Is a Ford 500 the same as a Taurus?
Yes. The Ford Five Hundred was renamed Taurus for the 2008 model year, so they are the same basic car with branding changes and some styling updates.
The question touches on Ford’s mid-2000s sedan lineup and how a single model can carry two different names across its lifecycle. What began as the Five Hundred in 2005 evolved into Taurus a year later, reflecting Ford’s branding strategy and ongoing design refreshes. This article traces that relationship, outlines what changed, and explains what buyers should know if they encounter either name.
Historical timeline
The timeline below summarizes the branding transition and the key model-year changes from Five Hundred to Taurus.
- 2005–2007: Ford debuts the Five Hundred as a full-size sedan aimed at competing with other large family cars.
- 2007: The model year that ends the Five Hundred designation approaches; Mercury and other related models share the same underlying platform.
- 2008: Ford renames the car Taurus, giving it updated styling and branding to align with the traditional Taurus badge.
- 2008–2012: The Taurus carries forward the same core mechanical layout as the Five Hundred, with styling refinements and feature updates typical of a model-year refresh.
- 2010: A high-performance variant, the Taurus SHO, returns with a turbocharged EcoBoost V6, expanding the lineup beyond the standard sedan.
- 2011–2019: The Taurus evolves through a generation that emphasizes modern technology, safety features, and updated aesthetics.
- 2019: Ford ends US production of the Taurus, marking the end of the nameplate in its American market lineup.
The upshot of this timeline is clear: the Five Hundred and Taurus are the same vehicle at heart, with the Taurus name representing a branding and styling evolution rather than a completely separate model.
What changed when the name changed
Several changes accompanied the transition from Five Hundred to Taurus, most of them cosmetic or branding-related rather than a complete redesign of the underlying architecture.
Exterior design
The 2008 Taurus featured a refreshed front fascia, revised headlights and grille, and updated taillights compared with the Five Hundred. These changes gave the car a more contemporary, Ford-family look that aligned with other Taurus models in the lineup.
Interior and features
Inside, Ford updated trim materials, seating options, and available technology to better match consumer expectations for a modern sedan. The Taurus badge brought a more traditional branding that Ford used to unify its mid-size and full-size family sedan offerings.
Performance and drivetrains
Mechanically, the core layout remained similar—front-wheel drive with an optional all-wheel-drive setup was available in many trims. With the 2010 Taurus SHO, Ford introduced a performance-focused variant using a turbocharged EcoBoost V6, expanding the range beyond the standard models that came from the Five Hundred lineage.
Similarities and differences at a glance
To quickly compare, here are the key commonalities and distinctions between the two names for the same car family.
- Common heritage: The Five Hundred and Taurus share the same basic platform and most of the same mechanical underpinnings.
- Branding shift: The Five Hundred is the old name; Taurus is the refreshed branding that began in 2008.
- Drivetrain options: Both offered front-wheel drive and AWD configurations, depending on year and trim.
- Performance variants: The Taurus SHO (introduced in 2010) is a performance-focused version that did not exist during the Five Hundred years.
- Market arc: The nameplate persisted as Taurus through the 2010s in the US, before US production ended in 2019.
In practical terms, if you come across a car from 2005–2007 called Five Hundred, it is the same car that Ford later marketed as Taurus from 2008 onward, with the main differences being styling, branding, and available features rather than a completely different vehicle.
Summary
In short, the Ford Five Hundred and the Taurus are the same family of cars, connected by a branding transition that began in 2008. The Five Hundred was introduced in 2005 and renamed Taurus for the 2008 model year, with ongoing updates through the 2010s—including the Taurus SHO as a high-performance variant—until production ended in the US in 2019. If you’re shopping for one, the key takeaway is: the name is the main difference; the underlying car is largely the same, with styling and feature improvements accompanying the Taurus branding.
What did the Ford 500 replace?
When Ford did finally put the 500 into production, a large amount of that interest died because the production car had had its styling toned down and the drivetrain switched from RWD to FWD. This car was actually supposed to replace the Crown Victoria as Ford's big car before 2007.
Why was the Ford Five Hundred discontinued?
Yet, despite its adequate performance and an affordable price tag, the Ford Five Hundred was short-lived, receiving mixed reception and declining sales — soon turning out to be one of Ford's biggest failures.
What is the Ford Taurus equivalent to?
The Ford Taurus's closest equivalent is the Mercury Sable, a model from the same brand that was mechanically identical. Other direct competitors in the full-size sedan market were the Chevrolet Impala and Chrysler 300, which were similar in size, price, and features, though each had its own advantages. The Lincoln MKS is a luxury equivalent from Ford's own brand.
| Category | Taurus Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Same Brand | Mercury Sable |
| Direct Competitors | Chevrolet Impala Chrysler 300 |
| Luxury Equivalent | Lincoln MKS |
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Is the Ford 500 the same as a Taurus?
2008 Ford Five Hundred concept. Upon direction of Ford CEO Alan Mulally, this was renamed the Ford Taurus before its production. The Five Hundred ended production on April 12, 2007, as did the Mercury Montego and Ford Freestyle.
