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High-riding practicality
Ford Five Hundred offers comfort and space
By Tony Whitney
Most auto industry observers agree the 2005 Ford Five Hundred is one of the most important automobiles in the company’s history.
After years of depending on pickup trucks to keep the bottom line healthy, Ford was beginning to let the car side slip. But times have changed and Ford has returned to the highly competitive world of mid- to full-size sedans with a flurry of activity—mostly centered around the Five Hundred model.
The new vehicle has everything a fleet operator could wish for in a large sedan. It should also please firms with “buy domestic” policies. Another fleet plus is the vehicle is very much an “all weather warrior” with its available all-wheel drive (the base car comes with front wheel drive).
Ultimately, the Five Hundred is supposed to be a successor to the Taurus, but it’s also a good replacement for the bigger Crown Victoria.
Improved outlook
The undeniably conservative Five Hundred won’t win too many beauty contests when it’s compared to other large sedans. It doesn’t have the brash boldness of Chrysler’s 300 series or the European elegance of an Audi A6. But it’s a landmark product, nonetheless. It sits high on the road for a reason and it makes no attempt to offer up low-slung sleekness with consequent practicality sacrifices.
According to Ford, people flock to SUVs because they like the “commanding” view of the road. Why not, then, design a sedan around higher-than-normal seating that offers better visibility?
With the Five Hundred, the idea really works and it’s easy for drivers to believe they’re piloting one of the more sporty SUVs. The roofline is high—six inches taller than a Taurus. But that doesn’t matter too much, since the rest of the car is well-proportioned. You don’t really notice the car’s bulk until you park it beside a Camry or an Accord.
Ford has trademarked the name “command seating,” so it’s likely to pop up on other sedan products. The car’s sensible design includes the rear seat area—surprisingly large and accommodating. Police forces will also be attracted for the space provided for its “passengers.”
There’s just one engine available with the new Five Hundred—a 3.0-litre DOHC 24-valve V-6 developing 203 horsepower. It’s hard to believe Ford won’t ultimately offer this model with a V-8, given all the flimflam that DaimlerChrysler has built around its high-performance V-8 Hemis in its Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum models. Even a more powerful V-6 would probably be a welcome option for some buyers. Basic front wheel drive cars have a choice of six-speed automatic or continuously variable (CVT) transmissions, but the all-wheel drive variant is only sold with the CVT.
Our test car came with all-wheel drive and the CVT and this proved to be an outstanding transmission with its smooth, stepless shifts. It won’t be too long before CVTs become standard fare on all kinds of vehicles; but for the time being they’re quite rare.
Platform partner
The Five Hundred offers a very comfortable and refined ride. This isn’t surprising since it shares its basic platform with the far more expensive Volvo S80 luxury sedan. As most auto buyers know by now, Volvo is owned by Ford.
As a business cruiser with lots of room for five full-sized adults, the Five Hundred has few rivals, especially at its price. The trunk is vast (600-litres) and according to Ford, will take up to eight golf bags if needed. It’s claimed to have the largest trunk of any sedan sold in Canada.
The cabin layout is tasteful and intelligently planned with wood-grained accenting in all the right places and a very attractive instrument panel design with white dials and retro-looking chrome bezels. Fingertip controls on the steering wheel are neatly integrated, and don’t look like add-ons. Both front seats have map pockets in the back.
The Five Hundred’s “plain Jane” looks probably won’t matter too much to the average fleet manager, who’s far more likely to be impressed by the car’s outstanding practicality than by styling. Add to this a very refined ride and you have a new Ford of great significance. fm
Tony Whitney is a Vancouver-based automotive journalist
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