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The Taurus deserved to
place much higher here. 2006 represents its last year on the market, and one
that is intended primarily to serve fleets, but the Taurus was never a bad
car. It rides and handles fairly well, and is roomy and comfortable inside.
However, for its last year, the Taurus lost its higher-end engine option, the
3.0-liter “Duratec” V6 that provided better refinement, acceleration, and fuel
economy than the 3.0-liter “Vulcan” V6 that remains. And more importantly,
the Taurus is surprisingly expensive, offering little or no financial
incentive to choose it over superior competitors. With unbeatable prices, the
Taurus’s basic strengths could have led to its recommendation as a
budget-priced competitor, but there is no reason to consider it otherwise.
The Taurus has a smooth,
absorbent, and reasonably comfortable ride, though it’s firmer than one might
expect. The car handles competently, but is far from fun to drive, and doesn’t
feel remotely agile. The steering lacks feeling, but responds fairly quickly.
The “Vulcan” V6 is neither powerful nor quiet, and road noise is also
prominent. Fuel economy is mediocre even for a V6.
Inside, the Taurus has
large, firm, and comfortable front seats, though they are a bit lumpy. The
rear is roomy, mounted high, and quite comfortable as well. A lack of head
restraints is a downside there. The interior is built solidly, but lacks the
opulence that is now found in most competitors even at this price range. The
gauges could be larger, and it is easy to confuse some of the many small
identical buttons on the dash. Entry/exit is easy, though higher front seats
would help even more. Drivers sit comfortably, and have good visibility in all
directions. The trunk is quite large, and it is well-shaped to utilize that
space.
The Taurus did reasonably
well in crash testing. It earned four stars for the driver and five for the
front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test, but a mediocre three stars
for both the driver and for the rear passenger in the NHTSA side crash test.
The IIHS has not evaluated the car’s side-impact protection, but it was a Best
Pick in its frontal offset crash test. Its head restraints were judged to be
Marginal, the second lowest of the four ratings.
The Taurus is a
surprisingly expensive vehicle. The version reviewed here came in at $20,574,
equipped with a safety package that includes antilock brakes with traction
control and torso-protecting side airbags, but not much else. It is not the
value that one would expect, it is in fact one of the pricier vehicles in this
group.
Overall, the Taurus
would be a strong contender in this class with its since-discontinued Duratec
V6 and a price advantage. As it is, it is a roomy and comfortable sedan that
does not really stand out in any way, can easily be lost in a crowd of similar
cars that do have unique advantages.
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