FORD'S NEW MIDSIZE SEDAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!
Published on Thu, Mar 17, 2005
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
© All photos by Harvey Schwartz
FORD'S
NEW MIDSIZE SEDAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
The Ford Taurus is no more, having been replaced in 2005 with the all-new Five
Hundred.
When first introduced in the mid-1980s, the Taurus became the best-selling sedan
in America. That all changed in the late 1990s when Ford updated the
Taurus with a strange design theme of circular lines and shapes. Sales declined,
and the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord took over as number one and number two for
midsize sedans.
The all-new Ford Five Hundred is Ford's response to help get the marque back
on top in the hotly contested and lucrative midsize sedan market with over one
million total vehicle sales in 2004.
Can the Ford Five Hundred do it? Only time will tell, but the Five Hundred
is a definite improvement. On the other hand, it can be looked at as somewhat
conservative in design and power. It is larger, has more room inside than
the Taurus, and has several advantages over the Camry and Accord.
Ford's flagship-sedan delivers Command Seating, loads of cargo capability,
versatility, and all-weather confidence. The fold-flat rear and front
passenger seat (on SEL and Limited models) provides ample interior space from
bumper to dashboard, allowing room to fit an eight-foot ladder. At
21 cubic feet, it has one of the largest sedan trunks.
The Five Hundred comes standard with front-wheel-drive and optional
all-wheel-drive for all-weather and road surface traction. The standard
six-speed automatic is the only one available in a mid-size sedan priced under
$35,000.00. An optional CVT (continuously variable transmission) is standard on
the AWD model. The CVT optimizes performance, while promoting fuel
efficiency and low emissions.
A new energy-channeling frame and body structures protect occupants in the event
of a collision. An optional safety package includes side airbags, and
industry-leading Safety Canopy system for protection in side impacts and
rollovers. The Five Hundred is available in three levels of comfort-the
value leading SE, the midlevel SEL, and the top-of-the-line Limited. Let's take a closer look at the Five Hundred.|
Classic Ford design cues include the trapezoidal, diamond-patterned grille, the
widow graphic with elegant chrome surround, and the blue oval Ford badge
centered on both the grille and the rear of the trunk lid. Five
Hundred's authoritative exterior design, with its clean geometric lines and
stately proportions, displays confidence and luxury.
Premium features include 17-inch wheels (18-inch wheels are standard on the
Limited), entry keypad, one-touch up/down front power windows, plus other
options such as all-wheel-drive, leather-trimmed seating with power adjustments,
fold-flat front passenger seat, reverse parking assist and moonroof. The
Five Hundred is about three inches longer than a Taurus, but roughly a foot
shorter than the full-size Crown Victoria.
On the inside, the Five Hundred's seating is one of the car's most
impressive elements. The vehicle's interior brings SUV-like Command
Seating to the premium sedan segment, giving drivers and passengers a clear view
of the road, yet possessing the low step-in height of a car. Occupants sit
up to four inches higher than in other midsize sedans. The distance is
even greater for second-row passengers. Overall legroom is best in class
for both front and rear occupants. I'd like to see better upholstered
seats up front because the driver's seat felt like it needed more padding on
the bottom and back for optimum comfort on long trips. The trunk, with 21
cubic feet of storage space, is the largest of any midsize sedan and can
accommodate eight full-size golf bags.
Other touches include a front-row, pop-up center console storage bin large
enough for many items that you need on any journey, such as a purse, CDs, or
hair brush. The center console easily holds a cell phone, or PDA.
The center console includes dual cupholders, a storage slot, and a good looking
and easy to use stick shifter. The seat backs can hold maps or magazines, and
the rear seat has a pull-down center armrest with dual cupholders/pull-up
storage space. All together there are eight beverage holders plus door
panel storage on each door for umbrellas and other slim items.
