With its big V6, the Windstar is one of the quickest minivans available, with acceleration that would have put it in the hot sport-sedan class a generation ago. Even with a full load of passengers the Windstar has enough power for safe passing. At times the transmission shifts a little abruptly. Otherwise the Windstar's powertrain performs smoothly, although it can sound a little raucous at high rpm.
Steering is about right, with some feedback to let the driver know what's going on. The ride is smooth, thanks to the longest wheelbase of any minivan. Windstar certainly rides more comfortably than any sport-utility vehicle. The suspension feels soft and wallows in corners. Its handling, while not as crisp a sedan's, is more stable than an SUV's. The brakes were unimpressive and the nose dives under hard braking.
SE, SEL and Limited come with fatter tires (215/65R16) and bigger wheels (16-inch), which helps improve handling and stability substantially. Yet this package adds very little noise or ride harshness.
Yet another useful device is the reverse sensing system, which is standard on the Limited and part of a $600 Family Security Group 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 on a bicycle). A beeper sounds at an increasing pace as the van approaches the object. It may seem silly at first, but we really like this feature. We find it helpful when parallel parking on tight streets where it really speeds up the process, good when everyone else is scurrying into the restaurant. It increases 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.
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