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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  Excellent car overall, but repairs are frequent - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By International Emergency Vehicle Repsonses - September 15 - 8:41 am

  I like my Ford Five- Hundred SEL 3.0L V6. Overall, excellent car. The main problem im having right now is ride comfort, transmission being to lurky, and repairs. It is not as reliable as my 2007 Toyota Highlander Sport 3.3L V6 3R, but the dealer support is a lot better. I take my car to quick- lane, and they are super nice people, love the vending machines in the waiting room and I like the fact that they are honest- they focus more on quality repairs than making a profit, which is very impressive. It has had a lot of drivetrain problems: Many engine leaks and problems, some transmission problems and the occasional brake problems, but too be fair, I should take better care of it, getting the oil changed more, etc. I like the interior, nice cloth seats and the legroom is amazing. I love how the center console is level with the seats, because everytime I drive it, my dog sits on the armrest/ center console and he loves it there, you know he feels safe and hes next to me, so we both love it. Handling in snow is great, considering it is Front Wheel Drive, way way better snow handling than my Toyota Highlander. Transmission lurches everytime I change gears, which is annoying and the car is too low to the ground, so much so that when driving over a speed bump, one can hear the "pleasant" sound of the undercarriage scraping the bump, and backing out of driveways, you hear the famous scrape sound that my car is notorious for. I could take better care of it though, and Im a Ford fan till the end. Its not my preferred style of vehicle, Id like an SUV or pickup, but its a great car overall. I bought it new in 2008 for $7500 after it was my work car

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  Dino - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Dino - September 9 - 6:46 pm

  I got the full loaded limited. It is roomy, quiet, and many considerate designs. Lots of features with limited amount of money.

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  A big car for the money - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Jeff A. - September 7 - 9:26 pm

  We had been researching vehicles for some time, comparing the Chrysler 300, Toyota and Buick. This car had everything we wanted for a great price. So far gas mileage is right on target with sticker. It really feels like you are in a much more expensive automobile.

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  Impression - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By foman - August 31 - 2:26 am

  Recently took trip in new 500; very pleased with ride economy and handling. So far more than pleased with our purchase.

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  Great Ride - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Ron - August 29 - 6:00 pm

  Purchased in Illinois and drove to AZ with very good performance. Window showed highway 29 MPG, obtained 28.8 MPG. GPS system works great and over all clean tight fit with a comfortable ride.

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  Nice vehicle - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By WisconsinGal - August 24 - 7:16 am

  Purchased the SEL in March of 2006. Have yet to see 29 miles to the gallon. 24 at best. Vehicle has some type of wheel problem. theyve replaced links and flushed steering column (no idea why). However, the problem with the wheel - persistent steering wheel shakes and the noise is so loud I have to turn my radio up just to hear it. Not the car I bought back in March. Computer odometer seems to be off will have them look at that as well.

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  big car - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By don - August 14 - 11:36 am

  This is a really nice car. It has a smooth ride, is quiet inside, comfortable and gets good gas mileage.

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  Chose over all others - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Kate - August 11 - 1:23 pm

  Spent 3 solid months researching vehicles and settled upon Audi A6 or Volvo S60 but chose the 500 based upon its safety factor and roominess in both interior and trunk. Surprised by smooth driving, shifting and overall ride which I felt was comparable to those of European design -- in fact, its almost of that style in the front but the back end is not that attractive. Excellent gas mileage, average of 22.8 - 28.9. Did not choose AWD because I live in So. CA. Nice feature though.

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  Computer is deceiving - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By W. Graham - July 24 - 2:40 am

  I test drove one of these before buying mine and loved it. Mine has been excellent except for the brake problem and the fact it is underpowered. I found the gas mileage to be better than expected, but I actually compute it the old-fashioned way with pencil and paper. If you subtract the ending miles from the beginning and divide by the actual gallons used per the gas pump, you will see that your mileage is significantly better than the computer shows. I dont know why. I live in the country and get 23-25 running around and 25-27 on trips, using regular gas. I dont like the look of the 2008, but will try one when the time comes. Long time relationship with this great dealer.

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  Far better than you think! - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Joel - July 7 - 6:56 pm

  I purchased this vehicle as a result of searching for something comfortable after major surgery. Strong engine for a 3.0, CVT is quite cool once you get used to how it operates, AWD is seamless, the ride and handling are comfortable without being bone jarring, controls are well placed. The interior and trunk are cavernous, fit, finish and features are quite good for a car picked up with 19800 miles and going on three years old. Intuitive controls, upward seating position, phenomenal stereo and nav system round out a really cool car. Im not certain why the automotive reviews were so harsh on this car. I could not disagree more with the reviews out there by the auto critics.