- sedan 173,500
- 2,802 below average
- 1,995 great
- Cincinnati, OH
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,802 below average sedan 173,500 red automatic
2006 ford five hundred review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. The driver sits relatively high, gaining a commanding view of the road. The back seats are comfortable and quite roomy. And they fold down to increase cargo capacity. volvo assisted with engineering a body structure that benefits from the latest in safety technology. Ford acquired the swedish automaker famous for its passenger-protecting innovations in 1999 and, when it came time to develop the five hundred, employed volvo's best structural and safety engineers to work on the project. the ford five hundred is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the latter giving it more stable handling and better traction, particularly in inclement weather. the v6 engine that comes on all models delivers responsive performance and good fuel economy. All-wheel-drive models come with a continuously variable transmission, a design noted for its responsiveness and efficiency. lineupthe 2006 ford five hundred is available in three trim levels: se, sel, and limited. Each is available with all-wheel drive. All are powered by a 3. 0-liter v6 called the duratec 30 rated at 203 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel-drive models come equipped with a six-speed automatic. A family entertainment system, consisting of a headliner-mounted dvd player, flip-down flat screen television monitor and two wireless headphones is available on the sel and limited. safety features include an optional package for the se with side-impact airbags (for torso protection) and canopy airbags (for head protection), an anti-theft perimeter alarm and lights 795); a similar safety package for the sel and limited includes the side-impact and canopy airbags 595). Anti-lock brakes (abs) are standard on all models. walkaroundthe ford 500 name goes way back. Ford first used it in numerical form for the 1957 fairlane 500, the highest trim version of the car that helped ford overtake chevrolet in the sales race. When ford launched a new flagship, the galaxie, in 1959, it again used the 500 badge to indicate the most upscale version. When ford brought back the five hundred (spelled out) as an all-new product for 2005, it was as a separate model and as the new flagship of its fleet of cars. the five hundred is much bigger than the old taurus. The five hundred is 3 inches longer, 1. 5 inches wider, and 4 inches taller than the taurus. It also rides on a wheelbase that is 4. 5 inches longer, which not only gives the car its solid, luxury-car stance but enhances smooth ride quality. the five hundred's basic structure benefits from volvo's extensive safety research. The chief designer said it was a challenge to sculpt a ford-styled body around a volvo chassis, and added that designers used what he calls plainer surfaces with taut lines to give the car a modern look without losing its passenger-car proportions. The five hundred's rounded forms offer a more conservative alternative to the more upright, angular chrysler 300. the five hundred's face has large, jewel-styled and multi-bulb triangular headlight elements on either side of a wide, trapezoidal grille. Chrome accents the front bumper, rear bumper, doors and window frames. Large rear side windows give the five hundred more of a luxury car profile. the tall trunk lid has a spoiler-like lip along its top trailing edge. The rear of the car features large, multi-element and triangular shaped tail lamps and dual, down turned exhaust tips. the se and sel ride on seven-spoke aluminum wheels and continental tires while the limited gets distinctive eight-spoke 18-inch wheels and pirelli tires. interiorthe ford five hundred boasts a roomy cabin. In fact, it's roomier than the big crown victoria (108. 3 cubic feet of passenger space vs. 106. 4 for the crown vic), which is impressive given the five hundred is a foot shorter in overall length. rear-seat room is particularly impressive: in fact, there's more rear legroom (41. 9 inches) than front legroom (41. 2 inches). The dashboard has a covered storage compartment in its top center section. The dashboard comes in silver or wood-grain trim with metal used for the door releases and around the base and top of the gear shift lever. we found the switchgear well designed and easy to use. Audio controls are mounted at the top of the center stack with climate controls beneath. the steeply raked windshield can reflect glare off the top of the dashboard, however, something we noticed with the tan-colored pebble interior. (shale and black interiors are also available.) also, a driver wearing sunglasses can have trouble reading the darkly colored gauges in the se and sel models. The limited light-faced gauges are easier to read. the five hundred has a big trunk (21. 2 cubic feet) that can hold eight sets of golf clubs. The rear seatbacks fold forward to provide enlarged luggage space, and the front passenger's seat (on sel and limited versions) folds down to provide space for a 10-foot long ladder or other object to fit inside the five hundred with the trunk lid closed, a neat trick for a sedan. driving impressionthe ford five hundred accelerates with authority. Steering is nicely weighted and provides good feedback. the disc brakes are impressively effective. The five hundred comes standard with anti-lock brakes (abs) with electronic brake-force distribution (ebd), which optimizes front/rear brake bias to shorten stopping distances. While another all-wheel-drive vehicle spun its wheels and struggled mightily to climb the slippery hill, the all-wheel-drive five hundred sedan went right up and over. All-wheel drive also helps in the rain, where it sta. Climate Control✔ Power Locks✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ CD Changer✔ CD Player✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
1,995 Cincinnati, OHCincinnati, OH at autoshopper.com