2012 Ford Taurus Review

Other than freshened styling, the 2012 Ford Taurus is unchanged.

With its comfortable interior and large trunk, the 2012 Ford Taurus is an appealing reinvention of the classic full-size American sedan.

Back in 2005 when it was called the Ford 500, today's Ford Taurus grew dramatically larger, leaving the midsize category to the Ford Fusion. And that's why the Taurus today is a bit of a niche player in the market compared to the segment-busting of the 1980s that once was the most popular car in America.

Despite its fall from the top of the sales charts, the 2012 Ford Taurus is appealing. Its primary asset lies in the roomy backseat and cavernous trunk. An extensive list of cutting-edge convenience and safety features doesn't hurt either. Aside from a minor face-lift, the Taurus returns largely unchanged for 2012.

If the regular Taurus seems a little too tame for your tastes, you may want to consider the distinctly more exciting 365-horsepower all-wheel-drive Taurus SHO model. The SHO is a decent alternative to other muscular sedans like the V8-powered versions of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, while returning better fuel economy. In fact, the Taurus SHO is just as efficient as the regular Taurus. But at the same time, the SHO's hefty price tag puts it in the same category as luxury sport sedans like the Cadillac CTS and Infiniti G37.

Realistically, it's the regular 2012 Ford Taurus you're likely interested in. When pitted against other full-size sedans like the 300, Dodge Charger, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volkswagen Passat, some of the Taurus' drawbacks begin to emerge. Most notably, the Taurus just feels bigger than it really should, something that comes about from the confining cabin design, tepid base engine and lack of rear visibility. Overall, we think the Taurus deserves a look, but we would recommend checking out the competition before committing.

The 2012 Taurus is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 263 hp and 249 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard, while all-wheel drive is available as an option on SEL and Limited models. In Edmunds performance testing, a front-drive Taurus went from zero to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds -- a tad slow for the class. Fuel economy with front-wheel drive is an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. All-wheel drive drops those numbers to 17/25/20.

The Taurus SHO gets a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (dubbed "EcoBoost") that makes 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic with shift paddles is standard, as is all-wheel drive. In Edmunds performance testing, the Taurus SHO went from zero to 60 mph in a quick 5.8 seconds. Despite this engine's impressive performance, EPA fuel economy estimates are the same as the regular all-wheel-drive Taurus.

Every 2012 Ford Taurus comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags and integrated blind spot mirrors. A rearview camera and rear parking sensors are standard on Limited and SHO models and optional on the SEL. Optional on the Limited and SHO are a pre-collision warning system (included with adaptive cruise control) and a blind-spot warning system bundled with a cross-traffic warning system, which warns you of approaching cars or pedestrians when backing up.

In government crash tests, the Taurus earned an overall rating of four stars out of a possible five, with four stars for frontal crash protection and five stars for side crash protection. It also got the best rating of "Good" in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.

In Edmunds brake testing, a Taurus with 19-inch wheels came to a stop from 60 mph in a longer-than-average 131 feet. Even with summer tires and 20-inch wheels, the SHO was only able to manage 127 feet -- a long distance for a performance-oriented sedan.

On the road, the 2012 Ford Taurus offers confident handling and a comfortable ride quality. The firmer sport-tuned suspension underpinning the SHO model sharpens up the handling noticeably. However, there's no hiding the Taurus' hefty weight and grand dimensions.

The SHO's twin-turbo V6 offers acceleration that falls just short of its V8-powered competitors from Chrysler and Dodge, but it returns fuel economy that puts them to shame. Even so, we think most folks will be just as happy driving any of the three models powered by the standard V6 and pocketing the substantial price difference.

The 2012 Ford Taurus offers a classy passenger cabin, though the use of hard plastics in a few places detracts a bit from the overall upscale feel. Door panels are convincingly textured to look like stitched leather, but are hard to the touch. At least the interior is comfortable, especially with the optional high-tech "multicontour" front seats with built-in massage. The backseat offers generous head- and legroom even for good-sized adults. At 20.1 cubic feet, the trunk is one of the largest you'll find on any sedan. Fold down the rear seats and the Taurus offers up even more space.

On the downside, the car's rising beltline, thick roof pillars and tall center console can make the interior feel confining despite its large size. Other issues include deep-set gauges that can be hard to read and the dashboard's large and somewhat confusing assortment of buttons and knobs. Like most other Fords, the Taurus can be equipped with the useful Sync system, which connects cell phones and portable music players into the car's electronic interface that includes voice commands.