Though the Ford Five Hundred had a short lifespan in the automotive world, its two-year run was not insignificant. Ford learned that naming all of their vehicles starting with the letter "F" made them forgettable, rather than catchy and fresh. Also, the model's predecessor, the Taurus, was reinstated to its rightful throne as the maker's top selling sedan after the Five Hundred's demise. For the 2005-2007 model years, the Ford Five Hundred sat in many sales lots partially due to its nondescript design and also because of its lack of power.

The 2005 model year revealed the Five Hundred with a 3.0L Duratec V6 engine that produced up to 203 horsepower. Buyers were not thrilled with the insufficient horsepower, but were also turned off by only having one engine choice. Nevertheless, the Five Hundred was equipped with either a continuously variable transmission or a six-speed Aisin automatic. The full-size sedan was also fitted with all-wheel drive; though, the feature only kicked in when necessary, and otherwise the model used primarily front-wheel drive.

The four-door Five Hundred only received minor upgrades during its years like an available GPS navigation unit for the 2006 model year and the discontinuation of the SE trim for 2007. When the model was shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, Ford representatives quickly detached the "Five Hundred" badging and re-established the "Taurus" title. And, though the model looked virtually unchanged, under the hood a more powerful 260 horsepower 3.5L V6 was added. Also, a six-speed automatic transmission became the intro standard on the 2008 Taurus. Though critics and consumers were fooled by the recycled Taurus badge, Ford hopes that the familiarity of the name will draw in new buyers.

Even though the Ford Five Hundred had a short run, many feature films and television series utilized its commonplace design on their sets. Blockbuster hits like Fracture, Ocean's Thirteen, and P2 gave the model a prominent role. The Showtime sensation Weeds gave the Five Hundred a role in an episode, while the Kiefer Sutherland action drama 24 used the model as well.

With the general dislike of the Ford Five Hundred, a number of websites were created simply to criticize its design. By and large, the take on the model is that it was made for the boring consumer. Nevertheless, with the simple name change and minor upgrades for the 2008 model year, the reviews are coming in much more positive this time around.