The new Taurus is larger than the old, mid-size Taurus, although it competes in the mid-size auto market. It seemed like a no-brainer. The built-in-Chicago Ford Five Hundred sedan and similar Freestyle station wagon (or crossover) version weren't meeting sales expectations because they sorely lacked consumer recognition. So why not give them the familiar Ford Taurus name, besides improvements for 2008?
After all, the made-in-Chicago Taurus seemed revolutionary to average folks when introduced in 1985 and was America's best-selling car for five years straight, starting in 1987.
A larger new mid-size Taurus arrived with sleeker styling for 1996. It was improved, but its styling got a tepid reception from the Taurus' generally conservative audience. Some thought the car looked smaller, and turned to Japanese cars such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which now rule the mid-size sedan roost.
Many Taurus models ended up in rental car fleets, as Ford tried again with a new Chicago-built 2005 sedan called the Five Hundred and a similar crossover (really a wagon) version called the Freestyle. Meanwhile, Mercury's Chicago-built version of the Five Hundred was called the Montego. (The 2008 version gets the old Sable name.)
The Five Hundred was cleanly styled but looked rather bland. It had a 3-liter, 203 horsepower V-6 that provided acceleration that was decent, but nothing more. Relatively few folks paid much attention to the Five Hundred or Freestyle, and kept flocking to Japanese cars.
However, many fondly remembered at least the first-generation Taurus, and the second-generation version kept the car's name alive. Ford's new boss, former Boeing executive Alan Mulally, also recalled the Taurus, and it wasn't hard for several top Ford executives to convince him to rename the upgraded 2008 Five Hundred the Taurus and the improved Freestyle the Taurus X.
Mulally is no "car guy,'' but he knew it would take billions of dollars to give a car the name recognition the Taurus already enjoyed.
I tested the new Taurus sedan, but spent more time with the Taurus X. The latter can be called a crossover -- and crossovers are among the hottest-selling vehicles.
Both Taurus versions are virtually identical in most respects, but the Taurus has a conventional sedan layout with two seating rows and a big trunk and the Taurus X has three rows of seats and a hatchback.
Both are exceptionally roomy. The Taurus is larger than the old, mid-size Taurus, although it competes in the mid-size auto market. It's easy to reach the Taurus X third seat, which offers a decent amount of room for two tall adults.
The Taurus has a spacious trunk, and the Taurus X provides exceptional cargo room with its second- and third-row seats folded forward. A power hatch door for the Taurus X is a convenient option, although it operates rather slowly.
Both models are well-equipped and can be had with front-drive or an improved all-wheel-drive system.
Taurus prices range from $23,245 for the entry sedan to $28,695 for the AWD Limited sedan with all-wheel drive. Taurus X prices go from $26,615 for the entry SEL model to $31,800 for the AWD Limited with all-wheel drive.
A smooth, quiet 3.5-liter, 263-horsepower V-6 replaces the smaller V-6 and provides strong acceleration. The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) has been dropped, leaving only a more responsive conventional six-speed automatic as standard.
Estimated fuel economy for the sedan is 18 mpg in the city and 28 on highways with front-drive and 17 and 24 with all-wheel drive. Figures for the Taurus X are 16 and 24 with front drive and 15 city, 22 with all-wheel drive. Only 87-octane fuel is required.
Styling changes for both models include the Ford brand's new signature three-bar chrome grille and new front fascia. The Taurus gets a sculpted hood with crisp accent lines and new rear fascia and different taillights. The Taurus X also has a new fascia and restyled hood, along with newly shaped front fenders and a new rear fascia.
Ford says the Taurus has more than 500 improvements that make it quieter, faster and safer, and the same can be said for the Taurus X. For instance, the sedan has its engine and transmission bolted to the body with hydraulic mounts to reduce vibration.
The Taurus X is higher and heavier than the Taurus sedan. It thus feels a little less lively and doesn't handle quite as sharply as the sedan. Both ride on a 112.9-inch wheelbase and have approximately the same length and width. But the Taurus X weighs 4,033 to 4,203 pounds, compared with 3,741 to 3,930 for the Taurus, and the Taurus X is 67.6 inches high, compared with 61.5 inches for the Taurus sedan.
Neither model is in the sports vehicle category -- they're basically conservative family vehicles with average handling. Steering is linear, handling is responsive and a revised suspension provides a ride that's smooth, although slightly bouncy over uneven pavement. Braking is good, with a pedal that feels rather soft but has a linear action for consistently smooth stops.
Both have extremely quiet interiors, thanks to sound-absorptive material throughout the interior and even expandable foam pellets in the windshield pillars. The Taurus X front seats, though, provide just average comfort, and its fuel level and coolant temperature gauges are very small -- although the speedometer and tachometer are large.
Other glitches: The console shift lever partly blocks cupholders for a driver. And there is a mixture of small and large climate controls and lots of small dashboard buttons that take learning.
The Taurus X has standard electronic stability control (optional for the sedan). Both also have a long list of standard safety equipment, including front side air bags and curtain side air bags.
The Taurus has been rated the safest full-size car in North America, capable of receiving five-star ratings in all categories of the U.S. government's crash tests. It's also been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.
The Taurus X has been rated the safest seven-passenger crossover vehicle in America after receiving five-star ratings in all categories of government crash tests -- and also got a "Top Safety Pick'' rating from the IIHS.
It remains to be seen how well the nicely built Taurus and Taurus X fare, but they're far better than the old Taurus models and have solid name recognition.
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