The Ford Taurus was once Ford's shining star. Born in 1985, it was America's best-selling car for five years. But by the late 1990s, the public began to lose interest, as did Ford. By 2006, the Taurus was history.
Now two model years later, the bull is back, although it's not a totally new car. Look closely. The 2008 Taurus is basically a revised 2007 Five Hundred.
To distinguish the car from its predecessor, Ford applies liberal helpings of exterior chrome trim, including a new grille and tail lamps.
While you might remember the 2006 Taurus as a mid-sized car, the 2008 model is full-sized. Its large exterior is designed for expanding American waistlines, with bountiful interior space, and a trunk so large even Tony Soprano couldn't fill it.
The wide front bucket seats have a chair-high seating position and are very comfortable. The same is true of the rear seat, although the center seating position is a bit firm. Headroom is exceptional, legroom is generous.
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The instrument panel is easy to understand and operate. But interior ambience is let down by an abundance of hard plastic.
Unfortunately, the test car had assembly quality issues. The sunglass holder was misaligned due to a missing grommet. The strip of fake wood trim on the instrument panel was loose.
The test car was lavishly equipped with heated front seats, leather trim, Sirius satellite radio, power-adjustable foot pedals, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with fold-down screen. Up front, the optional audio system and GPS navigation system are controlled by a touch screen with graphics too small to easily hit while driving.
There are two trim levels, SEL and Limited, with front-wheel- or all-wheel-drive.
Under the hood, a new 263-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission give the Taurus strong performance in all situations, something that couldn't be said of the Five Hundred. The engine sounds gruff when pushed, but is otherwise quiet.
The all-wheel-drive Limited model Ford sent for a week of testing matched its EPA estimates of 17 city, 24 highway. Opting for front-wheel-drive returns better mileage: 18 city, 28 highway.
The Taurus has a soft, well-controlled ride. There's a lot of body lean in corners, but grip is fairly good. Braking is excellent, with some nose dive in hard stops. Road noise is evident but not intrusive.
Prices start at $23,995, but be careful when ordering options. The loaded test car topped $33,000. Also, be sure to check out the Mercury Sable, which differs from the Taurus, mainly in styling details.
And now that the Crown Victoria is available only to fleet buyers, such as taxicab companies and police departments, this is the largest car in Ford's lineup.
The 2008 Taurus isn't flashy or fun to drive, but it performs well for anyone in need of a family car with lots of space.
2008 Ford Taurus
• Base price/as tested: $28,695 / $33,600
• Engine: 3.5-liter DOHC V6
• Wheelbase: 112.9 inches
• Length: 201.8 inches
• EPA fuel-economy rating (city/highway): 17/24 mpg
• Fuel type: Regular unleaded