The interior styling includes soft materials and surface treatments-from smooth
metal-plated door handles to soft-touch paint surfaces and high-quality fabrics
or leather surfaces. SEL and Limited models have burled wood-pattern
appliqués on the dashboard that lightens up the interior nicely but not on the
door rest switch plates. The SE edition features appliqués that resemble
metal mesh. The dashboard contains a premium analog, oval shaped clock in
the middle with a nicely arranged center stack with easy to use buttons and
dials for the audio system and electronic climate controls. The tilting
and leather wrapped four-spoke steering wheel feels very good in your hands and
there are control buttons for the audio system and cruise control giving you
hands-free operation.
The instrument cluster is straight-ahead and easy to see. The 120-mph
speedometer and 7,000-rpm tachometer features aluminum bezels for another luxury
touch. Smaller gauges in between for fuel and engine coolant temperature
have bright LED displays below to warn of safety or system failure. Other
features standard on the Limited include eight-way power driver's
seat/four-way power passenger seat with lumbar control, dual-zone automatic
climate control, outside temperature and compass direction readouts, leather
seats, heated driver/passenger seats, remote keyless entry, engine immobilizer,
variable-speed wipers/washer, and a 19-gallon fuel tank.
The Five Hundred combines technology under the hood to create a dynamic driving
experience. An improved Duratec 30 3.0-liter DOHC, aluminum alloy V6
engine makes 203 horsepower and 207 pound feet of torque. While the
numbers are okay, it is not enough to bring back consumers to the new Five
Hundred. I would have liked to see a 3+ liter 240 horsepower V6, and an
optional 300 horsepower V8 in this large, midsize sedan to really take the wind
out of the 210 horsepower Camry and 240 horsepower Accord. It's just
enough is not good enough anymore. Also, I didn't notice any improvement
to the 3.0-liter Duratec - it still made noise that seeped into the cabin.
This standard Duratec engine is hooked up to a CVT or six-speed
front-wheel-drive transaxle. The CVT is standard on all all-wheel-drive
and some front-drive versions of the Five Hundred. The CVT uses two
variable-size pulleys-one for input from the engine, the other for output to the
drive wheels-connected by a steel link belt. It varies the effective sizes
of the two pulleys to meet the driving demands of the moment. Electronic
powertrain controls, including a sensor on the electronic throttle, constantly
monitor the demand for power. When more torque is needed for acceleration
or maintaining speed up a steep hill, the transmission seamlessly responds by
creating the right drive ratio form an infinite number of possibilities,
allowing the Duratec engine to operate at optimum performance.
I'm glad that my test vehicle came with the six-speed automatic because it was
smooth and gave lots of performance with smooth gear changes, while the CVT that
I tested in the all-new Ford Freestyle sounded rough going up the gears under
heavy throttle. All-speed traction control insures very litter torque
steer when you put your foot down hard on the throttle. In any case, neither of
these transmissions is available on Camry or Accord.
Underpinning the all-new Five Hundred is a fully independent suspension.
Up front is MacPherson struts, rearward-facing low l-arms, and a stabilizer bar.
The rear setup includes multi-link, coil-over shocks and a stabilizer bar.
On all-wheel-drive models, innovative, self-leveling shocks sense ride height
and use energy from the vehicle's motion to raise the shock to the desired
level.
While not sport-tuned, the suspension system feels 'light on it's feet',
with little body lean in turns because of front/rear stabilizer bars, and it has
good response to your inputs thanks to power rack & pinion steering.
My Five Hundred Limited rode on 225/55R18. all-season radial tires wrapped
around with 18 x 7 inch painted aluminum wheels. Standard are 215/60R16.
all-season radial tires wrapped with 17 x 7 inch painted or bright aluminum
wheels.
Weighing in at 3,664 pounds for the front-wheel-drive model, and 3,815 pounds
for the all-wheel-drive model, acceleration could be better with a 0-60 mph time
of eight seconds. This is too slow to turn heads away from the Camry or
Accord and towards the Five Hundred.
Slowing down the Five Hundred from speed are big brakes. Up front are
12.5-inch vented discs with a dual-piston aluminum calipers, while the rear
brakes are 12-inch solid discs clamped with a single-piston aluminum caliper.
Braking is enhanced with ABS.
