside or street-side access to the third-row seat. (However, once the seat is shifted to one side, third-seat access from that side becomes awkward.) The bench seat reclines and rolls forward and back, for more versatile cargo loading and easier removal.

The third-row seat is a bench on all models, and has seat belts for all three people. Like the second-row bench it rides on small rollers that make it slightly easier to remove. It weighs about 100 pounds, which makes removal a two-person job. Once back in the van, it moves seven inches fore and aft on its track, allowing more rear luggage space, or more rear-seat legroom, depending on need. However, moving it all the way forward exposes the seat tracks, which are greasy for cargo and not friendly to dogs.

The rear bench can also be moved to the second-row seat's attachment points, to provide seating for five and cavernous luggage space. That feature adds to the versatility of Windstars equipped with second-row buckets.

The third-row seatback folds down to provide a flat table and more cup holders. Rear climate controls come standard (except in the base model), a great feature especially on hot days for children and pets. SE, SEL, and Limited come standard with rear audio controls as well, allowing kids to play cassettes in the rear while adults listen to the radio up front.

A handy feature for entertaining restless rug rats is the Auto Vision Entertainment System ($995), consisting of a VHS tape player and a 6.4-inch LCD video screen that folds down from the overhead console. There are even ports for video games. It's a real boon for long trips: You may never hear "Are we there yet?" again. The system includes a pair of headphones, so people up front do not have to listen to "Land Before Time 32," or whatever else is screening in the rear cabin.

For busy adults, SEL and Limited models feature an electronic Message Center, which is a small voice recorder attached to the driver's sun visor. It can be used to record notes and other ideas that might come to mind while driving.

The tire pressure monitoring system that comes standard is a good idea: The warning light came on while we were driving our Windstar and, sure enough, the right rear tire was about 5 pounds low. Unfortunately, the system can't tell you which tire is low, so you'll have to check all four of them when the signal light glows, a good idea anyway.

With its big V6, the Windstar is one of the quickest minivans available. It delivers strong acceleration, and has plenty of power for safe passing even with a full load of passengers. For the most part, the Windstar's powertrain performs smoothly. The V6 sounds raucous at high rpm, however, and the transmission shifts abruptly at times.

Windstar's steering is about right, with some feedback to let the driver know what the front tires are doing. It feels stable at speed. And the ride is smooth, thanks to the longest wheelbase of any minivan. Windstar rides more comfortably than sport-utility vehicles. The suspension is soft, however. It allows the Windstar to wallow in corners and lets the nose dive when you use the Windstar's brakes. Also, the brakes seemed unimpressive.

LX Deluxe, SE, SEL and Limited come with fatter tires (225/60R16) and bigger wheels (16-inch), which help improve handling and stability. Yet this package adds little noise or ride harshness.

We recommend getting the optional AdvanceTrac, an electronic vehicle stability system that uses both engine management and the anti-lock brakes to help the driver maintain control on slippery roads or other extreme conditions. Cycling 200 times per second, the AdvanceTrac computer checks the Windstar's road behavior against the driver's steering input to be certain that the van is going where the driver wants it to go. If it is sliding or skidding, then AdvanceTrac reduces engine power and/or applies the brakes individually to help guide the Windstar back to the path that the driver intended.

Another useful device is the reverse sensing system, which is standard on the Limited and part of the Family Security package ($600) on SE and SEL. Rearward visibility is limited in the Windstar, and distance is difficult to judge because the back of the vehicle is such a long way from the driver. The reverse sensor measures the distance between the van and any object behind it (such as a wall, a parked car, or a child). A beeper sounds at an increasing pace as the van backs toward the object. Besides its safety benefits, this feature speeds up parallel parking on tight streets, nice for those times when your passengers are scurrying into the restaurant or theater. It enhances safety when backing up in crowded parking lots. It's amazing how often people will walk behind or drive up and stop behind a big vehicle when it's backing up and this feature will alert you to that.

All Windstars come with air conditioning, a 3.8-liter V6 engine, antilock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EDB), and dual airbags. All come with dual sliding doors.

The 2003 Windstar LX ($22,710) comes standard with color-keyed bumpers, child-proof door locks, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Standard tires are P215/70R15s on steel wheels.

A Standard Preferred Equipment Package ($3785) adds privacy glass, an overhead console, an adjustable roof rack, high-capacity auxiliary climate control, remote keyless entry, a CD player, a color-keyed vinyl-covered steering wheel, and upgraded seats and interior lights.

A Deluxe package ($4870) includes everything in the Standard package, plus tilt wheel, cruise control, a floor console, power driver's seat, power adjustable pedals, and P225/60R16 tires on painted aluminum wheels.

SE ($29,020) packs most of the equipment from the Deluxe LX, plus a chrome grille and side moldings, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear-seat audio controls, cornering lamps, heated mirrors, interior storage nets, and low-back bucket seats in the second row.

The popular SEL ($31,750) adds leather to the interior, power to the front passenger's seat, and power to the sliding doors, plus two-tone body cladding, automatic headlights, an electronic message center, an electrochromic rear-view mirror, and a Homelink universal remote.

The top-dog Windstar is the Limited ($34,160), with side-impact airbags, SecuriLock perimeter alarm, wood-and-leather steering wheel, heated seats, woodgrain interior trim and in-dash 6-CD changer. Limited also comes with traction control, a trailer-tow package and a reverse-sensing system, a feature we've come to love.

Windstar offers a comprehensive list of options. Side-impact airbags ($390) can be added to any Windstar, but come standard on standard on Limited. Quad bucket seats ($745) are available and the SE can be equipped with power doors ($900). A Family Security package ($455) adds traction control, the perimeter security system, and 215/65R16 self-sealing tires to the LX Deluxe. SE and SEL buyers can get the package with the reverse-sensing system ($600). LX Deluxe, SE, SEL, and Limited offer a ($995) video entertainment system with a 6.4-inch monitor that folds down form the headliner. Several competing minivans offer video systems only on top-of-the-line models. Windstars sold in Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming have engine-block heaters. A three-door cargo van is available for commercial and fleet buyers.