Ford Five Hundred
Still a few laps to go |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: The front seats are big and plump but not particularly comfortable for medium-sized people.
G-FORCES: The 203-horsepower V-6 in all models is responsive but noticeably noisy and rough at shift points. Handling is stable and firm, with nicely tuned steering that's tight on curves.
GIZMOLOGY: The climate and audio system are serviceable, but there are few features that excite.
KIDMARKS: Space is one thing the Five Hundred offers in abundance. There's more than enough maneuver room for kids in the back seat, and there's a huge trunk that can easily hold two strollers or a week's worth of luggage. Cupholders are in the center armrest, where kids need them. One drawback: heavy doors that my 6-year-old had trouble closing all the way.
HOT OR NOT: Not. The Five Hundred's arched, symmetrical design is pleasant but middling.
ENVIROMETER: The EPA ranks the Five Hundred above average for air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions. Mileage ranges from 19 mpg/city to 29 mpg/highway. More info can be found at www.fueleconomy.gov.
CRASH COURSE: Ten stars out of 10 on both the government's frontal crash test and the side-impact test. Four stars out of five for rollover resistance. Details: www.nhtsa.gov
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $22,795 to $26,795. Price as tested: $30,410.
MORE INFO: www.fordvehicles.com
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Model year tested: 2005
At a stoplight on the West Side of Manhattan, a taxi driver is urgently gesturing for me to put my window down. I know he doesn't need directions, but I'm game to hear what he had on his mind. So I lower the window. "Nice!" he shouts, in an accent I can't discern. "It is bootiful!"
No offense to taxi drivers, but I have to wonder if praise from somebody in the saddle of a vintage Crown Vic is good news or bad for a car that needs to escape Ford's legacy of bland sedans. As Ford promised, the Five Hundred brings the attributes of an SUV to a family car, with a raised perch and popular "command seating" that gives passengers a more dominant view of the road. Big tires, up to 18 inches in diameter, give the Five Hundred a muscular stance and produce a sturdy, confident ride. The cabin and trunk are cavernous compared with most other sedans. All-wheel drive is available, adding a rugged dimension to the Five Hundred's personality. And all this comes with one of the government's highest crash-test ratings.
Yet there is something somnolent about the Five Hundred that evokes the aged Taurus or even the grandfatherly Crown Vic. The plump, round design can be spruced up with alloy wheels and sparkling paint, but it's hardly a fashion statement. While spacious, the interior lacks distinctive styling or anything to set it apart. The dash is dull, and some of the buttons even painfully small. And the stable ride is undermined by a last-generation V-6 engine that's loud and creaky compared with excellent power plants in sedans produced by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The Five Hundred's space, size, and stability will draw plenty of buyers who find it to be a pleasant improvement on Fords of the past. The challenge will be convincing the rest of us who have never driven a taxi.
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