Ford Five Hundred

Impressions: Combining new-age technology with old-fashioned people space, the roomy four-door Five Hundred continues to roll off the Chicago assembly line with few changes for 2007 alongside its Freestyle wagon and Mercury Montego siblings. The Five Hundred is a clear departure from the norm with a boxy upright body providing a commanding seating position and loads of headroom. Although we had hoped that Ford's new 3.5-liter V6 would find its way into the Five Hundred to better compete with vehicles such as the Chrysler 300, as of this writing there's only the familiar 203-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. From there, however, things get a little more interesting as you can select front-wheel-drive and a six-speed automatic transmission, or all-wheel drive mated to a continuously variable unit (with no set gearing). The AWD unit is borrowed from Volvo, which falls under Ford's corporate umbrella. Available in two trim levels for 2007 (formerly three) — SEL and Limited — even the base model boasts a full array of standard equipment. You'll get four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock, traction control, six-way power driver seat, air conditioning, tilt wheel, speed control, remote entry keypad, power windows and locks and 17-inch alloy wheels (18-inch on the Limited). The rear seat and back of the front passenger seat fold flat, allowing items up to eight feet long to be transported. Trunk space is plentiful and can handle eight — count 'em, eight — full-size sets of golf clubs. The optional safety package that includes side-impact air bags and Ford's "safety canopy" for protection in the event of a rollover will become standard equipment later in the year. Base price: $23,400 (including destination) Type: Four-door sedan Base engine (hp): 3.0-liter DOHC V6 (203) Optional engine: none Layout: Front-engine, front-/all-wheel drive Transmissions: Six-speed automatic (FWD); continuously variable (AWD) Mileage (city/hwy): 29/21 (6AT) Safety: Front airbags; side-impact airbags (opt.); safety canopy (opt.); anti-lock brakes; traction control Weight (lb.): 3,660 Basic warranty: 3/36,000 Roadside assistance: Yes Web: ford.com