Midsize Car Segment
Highest Ranked: 2005 Buick Century
Marketed as a sensible and slightly upscale family sedan, the 2005 Buick Century has proven dependable over the long haul according to the people that bought one. The Century, a close sibling to the Buick Regal, enjoyed a brief production run for 2005 just before both models were replaced by the Buick LaCrosse. As such, Buick made no changes to the 2005 Century. Power was supplied by a 175-hp, 3.1-liter V-6 engine which worked through a 4-speed automatic transmission to deliver power to the front wheels. Few safety features came standard. In fact, to get anti-lock brakes, traction control and a tire-pressure-monitoring system, Century buyers had to purchase an option package. A side-impact air bag was available for the driver, and stability control was not offered.
The 2005 Buick Century ranks highest among the 19 models in the Midsize Car segment of the 2008 VDS. The Century achieves an index score of 104 PP100, compared to the segment average of 168 PP100—a difference of 64 PP100, and an improvement of 6 PP100 from last year’s study. Additionally, the 2005 Buick Century performs at or above the segment average in all nine problem categories in the study, including:
- Ride, handling and braking
- Features and controls
- Seats
- Sound system
- Heating, ventilation and cooling
- Vehicle exterior
- Vehicle interior
- Transmission
- Engine
According to original owners of the 2005 Buick Century, the top three problem areas are:
- Noisy brakes
- Wind noise
- The “Check Engine” light indicating a problem
2005 Buick Century NHTSA Crash Test Scores (1 to 5 Star scale; 5 being safest):
- Frontal Driver Rating: 4 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Frontal Passenger Rating: 3 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Side Driver Rating: 3 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Side Rear Passenger Rating: 3 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Rollover Rating: 4 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
2005 Buick Century EPA Fuel Economy (adjusted to 2008 calculation methods):
- 18 mpg city
- 27 mpg highway
- 21 mpg combined
Ranked No. 2: 2005 Mercury Sable
Ranked No. 3: 2005 Toyota Camry Sedan
Large Car Segment
Highest Ranked: 2005 Ford Crown Victoria
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that the 2005 Crown Victoria is rated the most dependable large car by the people that bought one. After all, it had been 14 years since this big family sedan was completely redesigned so the bugs had long since been worked out, and Ford needed to make the Crown Vic tough for harsh duty in police, taxi and government fleets. For 2005, the Crown Victoria was offered in standard, LX and LX Sport trim levels. A power sunroof was optional on LX and LX Sport models, and a 6-disc CD changer was newly available. A 4.6-liter V-8 engine made 224 hp unless installed in the LX Sport model or when paired with the optional Handling and Performance package, when it made 239 hp due to freer-breathing dual exhaust outlets. Anti-lock brakes were standard, traction control was optional, and the LX and LX Sport models could be equipped with side-impact air bags. Stability control was not available on the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria.
The 2005 Ford Crown Victoria ranks highest among the 13 models in the Large Car segment of the 2008 VDS. The Crown Victoria achieves an index score of 102 PP100, compared to the segment average of 189 PP100—a difference of 87 PP100, and an improvement of 1 PP100 from last year’s study. Additionally, the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria performs at or above the segment average in all nine problem categories in the study, including:
- Ride, handling and braking
- Features and controls
- Seats
- Sound system
- Heating, ventilation and cooling
- Vehicle exterior
- Vehicle interior
- Transmission
- Engine
According to original owners of the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, the top three problem areas are:
- Wind noise
- Horn not working properly
- The “Check Engine” light indicating a problem
2005 Ford Crown Victoria NHTSA Crash Test Scores (1 to 5 Star scale; 5 being safest):
- Frontal Driver Rating: 5 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Frontal Passenger Rating: 5 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Side Driver Rating: 4 Stars (w/o Side Air Bags); 5 Stars (w/ Side Air Bags)
- Side Rear Passenger Rating: 5 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
- Rollover Rating: 5 Stars (w/ and w/o Side Air Bags)
2005 Ford Crown Victoria EPA Fuel Economy (adjusted to 2008 calculation methods):
- 16 mpg city
- 23 mpg highway
- 19 mpg combined
Find a used Ford Crown Victoria
Ranked No. 2: 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
Ranked No. 3: 2005 Buick Park Avenue
More Research
View Vehicle Dependability Ratings
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2008 Vehicle Dependability Study
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