I am looking to buy my first road/commuter/hybrid bike. l only had mountain bikes before. l prefer straight handle bars but drop bars are good too. I am looking for those around $400 - $500 range. l looked at Trek FX 7.1 and it seems like something l would want. Is there a similar bike?

That is a good hybrid bike. There r a number of those from other brands as well. If this is what u want, then go to ur local bike shops & try them out till u find one that u fit best. It will feel different & better than the others. That is because it fits u well. Most bike shops only carry brands they can trust.
As an aside, u might want to look at the link below. Joe Breeze has been making commuter bikes exclusively for awhile now. These have all the basics that u really want if u commute regularly. They r not flashy, but they r hugely practical.

All of the manufactures will have a hybrid bike of some sort. Some of them will call them lifestyle bikes.

Giant Cypress

http://giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/lifestyle/2303/32207/

Raleigh

http://raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/route-4/

Fuji

http://fujibikes.com/LifeStyle/City/Crosstown20.aspx

Forge

http://forgebikes.com/urban.asp
http://forgebikes.com/road.asp

Specialized

http://specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=09Carmel700&eid=208

The Trek is fine, but the components get substantially better if you are able to step up to the 7.3 or 7.5FX. Of course, that means spending more.

While you're looking, take a look at the Jamis Coda. Very similar to the FX, but l think you will get better components for the money.especially at the entry level you're considering.