About 20% of Ford dealers are still referring to the Taurus as the Five Hundred, a new report finds. The confusion stems from the cars’ names being so intertwined. The Five Hundred continued the Taurus’ 20+ year legacy after the Taurus nameplate was dropped after the 2007 model year. Ford then switched the name of the 2008 Five Hundred back to the Taurus after research showed the Taurus nameplate was much more recognizable to the general public.
According to CNW Marketing — the company responsible for the report — another 60% of dealers usually call the car the Taurus but occasionally slip and refer to it as the Five Hundred.
While domestic automakers are getting increased consideration from car shoppers, inconsistency at the point of contact could cause buyers to look elsewhere. Ford has tried to ease the name transition with its Taurus ad campaigns and even advertised the Taurus on airline tray tables. Ford has yet to commented on the findings.
