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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  Ford 500 - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Jerry Paison - August 13 - 11:30 pm

  This car is the best "comfort" car I ever owned. The engine/CVT are smooth and quite. The interior seats are comfortable, and interior space is huge. The truck will carry a lot of luggage, golf clubs, etc.

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  GREAT Car ... either for the price or even more - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By abacuses - August 11 - 7:30 pm

  I hit 110,000 this week and figured I would sing some praises after reading some of the other issues. 1st, the "downside." This car goes through the brakes. My dealer said that Volvos are known for their safety; with that comes hard wear on the brake pads. Yes, this has the Volvo engine in it. Im on my 5th set of pads and 2nd set of rotors. I started noticing a little bucking in drive-thru line s and traffic jams ... always when the AC is on. Otherwise, no issues whatsoever and this has been my favorite car ever. Im not a fan of the new Taurus, but I do love the Ford Edge. I continue to have great experiences with my Fords ... TAKE CARE OF THEM and they will do the same for you too.

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  2006 Ford Five Hundred AWD - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By VtHockeyDad - July 29 - 5:23 pm

  I am very impressed with the Ford Five Hundred. I am in sales and drive approximately 35,000 miles per year. I was first impressed that this car was basically a Volvo S80 for a little over half the price. Safety is very important since my kids will often ride with me. I average about 25 MPG, mostly highway. I love the transmission which is unconventional since it never shifts. It is a bit slow off the line, but once the speed reaches 20 mph, it has plenty of power. My only complaint is road noise. There should more insulation. The car handles very well with the AWD even at higher speeds. I highly recommend it for the money and mileage.

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  Just bought it and Love it! - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Karen - July 28 - 3:13 am

  I just bought this car and love it! After quite a bit of online investigation and the realization that I could not afford a brand new car with all these options, I bought mine with 15,000 miles. It beat out the new Hyundai Sonata and Chevy Imapala by a lot! Could use a little more get up and go, wind noise and the rear view mirror could be bigger, but all-in-all I love it. Excellent quality for the price.

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  Happy Driver - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By trishae77 - July 24 - 4:26 pm

  I work in sales, so I am on the road all the time. I am very happy with my Five Hundred. It is a very comfortable car, with lots of space. As I am on the road a lot, the safety ratings were very important to me. The gas mileage has seems fine. I looked at the Hyundai Sonata and Mercury Sable and found this car to be a much better value and liked its style.

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  500 Limited - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By ja2858 - July 19 - 11:33 am

  This is a great car! Although we have a small clunk in the rear passenger side when going over a bump, I think this is one of the better built cars I have owned. Very solid feel and very distinguished looks. This car is a real head turner and a pleasure to drive.

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  Ford 500 Limited - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By JO - July 19 - 5:50 am

  When I first saw the new 500 I had to go test drive them. We drove the SEL and the Limited. I noticed the difference between cloth and leather and decided to purchase the top of the line Limited. I have had nothing less than a great experience so far. I have even had people come up to me and ask me all about it. Ive even had people, when stopped at a stop light pull up along side me & wave to get my attention. I open the window and they say wow is that the new Ford? I thought it was a Mercedes until I got closer and saw the Ford emblem. My car is the Merlot Metallic Red with Pebble leather interior and the controls on the steering wheel make it easier to change different things. Love It!

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  I love this car - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Darryn Dunn - July 18 - 1:10 pm

  I was looking for a car with Class, Plenty of room, Beautiful Design and Long lasting. I found all of this and more in my Ford 500 Limited. The body style has not changed in the time I brought it, giving me the feel of still having a new car. I like the refer to my car as the poor mans Maybach!

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  My thoughts on the Ford 500 - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Nick Eliades - July 18 - 6:56 am

  We have gone on a couple short trips and found the car very comfortable, roomy, and with many pockets for drinks, maps and papers. The 3 liter engine is just fine with the 6 speed transmission.

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  New owners impression - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By The Wizard - July 13 - 2:06 pm

  As of this writing, I have only owned this car for a few weeks. We looked at Lexus ES300 (used), Impala, Chrysler 300, Acura TL (used), and a few others. Many of these where fine cars. However, we felt that we got the most value for the money with the Five Hundred. This car has loads of space, is very comfortable, has excellent safety ratings, decent styling, and good mileage. On top of that, the dealership was very decent to work with. My wife and I are happy customers.