The Five Hundred is much bigger than the old Taurus. The Five Hundred is 3 inches longer, 1.5 inches wider, and 4 inches taller than the Taurus. It also rides on a wheelbase that is 4.5 inches longer, which not only gives the car its solid, luxury-car stance but enhances smooth ride quality.

The Five Hundred's basic structure benefits from Volvo's extensive safety research. The chief designer said it was a challenge to sculpt a Ford-styled body around a Volvo chassis, and added that designers used what he calls plainer surfaces with taut lines to give the car a modern look without losing its passenger-car proportions. The Five Hundred's rounded forms offer a more conservative alternative to the more upright, angular Chrysler 300.

The Five Hundred's face has large, jewel-styled and multi-bulb triangular headlight elements on either side of a wide, trapezoidal grille. Chrome accents the front bumper, rear bumper, doors and window frames. Large rear side windows give the Five Hundred more of a luxury car profile.

The tall trunk lid has a spoiler-like lip along its top trailing edge. The rear of the car features large, multi-element and triangular shaped tail lamps and dual, down turned exhaust tips.

The SE and SEL ride on seven-spoke aluminum wheels and Continental tires while the Limited gets distinctive eight-spoke 18-inch wheels and Pirelli tires.