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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  TRANSMISSION IS WACK - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By condrabo - January 28 - 11:07 am

  Ford has had major problems with the transmissions in the 2005-2006 Ford 500s. The transmissions go out with as little as 30,000 miles on the vehicle. My car is no exception to the transmission issues. The car will "buck and jump" when passing or when slowing below 40 mph. I contacted Ford and their response was since the NHTSA hasnt forced a recall, there is nothing they can do to assist with the problem. Instead of being proactive, I suppose Ford will just wait until enough people have had their fill of problems and file class action lawsuits.

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  New and Happy Five Hundred owner - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By 500 - January 2 - 7:56 am

  I like my new Pearl Blue Ford a lot. I refer to it as The Big Ford, because that is the best feature. It fits real people in real time. So easy to get in and out of and it is still so new I want to drive it a lot. My mileage is still not great (about 17.4) and I do hope it improves. So far, all things are working great. I will make the dealer align the car at the first service, but that is the only thing I have noticed. Really nice, plain, and high class automobile. Will drive it happily and feeling safe.

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  Great New Ford - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Victor Haddock - January 1 - 6:40 am

  After driving a Ford Taurus for 7 year I traded in for a brand new Limited 500. What a difference!. The 500 is a great roomy sedan that handles very well and has plenty of safety features. In addittion the AWD option is a nice upgrade. All around a great car with many great options. For the price you cant beat it.

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  Wow what a car! I love it. - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By alcontejr - December 29 - 5:16 am

  I moved up from a long line of Tauruses. I was skeptical during my first test drive. Thought it too confining with poor visibility due to size of side view mirrors which I thought blocked front corner vision during tight turns. I also do not like the high beam stalk switch. It is vague.

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  Great car,Great value! - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By nice car! - December 25 - 8:16 pm

  Traded our Explorer in for the new Five Hundred and so far we are very pleased with our choice. We no longer need the utility vehicle and wanted something that was full size but not oversized and after looking at many makes and models we settled on the Ford 500 because we felt it was more bang for the buck with the AWD and options galore for around $23,000.Very happy owner!

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  My European sport sedan - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By DMS - December 21 - 10:00 am

  Oh man when I first saw the car I said whats a 500? A friend had to tell me about the old name plate and I remembered so when I traded in my 97 Olds Aurora I was so impressed with the 500 with the look and how it handled, cause I only care about performance and how a car handles and the look was Awesome,while most of my buddies bought European Cars I bout a FORD FIVE HUNDRED AWD LIMITED,they were impressed also. havent had any problems and I bought it used with 41,000 I just put brakes on and new tires on it.I just want it to be more sporty but the car is the best SPORT SEDANAmerican I have had. My motto is "drive now, drive forever, drive Ford. Thanks Ford this is my first one.

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  Best sedan for the money - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By prmonse - December 19 - 1:56 am

  I was looking for a affordable and comfortable sedan, this 500 is a great deal, you cant get anything domestic or imported that offers this amount of room and comfort for the money. For $27000 I got a fully loaded sedan with all the new technology, incredible room, more than adequate performance, since every magazine complains of the 203 hp engine, and excellent mileage for such a large car, Ive got 28mpg on my first fill up. Love the high seating position, the comfortable and quiet ride that doesnt preclude sporty driving when you hustle.

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  The 500 after 6 months - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Chuck - December 13 - 3:43 pm

  I bought my 500 in May 2005. I previously owned a Lincoln Town Car and was looking for a car to retire with. The size of the 500 was just right and its price didnt take much of a bite. After my initial test drive I was sold. The fit and finish of this car was as good as any I had seen. The CVT transmission is one of the smoothest I have ever experienced. Granted the interior leaves a bit to be desired but the economy and performance is right on. I have read some reviews that said it was under-powered. I dont find this so. The 50 to 80 passing speeds are so quick that you hardly realize that you have achieved 80 when passing. With my six months with the 500 I have had no problems.

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  Ford 500 - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Matt B - December 11 - 1:10 am

  I purchased a 07 Ford 500 back in June 2007. Things have been going ok until Christmas of last year when on vecation car died while driving using cruise control. After this died 3-4 times for the same reason but then only by adjusting speed by cruise controls. After that abnormal wear on back rotors and break pads. Now after 80.000 miles the transmissions seems to starts slipping when go beyond first gear. Car is still at the shop so we will see when they finish with the diagnostics.

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  Bad Brakes - Ford Wont Fix Rear Pads - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By jim - November 16 - 8:33 am

  We drove our new Ford 500 home; after driving 400 miles the brakes were pulsing and making a loud grinding noise. We took it in to the dealer and it needed new rotors and pads. Now we cant go 1000 miles before our wheels are totally black with brake dust in the rear only. I am told that Ford is going to develop new pads this quarter to fix the problem. This is a nice car but we have had all these brake problems and we can’t get an answer if our car is even safe to drive. 400 miles for a set of rotors and is not normal and I dont think its too safe either.