Ford Tauras

The Ford Taurus, sometimes spelled the Ford Tauras, is a mid-sized sedan, though it is now called a full size car. The Ford Tauras is one of the largest sedans on the market.

History

The Ford Taurus first came out in 1986, replacing the Ford LTD car. The third generation design in 1996 was stopped in 1999 because sales of the model severely declined. The Ford Tauras was on hiatus early in 2006 before being brought back as a modified version of the Ford Five Hundred van.
The Ford Taurus was a twin to the Mercury Sable from 1986 to 2005 and 2008 and 2009. The Ford Tauras' early models were the basis of the front wheel drive Lincoln Continental in the late 1980s.
The sixth generation of the Taurus came out in 2010.

Design

As of 2015, the Ford Tauras was the largest sedan by Ford. The Ford Tauras is larger than the Ford Fusion sedan, though it is smaller than the Ford Five Hundred minivan.
There are several trim lines for the Ford Taurus. The SE is the base trim line. The SE trim level includes power driver seat and a six speaker sound system. The SEL is the mid-level trim package. That level puts in the Sync voice interface, rearview camera, dual zone climate control, and rear parking systems. The Limited is the premium comfort package. The SHO trim is the sporty version; the SHO trim line came out in 1989. That trim line comes with a more powerful engine and better suspension.
For all versions, the standard engine is a 3.5 liter 288 horsepower V6 engine. A turbocharged 2.0 liter four cylinder engine with 240 horsepower is an option. The SHO package comes with a 3.5 liter V6 365 horsepower engine. The only transmission available is a six speed automatic. Front wheel drive is standard.
The Ford Tauras gets around 25 miles per gallon on the highway and 20 in the city. The “sporty” SHO gets two miles per gallon less. This is still reasonable gas mileage given the size of the Ford Tauras.

Performance

The Ford Taurus has received the IIHS Top Safety Pick throughout the 2010s.
There was a recall for the 2010 through 2013 Ford Taurus for problems with the interior door handles sometimes malfunctioning, so that they risked popping open during a side impact collision.
A separate recall was issued for 2010 through 2014 Ford Taurus vehicles due to salt corrosion of the license plate lamp, which could cause a fire. This is only an issue if you regularly drive on roads treated with salt to melt ice.

Price

The base price for the 2015 Ford Taurus SE trim line is $27,000 new. The SEL package started at $29,500. The Limited package cost around $34,500. The SHO package costs around $40,000 new in 2015.
Switching from front wheel drive to all wheel drive adds around $5,000 to the price, regardless of the trim line.

Rivals

The major rivals of the Ford Taurus are the Honda Accord, Hyundai Azera, Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, and Chevrolet Impala.

Trivia

There is a police car version of the Ford Taurus called the Police Interceptor Sedan.
The Ford Taurus is a separate vehicle from the Ford Taunus. That car was sold in Europe from 1970 to 1994.