Freestar is the new name for Ford's minivan. It previously was the Windstar, but Ford marketers claim the minivan was so radically changed that it warranted a new name. However, the Freestar is really a Windstar, albeit a much improved one.The improvements move the Ford Freestar closer to par with its prime competitors, the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, but do not leapfrog it ahead of them.Ford also renamed the Freestar to fit into its new naming structure.