Safety and security is paramount at Ford, and the all-new Five Hundred's
platform is engineered too offer stiffness with crush zones designed into impact
areas. In frontal impacts, energy is absorbed by the frame rails.
Excess energy is transferred around the passenger compartment into a
high-strength safety cage. A patent-pending new design tailors the
steering column's collapse to the driver's size and safety-belt use for
optimum protection. Rear-impact performance is so advanced that it is
designed to meet proposed future crash standards. Side-impact protection
comes from a combination of available airbag technology and structural features
that safeguard occupants from intrusion by channeling crash energy away from the
passenger compartment.
An innovative cross-car beam 'space architecture' under the front seats
reinforces the structure between the B-pillars, while directing energy away from
passengers to an engineered failure point under the center console. The
two-row safety canopy system with rollover sensor and air curtain bags provides
peace of mind. It provides protection not only in certain side collision,
but in rollover events as well. I would like to see this new, advanced
system standard on all new Five Hundred models because safety is a very key
concern when making a new car purchase.
Prices for the base SE model starts at $23,000.00, all the up to $28,000.00, for
the loaded Limited model with CVT. The Five Hundred is a good start for
Ford to reclaim its title as the best selling midsize sedan but significant work
still has to be done on the styling and the all-important power game. Consumers spending over $23,000.00 want a good-looking vehicle and one that has
good acceleration two areas that need improvement.
© All text supra and photos by Harvey Schwartz
SIDEBAR COMMENT:
Ford has taken a few digs for the styling of the Five Hundred. Admittedly, it
does seem all too familiar-looking (as in Audi A6 familiar). On the other hand,
if you're going to copy a car design, an Audi A6 is not a bad one to copy -
particularly if that A6 was actually designed by J Mays, who now heads Ford's
design department. It's really the front and rear ends that could use a little
more excitement. Word has it that a Ford Fusion-like
facelift is in the works.
The buff magazines have been heaping lots of praise on the Chrysler 300, with
its in-your-face Bentley-esque styling, rear-wheel drive, and available HEMI V8
engine. Consumer magazines, on the other hand, have been giving higher marks to
the Ford Five Hundred (see A Tale of Two 300Cs, in the February 6, 2005
LA Car Blog). That's because the
Five Hundred scores high in the areas that count most for families: passenger
space, trunk space, ride comfort, and outward visibility.
The Five Hundred is really in a class by itself in the visibility department. In
the Five Hundred, you sit up high - like in an SUV. Unlike an SUV, however,
the slim, Audi-like sedan roof provides a great 360 degree view of the road.
Ford has pulled off a great optical illusion here, because (from the outside)
you don't notice that the car is any higher than your normal sedan. I suspect
we have the makings of a trend-setter here - i.e., expect other automakers to
follow Ford's lead in this department.
We didn't have a Five Hundred available for our most recent Best
Cars to Drive in Rush Hour Traffic survey. If it were, it would have easily made
the list. - Roy Nakano
For more information on Ford products, go to www.fordvehicles.com.
More photos from Harvey Schwartz can be found at www.autofotos.com
SPECIFICATIONS Name of Vehicle: 2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited Price of Vehicle: $27,280.00, as tested Engine type: 60-degree, V6, aluminum block/heads, DOHC, 24-valves Horsepower: 203 at 5,750 rpm Torque: 207 lb.ft. at 4,500 rpm Drive Configuration: Front engine/front-wheel-drive Transmission type: 6-speed manual; optional ZF-Batavia Continuously Variable Transmission Front suspension: Independent, MacPherson strut, rearward-facing lower L-arms, stabilizer bar Rear suspension: Independent, multi-link coil-over shocks, stabilizer bar Wheels/tires: 225/55R18 all-season radials/18X7 painted aluminum wheels Brakes: Front - 12.5-inch vented discs, dual-piston aluminum caliper Rear - 12-inch solid discs, single piston caliper ABS Overall length: 200.7 inches Overall width: 74.5 inches Overall height: 61.5 inches Curb weight: Front-wheel-drive, 3,664 lbs. All-wheel-drive, 3,815 lbs. EPA mileage stats: 21 mpg/city; 29 mpg/highway