Used Ford Five Hundred Buying Guide: CVT vs Six-Speed, AWD and Recalls

A used Ford Five Hundred is a 2005, 2006 or 2007 car, and every one has the same 203-hp 3.0-liter V6. The real choice is the transmission: front-drive SEL and Limited cars got a six-speed automatic, while front-drive SEs and every AWD car got a CVT. I'd pick by condition and service records over drivetrain, then make sure the fuel tank recalls are done. For 2008 Ford changed the name to Taurus, so anything badged Five Hundred is at least 19 model years old now.

On Sunday, October 18, 2026, I ran the Five Hundred and its Mercury twin, the Montego, through NHTSA's recall API for each model year. The details on engines, trims and trouble spots come from Consumer Guide's 2005-07 Five Hundred review. These cars sell cheap now, and honestly the cheap ones tend to be the ones that skipped a lot of maintenance.

What you're buying

The Five Hundred was a large sedan built in the U.S. in SE, SEL and Limited trims, with front seats mounted about 4 inches higher than in most sedans. Consumer Guide praised the rear seat legroom and a 21.2-cubic-foot trunk it says can hold eight full-size golf bags. Antilock brakes and traction control came standard, but no stability control system was offered. Side and curtain airbags were optional on 2005-2006 cars and became standard for 2007, the year Ford also dropped the SE. So if airbags matter to you, and they should on a family car this old, a 2007 or a well-optioned 2005-2006 is the one to want. The Montego and the Freestyle crossover shared the same basic design and powertrain.

CVT or six-speed

Neither transmission got a glowing review. Consumer Guide says the CVT gives good passing response but lets engine speed race ahead of road speed when you floor it, and the six-speed hunts between gears on hills and has no manual shift mode. EPA ratings were 21/29 mpg for the six-speed and 20/27 for the front-drive CVT, with AWD CVT cars at 19/26. The AWD car it tested ran 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds and had outstanding grip in snow. My take: a CVT that has had its fluid changed on schedule is a better bet than a six-speed with no records, and a CVT with no records is the riskiest car on the lot. Ask for paperwork, and walk away from any car that shudders or flares on a test drive.

Recalls to confirm

• 05V515, 2005: the straps holding the fuel tank can break and let the tank and its heat shield drop onto the driveshaft on AWD cars or onto the exhaust on front-drive cars. NHTSA warns of a fuel leak and fire risk, and the fix is two new straps.
• 06V383, 2005: water can get into the side door latches and freeze, so a door may not latch and could open while driving. It applied to cars registered in 31 mostly cold-weather states.
• 11V355, 2007: cars built September 5 through September 11, 2006 may have a weak weld where the filler neck meets the fuel tank, which can crack and leak fuel. Ford replaces the tank.

The 2006 query returned only an aftermarket Purolator fuel filter campaign, and the Montego's 2006 query came back with an error, so check those by VIN rather than assume they're clean. Our Ford recall check by VIN covers the steps, and the Ford VIN decoder guide helps confirm whether a car really is the AWD version the ad claims. A Montego owner can use the Mercury recall check instead.

Smaller problems from the service bulletins

Consumer Guide lists several. Rust on the rear rotors can cause noise on 2005 cars, and rear brakes on 2005-2006 cars could drag after sitting a few days. Long cranking in cold weather on 2005-2006 cars needed a computer reprogram. The tank may fill slowly with repeated nozzle click-offs on all three years, blamed on a flooded charcoal canister or a problem inside the tank. A squeaky steering system on 2005-2007 cars was fixed with lubrication or new upper strut bushings, and 2005-2006 rear shocks could clunk below 15 degrees F. On 2005 CVT cars, engine speed that wanders 50 to 100 rpm also called for a reprogram. None of these is a dealbreaker, but each one is a good question for the seller.

Five Hundred vs Taurus

CNN reported in February 2007 that Ford would rename the Five Hundred the Taurus for 2008, rename the Montego the Sable, and call the Freestyle wagon the Taurus X. Ford's own reasoning, per CNN, was that people knew the Taurus name about twice as well as the Five Hundred. The 2008 cars got a more powerful engine and a six-speed automatic, per that CNN story. Most of what you'll find on lots now is the later sixth-generation Taurus, which our used Ford Taurus guide covers, including its water pump issue. If the price gap is small, the newer car is usually the better buy.

Check the history before you pay

A big old sedan worth a few thousand dollars is exactly the kind of car that gets crashed, patched and resold, and a seller's printed report can be edited by anyone with a PDF tool. Search the VIN on NMVTIS for title brands, then pull a report yourself. We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Ford. Around mid October 2026, a guest report costs about $5.50, a member report about $4.50, and a bundle of both about $6.75, against roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Prices move now and then, so trust the number on the checkout page over this one.

Sources

• Consumer Guide: 2005-07 Ford Five Hundred
• NHTSA recallsByVehicle, Five Hundred and Montego 2005-2007, queried Oct. 18, 2026
• CNN: Ford brings back Taurus and Sable names (Feb. 7, 2007)
• NMVTIS