2005 Ford Five Hundred
All new for 2005, the Ford Five Hundred is a comfortable full-size sedan that benefits from the company’s relationships with at least a couple of European brands. Outside, for instance, the Five Hundred is very similar to the Volkswagen Passat because a former VW stylist heads Ford design these days. Even more significant are the ties with safety-conscious Volvo, a company now owned by Ford. Many of the safety features found on the 2005 Ford Five Hundred were borrowed from the Volvo S80, and they’ve helped this new domestic sedan achieve stellar crash-test ratings.

Available in SE, SEL and Limited trim, the 2005 Ford Five Hundred can be ordered with either front- or all-wheel drive. Base prices start at $22,165 (plus a $675 destination charge) for the 3,643-lb., front-wheel-drive SE and go as high as $28,090 for the all-wheel-drive Limited model. Safety features include dual front airbags with a front passenger airbag cutoff sensor, antilock brakes, and electronic brake-force distribution. For added security buyers can add front side airbags, a rollover sensor, side curtain airbags, traction control, and a rear parking sensor.

In NHTSA testing, a 2005 Ford Five Hundred without side or side-curtain airbags received five stars for the driver and front passenger in a frontal crash, five stars for the front and rear occupants in a side crash, and four stars for its rollover rating. In IIHS testing, the 2005 Ford Five Hundred received a Best Pick ranking for its offset frontal crash test performance.