Ford Taurus Review

2008 Ford Taurus SEL Sedan

When it hit the market for the 1986 model year, the Ford Taurus quickly became a sensation in America. This front-wheel-drive midsize family sedan looked like no other Ford before it thanks to aerodynamic styling highlighted by a grille-less nose that fronted an elegant, rounded form. A well-thought-out, comfortable and roomy cabin greeted passengers, and while the car's running gear and suspension design were nothing earth-shattering, they kept overall pricing very competitive. A year later, the Taurus was Ford's best-selling car.

A wagon version was also available for those modern, active '80s families, while driving enthusiasts welcomed the arrival of the pavement-scorching Taurus SHO sport sedan a few years later. The SHO featured a Yamaha-designed, 220-horsepower V6 and a buttoned-down suspension that allowed this Ford to give the pricey German sedans a run for their deutsch marks.

The original Ford Taurus was, through most of the early- and mid-'90s, the best-selling car in America. Unfortunately for the Blue Oval, an oval-themed redesign in the mid-'90s failed to elicit the same excitement as the first-generation Taurus. At the same time, increasingly more competent rivals from Japan boasted superior reliability records. Combined, these two elements dampened the Taurus' popularity considerably. As the years wore on, Ford's once bright segment star was seen more often in rental car lots than suburban families' driveways.

Although Ford announced in late 2006 that it was pulling the plug on the Taurus, its death was short-lived. Perhaps realizing it might have been a bit premature to give up on a name with so much consumer awareness, Ford resurrected the Taurus moniker for 2008 when it renamed its revamped Five Hundred full-size sedan.

Current Ford Taurus

Although it looks as if it's just a Five Hundred with a Fusion-style grille, the new Taurus has a number of important differences beneath the familiar sheet metal. Under the hood there is now serious power in the form of a 3.5-liter, 263-hp V6 mated to a new six-speed automatic. The all-wheel-drive (AWD) version ditches the lackluster continuously variable transmission for the new six-speed unit.

This reborn Ford Taurus is a much stronger performer than the Five Hundred; Ford estimates the 0-60-mph sprint at just 6.5 seconds. Other substantial improvements include a retuned suspension, upgraded cabin trim, more sound insulation, available stability control and a Sync system, which allows you to use voice commands to activate your cell phone and MP3 player. Thankfully, the new Taurus retains the same core attributes of the Five Hundred. These include a roomy backseat, a big trunk, outstanding crash test scores, good outward visibility and competent handling that doesn't detract from ride comfort.

Past Ford Taurus models

The previous Taurus generation ran from 2000-'06. Although the basic body shell was identical to the previous Taurus, this version dispensed with many of the oval-themed components used before and the result was a more attractive car.

A pair of 3.0-liter V6 engines (155 hp and 200 hp) were the engine choices and a four-speed automatic remained the lone transmission. Four trim levels were offered: base LX, midlevel SE models and luxury-themed SES and SEL. Even the LX provided air-conditioning and power windows, while springing for the SEL meant you got the 200-horse V6, an in-dash six-CD player and automatic climate control. By the end of this generation, just two trims remained (SE and SEL) and the wagon was dropped. Also, in a fit of American carmaker rationale, the better of the two engines (the 200-hp V6) was discontinued as well.

In an Edmunds.com 2000 family sedan comparison test, the Ford Taurus finished a respectable third out of nine cars, thanks to strong performance (it had the 200-hp V6), solid handling and ride dynamics, and a user-friendly cabin. Six years down the road, however, it was easily eclipsed by more competent rivals from Japan and Korea.

That said, general consumer comments tend to be favorable. A combination of low price, decent reliability, a roomy cabin and plenty of features make this generation a respectable choice for family-car buyers on a tight budget.

The 1996-'99 Taurus was an odd duck that considerably softened the formerly best-selling car's appeal. Evidently using Ford's oval symbol for inspiration, the Taurus designers went overboard on ovals, with the car's grille, rear window and dashboard's center stack having the ellipsoid form. Trim levels were comprised of base G, midlevel GL, luxury LX and high-performance SHO.

The high point of this third generation was the debut of the Duratec V6 that made 200 hp. It was offered alongside the dated, 145-hp Vulcan V6. The high-performance Taurus SHO was fitted with a 3.4-liter V8 that made 235 hp. No manual gearbox was available, however, so like every other Taurus, the SHO had a four-speed automatic. In our road test of a 1999 Taurus (with the base V6) we found performance acceptable but unrefined, the transmission sometimes slow to downshift and the ergonomics confusing (due to the stereo and climate controls being jumbled together). On the upside, the seats were comfortable, handling was composed and the brakes (with optional ABS) were strong and progressive.

The second-generation Ford Taurus ran from 1992-'95. An evolution of the original, its lower-profile nose and slightly crisper lines tastefully updated the car, while hardware improvements included new safety features such as antilock brakes and a passenger side airbag. Trim levels initially stood pat at L, GL, LX and SHO, though a sporty SE debuted in the last year (1995) of this generation.

Most Taurus sedans and wagons came with either a 3.0-liter V6 or 3.8-liter V6. Horsepower was the same at 140, but the larger engine provided more torque. This generation's SHO was available for the first time with an automatic transmission. (It was manual-only before.) Auto-equipped SHOs had a larger version of the muscular V6 (3.2 liters versus 3.0), though engine output (220 hp) was the same for both SHO engines.

The first-generation Ford Taurus ran from 1986-'91. Compared to the boxy architecture of its competition, the jelly bean (and aerodynamically efficient) look of the Taurus was a breath of fresh air. A 90-hp inline-4 (with either a manual or automatic transmission) and a 140-hp V6 (automatic only) were offered. The former engine was a joke in a midsize family sedan, so it was eventually cancelled. On the other end of the spectrum was the hot-rod SHO, which featured a ripping 3.0-liter V6 designed by Yamaha that made 220 hp and sent this family sedan to 60 mph in around 7 seconds. Thanks to its handsome looks, solid overall performance and accommodating cabin, the first Taurus was a home run for Ford that rode the top of the sales charts for much of its early life.

SELECT A SPECIFIC FORD TAURUS MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.