2005
Ford Thunderbird

Starts at:
$38,355
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New 2005 Ford Thunderbird
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Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 2dr Convertible Deluxe
    Starts at
    $38,355
    17 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    2
    Seat capacity
    Gas V8
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 2dr Convertible Premium
    Starts at
    $39,415
    17 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    2
    Seat capacity
    Gas V8
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 2dr Convertible 50th Anniversary
    Starts at
    $44,355
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    2
    Seat capacity
    Gas V8
    Engine
    Rear Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2005 Ford Thunderbird 2005 Ford Thunderbird

Notable features

Styling that blends the past and present
280-hp, 3.9-liter V-8
Five-speed automatic
Available removable hardtop

The good & the bad

The good

Performance
Seat comfort
Stylish, distinctive appearance

The bad

Construction quality
Rear visibility
Ride comfort
Two-passenger capacity
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Available cars near you

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Safety review

Based on the 2005 Ford Thunderbird base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
4/5
Frontal passenger
5/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
5/5
Side driver
5/5

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
3 years / 36,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
3 years / 36,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
Fords and many non-Ford vehicles up to 10 years old with less than 150,000 miles
Basic
90-Day / 4,000-Mile (whichever comes first) Comprehensive Limited Warranty
Dealer certification
139-point inspection
See all CPO program details

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Consumer reviews

100% of drivers recommend this car
4.8 / 5
Based on 42 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.7
Interior 4.6
Performance 4.7
Value 4.7
Exterior 4.9
Reliability 4.7

Most recent

By Too old for this s- from Emerald City, Oz
Owns this car
February 20, 2025

Love driving this fun car.

Love driving this fun car. Maintenance has been an issue and will probably only get worse... Item: Like most modern cars, there are no grease points in the suspension. So when the little rubber boots that cover the joints rot away, there's no way to lubricate the suspension, and the parts start to grind against each other. Out $4k to replace the front and rear suspension. Had them do the struts too since they had to take everything else out. Item: Many parts no longer available. The accelerator pedal switches failed. No Ford or aftermarket replacement to be found. Good news: found one at a salvage yard. Bad news: it's the same age as the one it replaced. Item: Crack in the windshield? Stay away from any chain that rhymes with "Chafe-Bite." Replacing the windshield means removing the frame. Very few of their techs are trained on how to do this.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 3.0
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By L. de Berry from Provo, UT
Owns this car
September 30, 2024

Purchased our '05 retro bird from a seller on Long Island

Purchased our '05 retro bird from a seller on Long Island 3 years ago and took a 4,000-mile epic road trip home to Utah. It had 9,000 miles on it when we left the seller's house on Long Island, 13,000 when we pulled in the driveway at home. It performed flawlessly on the road trip. It was remarkably comfortable and roomy. It really is a pleasure to drive and travel in on a road trip. My wife, who is "a delicate lady," never once complained about the ride or comfort in the cabin on the 2 week 4,000-mile drive home. As we approached with our bag of groceries, a man standing next to the Bird in the supermarket parking lot in Martha's Vineyard said it as well as anyone, "I'm not a Ford man but I really like this car." This TBird is the first car I have owned where complete strangers have approached me and commented on it's good looks. I lost track of how many people did that on our trip home from Long Island. Our '05 is black on black and Ford only made about 5,000 of those that year. I've never seen another one on the road. It's truly a gleaming black beauty. Not a lick of trouble, runs beautifully and the factory exhaust note is magic. It's still 100% original except for the tires, the original tires looked fine with only 13,000 miles on them, but the tire store wouldn't work on a slow leak on one of the tires because of their age, so new Michelins. My only disappointment is that Ford did not offer a manual transmission on these, but I guess I'm in a small minority of drivers who cares about that. In good weather I try to take it out once a month to run some errands or take a Sunday drive, to make sure everything is working and keep the battery charged. Though it is fun to drive, it is also just a joy to look at in the garage. Like looking at a piece of art, a painting or sculpture. I put about 300 or 400 miles per year on it and after 3 years of ownership, so far so good. It goes to the dealer once a year for an oil change and service check. I've seen retro Birds for sale where owners have updated the sound system with aftermarket stuff that probably has satellite radio, nav, etc. I get the motivation to do that, but to me it's a sacrilege, defacing a classic. I have a gizmo that plugs into the lighter outlet and converts the Bluetooth signal from an iPhone to an FM signal the radio picks up and plays; that works fine. But mostly I just plug CDs in with classic 50's music, that seems most appropriate and adds to the ambiance. It never leaves the garage unless the weather is suitable for top-down driving.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
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Ford dealers near you

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2005 Ford Thunderbird?

The 2005 Ford Thunderbird is available in 3 trim levels:

  • 50th Anniversary (1 style)
  • Deluxe (1 style)
  • Premium (1 style)

What is the MPG of the 2005 Ford Thunderbird?

The 2005 Ford Thunderbird offers up to 17 MPG in city driving and 24 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2005 Ford Thunderbird?

The 2005 Ford Thunderbird compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2005 Ford Thunderbird reliable?

The 2005 Ford Thunderbird has an average reliability rating of 4.7 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2005 Ford Thunderbird owners.

Is the 2005 Ford Thunderbird a good Convertible?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2005 Ford Thunderbird. 100.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.8 / 5
Based on 42 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.7
  • Interior: 4.6
  • Performance: 4.7
  • Value: 4.7
  • Exterior: 4.9
  • Reliability: 4.7
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