1998 Ford Windstar Powerful, stylish and safety-conscious. By Trish Robb, New Car Test Drive .com

In the ever-competitive minivan market,

the little differences can make a company's year, or make it miserable.

The bigger differences, like the number of doors, can be even more significant.

Which is why the Ford Windstar, late to the four-door party, has brought

along a surprise guest this year: the Family Door.

It's hard to have any discussion about the 1998 Ford Windstar without

someone mentioning That Big Door. Ford's official name is the Family Entry

System. Ford insiders call it the More Door. The Windstar still has only

three doors--a major disadvantage since Chrysler and General Motors front-wheel-drive

minivans all offer an optional sliding door on the driver's side.

When Ford was designing the Windstar, its market research showed that

minivan buyers didn't really care about having a fourth door. Wrong. Parents

find the fourth door makes getting kids, especially little kids, in and

out of the van a lot easier. It is being ordered on something like three

out of four Chrysler vans.

The Windstar will offer a fourth door when it's redesigned for 1999,

but the big door is the quick fix for 1998. By making the driver's door

six inches longer and offering a driver's seat that slides and tips forward,

you can now get kids in and out of the back on the left side of the van.

Obviously, one door is simply not the same as two. But that doesn't

change our overall impression that the Windstar is a fine minivan.

It remains convenient to use and pleasurable to drive. A star performer

in government crash tests, the Windstar also offers plenty of room for

big families and lots of stuff.