Shoppers considering the 2005 Ford Five Hundred will be able to choose from three different models, ranging in price from the low $20,000s to more than $30,000 when fully loaded. The SE is the least expensive model, with a $22,845 price tag (all prices include a $650 destination charge). Standard on this base model are a keyless entry system with a remote and a driver's door keypad; traction control; power windows, power door locks, and power mirrors; air conditioning; cruise control; a power driver's seat with manual lumbar support; a single-disc CD player; and 17-in. alloy wheels with 215/60 tires. Optional on the SE are the Safety and Security package, complete with side head curtain airbags, front side airbags, a rollover sensor, and an anti-theft alarm. Next up is the SEL, priced at $24,795, with features including chrome bodyside moldings, automatic headlights, front foglights, an anti-theft alarm, heated body-color mirrors, an electrochromic interior rearview mirror, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Also included are steering wheel-mounted audio controls, a six-disc CD changer and MP3 player, a trip computer with compass and exterior temperature gauge, woodgrain interior trim, a power passenger's seat, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Should buyers wish for a bit more, there are the optional front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags, and a rollover sensor provided in the Safety package; leather seats; a power moonroof; and a rear parking aid, which uses sensors to detect objects in the vehicle's path. At the top of the lineup is the Limited, which heaps on a memory function for the mirrors and driver's seat; chrome exterior mirror caps; 18-in. alloy wheels with 225/55 tires; an Audiophile sound system with a subwoofer; a second row fold-down center armrest; heated leather seats; a manual front passenger's lumbar support; and a fancy analog clock. The retail price for this model is $26,920. Unique to the Limited are an optional Homelink universal garage door opener and adjustable pedals with memory. Each model may also be equipped with an all-wheel-drive system, which replaces the standard front-wheel-drive setup. Included with all-wheel-drive are self-leveling rear shocks, and the system requires outfitting the Five Hundred with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Overall, Ford expected the majority of models sold to be front-wheel-drive SELs, followed by front-wheel-drive SEs and front-wheel-drive Limiteds, so they've been caught a bit off guard by the overwhelming demand for all-wheel-drive versions. Based on its long list of features and attractive price, shoppers will likely find the SEL model to be the best value. We spent a week piloting the mack daddy of them all, a 2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited with all-wheel drive. Our top-of-the-line tester, equipped with the optional power moonroof, Safety Package, Homelink, adjustable pedals, rear parking aid, and traction control came in just under $31,000.
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