Overview & Reviews

After years of focusing most of its attention on light trucks, Ford realized it needed a stronger lineup of passenger cars. In particular, the company needed a car that would appeal to families of four and five. The Ford Five Hundred was the result, a large sedan designed to appeal both to ex-SUV owners and traditional full-size-car buyers.

The Ford Five Hundred's biggest advantage was space, as it offered more than 40 inches of legroom front and rear as well as a massive 21-cubic-foot trunk. In addition, the seating position up front was higher than normal to provide a commanding view of the road.

Sales were never particularly strong, however, and Ford decided to rename the Five Hundred as the Taurus starting with the 2008 model year.

Most Recent Ford Five Hundred

Introduced for 2005, the Ford Five Hundred received minimal changes during its brief three-year run. This sedan is based on the previous-generation Volvo S80 platform, and made use of that car's all-wheel drive and safety technology. The Five Hundred's Swedish origins were immediately apparent when you drove it, as it provided both a comfortable ride and competent handling, with nicely weighted steering. Braking performance was mediocre, though, and Volvo's stability control system wasn't included in the package.

Passive safety was excellent in this large sedan. Originally optional, front seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags became standard for 2007. Additionally, the Ford Five Hundred aced crash tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, earning the highest possible rating in every category.

Three trim levels -- SE, SEL and Limited -- were offered initially, though for its last year the SE was dropped. Front-wheel drive was standard on both trims, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Choosing a front-drive Five Hundred paired the 203-horsepower V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, while opting for AWD mandated a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Key options included rear parking sensors, a navigation system and a rear DVD entertainment system, the latter a rarity in a mid-priced sedan.

Mediocre acceleration was the main drawback to the Five Hundred. Its standard 3.0-liter Duratec V6 was not as powerful or refined as most competitors' engines. Still, the Five Hundred's low pricing and top-notch crash test scores made it a reasonable family car pick. Consumers should know that the Ford Five Hundred was revamped and renamed the Taurus for 2008, and boasted a number of key improvements. The latter included much stronger performance courtesy of a potent new V6, upgraded cabin trim and available stability control.

User Reviews:

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  Good Ride - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Pat Deyo - June 4 - 4:16 pm

  Fun to drive. Fun features. Easy to drive. Good looking car.

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  Excellent car - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By earlbarr - May 28 - 10:23 pm

  I really enjoy driving this car. It handles well and is a very comfortable ride. The gas mileage is very good both in town and on the road.

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  Wheres the beef? - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By CJ - May 23 - 6:06 pm

  Great all around car, especially for the family. Comfort is more than adequate, trunk is huge and styling is nice. Horribly underpowered and the standard (SEL) sound system stinks. If I had it to do over again, Id look at Nissan Maxima or Volvo S80.

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  The Best Sedan We Ever Bought! - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Brian - May 2 - 12:26 am

  Well, here we are, 10K miles later and we keep marveling at how much we love this great automobile. The fuel mileage is on target, no squeaks or rattles, comfortable as all getup and it goes like stink when needed. The ONLY reason it was returned to the dealer was to reprogram the dealer installed remote starter that includes all the bells and whistles that somehow got a glitch. It has been absolutely trouble free, other than that! This is by far The Best Car we have ever owned, and we trade every 3-4 years. This makes this the 15th personal car we have owned, not counting 10 company vehicles that we have had in a fleet. I have to give Ford a "Dattaboy!" with the 500.

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  Better than the Asian cars - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Domestic guy - April 15 - 10:16 am

  The new Five Hundred is a nice full sized car with room to spare. I can put a ton of things in the trunk and people in the back seat can really stretch out. This car has so much more trunk space and leg room than the Toyota Avalon that I dont see why anyone would choose it over this. Of course more power would be welcome and gas mileage has been only so so but Im sure will get better with more break in miles. Really ticked at Ford for eliminating the bodyside door molding for protection.

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  Great Car - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Robert - April 12 - 1:23 am

  Great car, drives nice and looks good. when driving down the road I get a lot of looks and have been stopped by people who want to what kind of car it is.

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  Big Surprise - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By BTG - April 10 - 5:50 pm

  I need a large car to provide room and comfort to clients. Many of my co- workers buy luxury nameplates I chose the 500 for its comfort. Almost all of my passengers are amazed at the quality, comfort and ride of the 500. Poor weather handling is fantastic. This car is not as ego inflating as those German megapriced sedans but it has surprised those owners with the good seat support and unequaled rear seat room, comfort and ride quality. On the highway it is quite, smooth and responsive. In over 28,000 miles my only service has been oil changes and tire rotation. I have not had one single defect or problem. The AWD works without any fuss and adds a true feeling of security. Bravo Ford!

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  Smooth Sailing - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By S.J. Carey - April 10 - 3:06 am

  This is mainly driven by my wife. Our children love the DVD player. Gets way better gas mileage than our Lincoln LS. I like dealerships that actually care about their customers. When you shell out $30,000 dollars for a car I want to be pampered before, during, and after the sale. Considered buying a Camry, Accord, or Maxima BUT with the same features this 500 was thousands of dollars less expensive.This is a nice car that I love to drive.

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  Great Car - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By PHE - April 8 - 9:53 pm

  This one is a sleeper. Honestly, its a Chrysler 300 for thousands less. The only thing I would change about the car is the power -- it does need more. But the comfort is better than Chrysler, the visibility is great, and the Audiophile sound system is good. My father-in-law thinks it looks like a Mercedes, and my wife calls it a luxury car that fools the insurance companies into thinking its "just" a Ford.

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  love the car but hate the monthly visits - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By mrscal - April 6 - 9:06 pm

  I purchased my 500 brand new and fell in love with it. My husband gave it to me for a Christmas present/baby gift. Car performed well when we had a collision later that year. Then the monthly visits began. The car has had a new blower motor installed, a ton of transmission work, three brake jobs, door repairs, interior repair, and now the radio has died. We also believe there is an electrical problem with the car the dealership has not located as of yet. I am ready to move this car on. Loved the car, but I hate the almost monthly dealership visits. I would not recommend this car nor any Ford product...and this coming from a former Ford fan.