ON YOUR MARK! GET SET! GO; (to the supermarket, or soccer field, or school, or...).(News)(Ford Freestar)(Product/Service Evaluation)

Byline: MAC MORRISON

IT'S NOT THE STUFF OF RACING pulses-or racing anything, for that matter-but 2004 is the Year of the Minivan. Nissan and Toyota fired the first shots, and Ford now gets in on the act with its 2004 Freestar and upscale Mercury Monterey. Both models hit the million-minivan-per-year U.S. marketplace this month with base prices of $24,460 and $29,995, respectively.

The Freestar bears a more than fleeting resemblance to the Windstar it replaces. Major exterior differences extend from the A-pillar forward, where a stocky hood and restyled quarter-panels, grille and bumper tell you this is something new. Side doors and rear quarter-panels remain unchanged, although the liftgate is redesigned.

Ford also packs in a smorgasbord of safety features, including three-point belts throughout and an optional safety canopy (standard on Monterey Premier and Luxury models) that provides side-impact protection for all occupants.

Inside, the standard third-row bench-seat is the segment's best. A three-step pull-strap process makes it a breeze to stow the bench flat into the floor, and it isn't necessary to remove the headrests before doing so. The same seat flips up in the opposite direction to become a comfortable, rearward-facing tailgate perch-just as football season hits its stride. A second-row bench is standard on lower-spec models, while upscale editions (Freestar comes in five trim levels, Monterey in three) feature dual captain's chairs (standard on all Montereys). Each style of the second-row seats may be removed or shifted forward for added storage.

The Freestar's standard 3.9-liter pushrod V6 produces 193 hp at 5500 rpm and 245 lb-ft at 3500, with 90 percent of peak torque available from 1500 rpm. However, the optional (standard on Monterey) 4.2-liter V6 is the way to go.

With 201 hp at 4250 and 263 lb-ft at 3650, the bigger powerplant offers more displacement and torque than any competitor's engine. No, the ...