2006 Ford Five Hundred SEL

In addition to copious room and 60/40 fold-down rear seats, the interior features mostly upscale materials, colors, textures and graphics—a theme that Ford calls "guilt-free luxury" —with surfaces varying from smooth metal to soft-touch paint and high-quality fabric or leather. The SE has gray carbon-fiber-look accents, while our test SEL and Limited are dressed up with (simulated) burled wood.


One SUV-like attribute is the high "command" seating, which helps drivers see over (or at least eye-to-eye with) other vehicles for a feeling of security. The front seat is four inches higher than that in a typical midsize sedan, and the rear seats are higher still. Legroom is best-in-class front and rear, while the trunk is biggest in class and larger than the full-size Crown Victoria's.


While the 203-hp 24-valve DOHC Duratec 30 3.0-liter V-6 does not develop class-leading power or torque, the transmissions (CVT or 6-speed automatic) help deliver high efficiency with more than adequate performance. The CVT (constantly variable transmission) —an industry first on a high-volume car that comes standard with AWD and some FWD applications—uses a pair of variable-size pulleys-one for input from the engine, the other for output to the drive wheels-connected by a metal chain to constantly vary the effective drive ratio to meet changing driving demands. It can be disconcerting at first to hear engine rpm racing ahead of vehicle speed on acceleration, but the shiftless process is fuel efficient and as smooth as glass.

Performance

The Five Hundred is a front-drive car with available all-wheel drive based on a proven Volvo system. It uses an electronically controlled, electro-hydraulic limited-slip viscous coupling just ahead of the rear differential to transfer torque to the rear wheels whenever the fronts begin to slip. Electronic controls gather information from the anti-lock brakes and other sensors to enable it to react within 50 milliseconds, much faster than competitive viscous devices.


Available traction control (standard with AWD) uses selective braking to provide similar torque transfer side-to-side. AWD models also have self-leveling rear shocks to maintain correct ride height regardless of load. Dual-piston aluminum front calipers and large rotors front and rear provide strong, fade-free braking, while the fully independent suspension, stiff body structure and precise rack-and-pinion steering give supple ride with surprisingly agile handling.