Wet slippery roads and an unexpected red light provided an opportunity to hit the mushy brakes. Guess what? In the words of the famous Tony-the-Tiger, "they're greeeat!" Over the course of my test week I hammered the brakes a number of times and found them to be easily modulated and predictable. As brake effort increased so did braking force. I know that is exactly what should be expected, but in the Freestar it just seems to happen in a very precise and accurate manner. I felt in complete control even during panic stops. This may be a direct result of Ford's Brake

Highway hill climbs and passing posed little hardship for the Freestar's 201-hp 4.2-liter V6 engine. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

Assist system, which detects the intensity of rapid stops and automatically applies the full force of the large diameter discs. Hurtling down a mountain pass with the weight of 7 adult passengers and scads of gear onboard could otherwise be life altering experience. Of course a mountain pass descent must be preceded by a mountain pass ascent. Here again the 4.2-liter V6 shows its stuff. Highway hill climbs and passing posed little hardship: nothing here to cause whiplash but nothing for mom and pop to complain about either.

It only took a couple of turns to realize just how agile the Freestar is and how nicely it corners, even when pushed hard. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

Going back a bit, I wasn't far out of the lot at Ford's headquarters before noticing how smoothly and seamlessly the transmission shifted. Ford's 4-speed automatic with overdrive delivered all 201 horsepower to the front wheels without commotion. When passing it downshifted quickly, and regardless of terrain or speed always selected the appropriate gear.

A common misconception, unless you are referring to my geriatric Westfalia, is that minivans handle like oil tankers. In the early years this may have been true, but two decades of refinement has led to minivans that mimic sedans in the handling department. It only took a couple of turns to realize just how agile the Freestar is and how nicely it corners, even when pushed hard. With just the right amount of steering resistance, it offers a good sense of road feel, especially considering its size.