2005 Ford Five Hundred

When the Ford Taurus debuted for 1986, its aerodynamic look and big interior quickly made it the benchmark of family sedans. But in the 90s, Ford lost that prize to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. They simply gave Americans more of what they wanted in a 4-door. Now in an effort to win back some of that lost ground, Ford is launching an all new sedan, the Five Hundred. Ford says the Five Hundred redefines the family sedan with original thinking. Well, here’s what we think of that!

See it rolling through your neighborhood, and there’s no danger that you’ll mistake the 2005 Ford Five Hundred for its Taurus stable mate. The Five Hundred is bigger and more modern in every way. Like the compact Focus, the Five Hundred is a true ‘‘world car’‘; a machine that draws its style and engineering from Ford’s vast global empire.

The high-strength, all-steel unibody chassis is derived from the one Volvo uses on its prestigious XC90 sport-utility. With its Volvo heritage, safety is a priority of the Ford Five Hundred. There is a reinforced roof, a new front cross car beam, extra fuel tank protection, advanced front impact crash management, and the Five Hundred already meets upcoming government rear impact standards.

All around occupant protection comes from dual stage front, plus optional side and head curtain airbags with rollover sensors. There’s also an adaptive steering column that collapses with less force in a severe crash.

The Five Hundred platform is designed for both front, and all-wheel-drive. The all-wheel-drive system also has Volvo genes. It’s the latest Haldex electro-hydraulic coupling. At the first sign of slippage, it instantly shifts power to the rear wheels. Plus, when combined with the standard traction control system, it means the Five Hundred can keep going even if only one rear wheel has grip.

To support the all-wheel-drive system, the multi-link rear suspension adds self-leveling shocks and hydroformed lower control arms. Power for both front and all-wheel-drive models comes from Ford’s 3.0-liter Duratec twin-cam V6. It makes a mild 203 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. That’s less than the Camry V-6 or the V-6 Chrysler 300 Touring. Front drive transmission choices are a 6-speed automatic, or a new ZF-built continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive gets the CVT only.

These clever mechanical bits ride on 17-inch alloy wheels for SE and SEL, and 18-inchers for the top-line Limited model. The Five Hundred is, however, a little deceiving in overall size. At 200.7, it’s only 3 inches longer than a mid-size Taurus. Yet, its 112.9-inch wheelbase provides a larger interior than a full-size Crown Victoria. So, it really is mid-size outside, full-size inside, and is classified by the EPA as a large car.

We initially drove Ford’s new full-size family car at its press launch, where the Five Hundred exhibited a solid Volvo-like feel. The 3.0-liter V6 and CVT combination deliver power in a seamless, refined manner. The 6-speed has crisp yet barely noticeable shifts. Both the CVT and 6-speed cover a wider range of gear ratios than a typical 4 or 5 speed. That means a lower low and higher high. In front drive, with CVT, the new Five Hundred can sprint from 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds. The 6-speed is the fuel economy champ, however, with impressive EPA ratings of 21 city and 29 highway.

The all-wheel-drive system gives solid grip on pavement both good and bad. The front MacPherson strut suspension and fixed boost steering deliver fairly quick turn-ins, with moderate levels of understeer. The ride is Euro-firm but soaks up bumps quite well. In typical Euro-fashion, there is a fair amount of body roll in hard cornering, though side-to-side transitions are quite smooth.

Ford aimed for a more upscale feel from the Five Hundred, and the styling reflects that. The lines show a strong European influence, with a front end resembling Ford of Europe’s popular Mondeo. The tail is tall and wide, with very German-looking lights and greenhouse. Not surprising since Ford styling chief Jay Mays is a veteran of Volkswagen and Audi design. Regardless, the new Five Hundred is handsome from every angle.

The Euro-look carries over to the inside. The cabin is clean, spacious, understated, and very well equipped. Standard features include air, CD player, and outside keypad entry. Fit and finish on the pre-production test cars we tried was very good, with SEL and Limited models wearing handsome wood-grain trim on the dash and center console. The Five Hundred’s Command Seating position raises the front seats up to 4 -inches higher than those of competing sedans for a better view of the road. A 6-way power drivers’ seat is standard in the SE, 8-way in the SEL and Limited.

The extremely spacious, split rear bench also sits higher for a wider view and folds flat. When combined with the folding front passenger seat, standard on SEL and Limited, broad cargo up to 10 feet long can be easily handled. That is after you stuff the class leading 21.2 cubic foot trunk. In fact it is the largest of any sedan sold in North America.

The Ford Five Hundred is a class leader in price as well. The well equipped front-drive SE starts at just $22,795. Go all-wheel-drive for $24,495. The top-of-the-line Limited carries a base price of $26,795 in front-drive form, and $28,495 for all-wheel-drive.

That’s a lot of innovative and very capable full-size sedan for the money. In fact, the 2005 Ford Five Hundred does show a lot of impressive original thinking that anyone with a family will love. And while modest production plans may prevent Ford from winning back any family car sales crown, the Five Hundred will certainly turn the heads of a lot folks who haven’t looked at a Ford lately.