Tuesday, April 15, 2008

1990-1997 Ford Aerostar Review


Introduced way back in 1986, Ford's rear-drive minivan came in both passenger and cargo-hauling form. A stretched van joined the original for 1989, on the same 118.9-inch wheelbase but with 15.4 inches tacked onto the rear. An available 4.0-liter V6 and heavy-duty 4-speed automatic transmission arrived for 1990. Also new for 1990: full-time 4-wheel drive (as an option) and standard antilock rear brakes. Seating for five was standard; space for seven optional. Six trim levels were available.
Year to Year Changes
1991 Ford Aerostar: A new sport appearance package for regular-length XL and XLT included forged alloy wheels and silver-color body accents (including a front air dam and side running boards). A door ajar light was added for models with dual rear doors.
1992 Ford Aerostar: A driver-side airbag and front-end facelift came for '92. The new dashboard got redesigned headlamp and climate controls. The automatic-transmission shift lever moved from the floor to the steering column. High-back front buckets now were standard. Rear outboard seats got lap/shoulder belts. A new grille and flush aero headlamps were installed.
1993 Ford Aerostar: New optional integrated child safety seats became available, folding out from the middle bench.
1994 Ford Aerostar: A high-mounted third brake light was installed for '94. Aerostars still came in XL, XL Plus, XLT, and Eddie Bauer trim.
1995 Ford Aerostar: Produced in regular or extended form, the Aerostar XLT complemented Ford,s new front-drive Windstar minivan. Side-impact beams were added to both front doors and the sliding side door. Permanent 4-wheel drive remained available, only in extended-length models. No more manual-shift Aerostars went on sale.
1996 Ford Aerostar: A new 4-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift controls became available. Radios got larger buttons. Optional premium sound systems were upgraded to 24 watts. The optional auto-climate system was redesigned with new air conditioning controls.
1997 Ford Aerostar: A new 5-speed automatic transmission arrived for '97, which turned out to be Aerostar,s final season. The 5-speed came only with the 4.0-liter engine, which was standard on 4WD Aerostars. This minivan was discontinued at the end of the year.

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