Ford’s mid-sized Taurus sedan has gone under the knife. Gordon Torbet checks out if the stylish newcomer cuts the mustard
Let’s be honest, the Ford Taurus was never what you’d call “sexy”. When first launched in 1986, however, it broke the mould of boxy mid-size sedans that had dominated the State highways of the ‘70s and it became the de rigeur mobile office for fleets and travelling salesmen. By the fourth generation the aerodynamics which had so influenced the fuel economy of the first gen had almost over-evolved to make the Taurus look like an amoeba. Not surprising then, that sales dropped off against fierce competition from its Japanese rivals.
But now the Taurus badge is back in its sixth incarnation and according to chief engineer Peter Reyes, on the west coast of the States where Fords traditionally aren’t renowned for flying off the shelves, “this car is selling like crazy” with about 80 per cent conquest sales in LA. Even Reyes’ aunt in Tennessee can’t get her hands on one! So this must be quite a car.
To put the Taurus in context, it will hit the road at about $21,500 for the base front-wheel drive SE, the SEL will be roughly $27,000, while the all-wheel-drive Limited that we tested on a 250km highway haul down to Liwa will cost $33,000.
So what do you get for your money? For a start you get a totally new exterior which brings the Taurus in line with premium European brands. A combination of smooth curves and sculpted edges creates an aerodynamic, poised 3-box sedan. The face looks powerful with a distinct “truck-like” bonnet bulge defined by sharp-edged creases and a new headlamp cluster design. In profile there is a reassuring balance between the chunky expanse of bodywork and the sleek roofline which has a sweeping C-pillar to expand interior space and significantly improve the drag coefficient. On 19-inch rims (18-inch on the SEL) the apparent rising tail and the dynamic waistline crease which flows from the decorative chrome-edged side vent give the Taurus a sense of urgency, although the continuation of the crease behind the rear wheel-arch looks more like an awkward dent than a purposeful design feature.
If you find yourself sitting behind a Taurus you’ll be a little intimidated by the square footage of metal in your face, but it’s pleasingly formed and divided by lateral lines such as the classic chrome strip bearing the blue oval breaking into the blatant taillight clusters, as well as an “aero-dent” in the trunk lid.
The interior is equally impressive. The general fit and finish is another testament to the Ford renaissance with general quality leathers and plastics dressing the cabin (except for the cheap ribbed leather door insert). Our Limited featured dark grey perforated leather seating with sporty white stitching to emphasise the contours of the cosseting but very comfy front seats with both heating and ventilation, as well as buttock and back massage – although only one at a time.
Flowing lines frame the double-binnacle front fascia cascading into the centre console and creating a generally relaxing environment, apart from the awkward hard-edged plastic drive tunnel moulding. The manually adjustable leather and wood veneer steering wheel is an ideal compromise between class and sports, and features ergonomic paddleshifters for gear changes in Manual drive mode, although their main drawback is their shift logic: both paddles can be used for upshifts and downshifts by pushing the paddles away or pulling them towards you – a logic that Porsche uses but which it is reconsidering because of confusion and accidental upshifts.
Switchgear throughout is generally firm and offers a quality feel while the touch-screen SYNC entertainment/navigation/setup screen is responsive if a little dull and a bit “Early Learning Centre” in appearance. So too is the over-sized gearshift.
However, as a cruiser, the Taurus is a breeze. I can’t comment on how it goes round corners because the test drive took us on a road from Abu Dhabi to Liwa which was as straight as a die. But the 263bhp 3.5-litre multi-port fuel injection Duratec V6, which it shares with the Flex and the Edge, feels perfectly capable, working in partnership with the surprisingly agile 6-speed SelectShiftAutomatic box: it doesn’t embarrass itself off the line and continues to pull its 1,916kg mass through to a peak torque of 337Nm at 4,500rpm. And although it feels like a “heavy” car, it’s in a sturdy and reassuring sense. At 170km/h with medium cross winds, the Taurus doesn’t budge but offers a serene ride quality with very little intrusion from wind noise or road vibration.
Technologically there isn’t a better equipped US sedan for the money. Four crucial safety systems are available on the Taurus over and above the AdvanceTrack stability and traction control: Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning (inherited from Volvo) which pre-loads the brakes and warns you if you’re rapidly approaching an obstacle in front; radar-based BLIS (an advancement of the Volvo system) which alerts you to vehicles in your blindspot; and the Cross Traffic Avoidance system to alert you to objects crossing your rear when you’re reversing from a parking space, for example.
Other pluses include: curtain, door and two front dual-stage airbags; push button start; navigation; rain-sensing wipers; and a centre armrest with iPod and AUX sockets as well as holders for your pen, drivers’ licence and lip balm.
Accountants among you – and you’ll probably be the key demographic for the Taurus – will realise that, to use a nauseating Americanism, all in all “it’s a lot of bang for your buck”. So what more could you want?
Well, you could always wait until the latter half of the year when Ford are planning to introduce the SHO (Super High Output) version which will produce 100 more horses and 135Nm more torque which, thanks to EcoBoost twin turbos, will be available from 1,500rpm upwards. But if your daily routine consists of the Dubai-Abu Dhabi jaunt, you could seriously do a lot worse than the Taurus while spending a whole lot more cash.
