Terrific Full Size Value

In the continuing saga to replace my 2002 Saturn which was totaled in a recent accident, I had the opportunity to rent a 2006 Ford Five Hundred. My first car was a 1975 Ford Elite that I bought 15 years ago and held onto for a full year.

A lot has changed.

On the Road

Most of my driving was on the highway on our Thanksgiving Road Trip to Dallas from Albuquerque. This gave me a unique opportunity to experience the vehicle in various road conditions, terrain and driving styles.

The first thing that I noticed when I got in the car was that I didn't whack the top of my head on the door frame. This was a nice change from the Dodge Stratus that I drove just a week before. The seats were comfortable for cloth, but I can only imagine what top grain leather would feel like.

The standard 3.0 L V6 was extremely well behaved. Merging into traffic was a breeze.

The car had approximately 4000 miles on it, so I ran it hard and soft and in between to try and break it in properly.

The first real test of the A6 CVT transmission was climbing through the Sandia Mountains on I-40 from 5500 feet to almost 7500 feet in less than 15 miles. It was the most incredible feel I've ever had in a transmission. It was almost as if it didn't exist. There's no real "shifting" - the car automatically gears for the condition you're in. It responded to passing and hill climbing as well as restoring speed and hill descending without hardly even a notice. There was absolutely NO jerking in the gear changes.

Speaking of the transmission, the shift lever is very simple. Only P, N, R, D, and L. No 1, 2, 3, or any other useless gears. Didn't get to see how much the L position reduced brake riding on the downhills, but the little feedback I got seemed to indicate it's not quite right for a good mountain descent.

I'm going to make another comparison between the Ford Five Hundred and the Dodge Stratus. The comparison is important because these cars truly are in different leagues but the prices aren't that much different. Fuel consumption in the Dodge Stratus was around 22-24 MPG around town. I was getting around 28-30 MPG on the highway in the heavier, bigger engine Five Hundred. This alone would be an indication of the value in the Five Hundred over the smaller Stratus.

The interior was comfortable and very roomy. Entry and exit is very comfortable for my 6 foot 250 lb body. The seats are totally electrically controlled and after I figured out the seat tilt and height, I got very comfortable quickly.

Workmanship is also a problem - at least with the vehicle I was in. On our return trip, the top dash compartment developed a blister about 5 inches diameter. The low pressure of the altitude definitely accented the problem, but then it was visible after returning to city elevation. Any kind of delaminating this early in the life of the car shows that there is a warranted concern for the quality of the workmanship.

Styling

I heard that this car was supposed to be the replacement for the Taurus. In my opinion, there is so little similarity that the Five Hundred deserves to stand on its own. The gold color was almost impossible to see dust on which is good until you get it on your clothes. Euro lighing makes this car easily recognizable on the road.


The Interior

My family of 5 (one in a car-carrier plus my little shi-tzu), had no problem fitting in the car and could stay comfortable for extended periods of time. The cargo area is huge and could easily accommodate luggage for a family of 5 taking a week-long trip.

The biggest problem I had with the interior of the car was the design - a little too chisel-jawed for me. The carbon fiber look across the dash was neat. Didn't like the steering wheel being the exact color as the upholstery, but it grew on me.

The rear seats have a 60/40 split - pretty commonplace these days, but very nice if you need to turn your Five Hundred into a Ram and carry some items that normally wouldn't fit in the trunk alone.

In addition, there is plenty of storage in the center console and an additional map/cd storage bay on the dash.

On the Road

My first thought was that there was no way that a 3.0L V6 could power a car this size efficiently. There were no problems, and it's exciting to see that the same size engine that powers my 1997 Camry only sucks about 1 penny for every three miles more than the Camry.

The suspension was strong. Very stiff, there was no swaying in lane changes and turns. The car hugs the road and is very stable. It responds accurately and quickly.

I can't comment on the noise, because I had the 6-speaker stereo system spewing out tunes when I was alone, and I had kid noise when I wasn't.

I take that back. There is one noise I don't like - the blinker noise. Whenever you turn, it sounds like someone taking a metal can and popping the top on it to remind you that your blinker is on. A volume control or some sort of different sound would be great.

Pricing

At this precise moment in time, the base Five Hundred with an automatic 6 Speed CVT is $20,637 with rebates. That's right - only one more monthly payment than the Dodge Stratus.