Just one look is all it takes to see that the Ford Taurus is a refined automobile with sporty looks, high performance and numerous safety and deluxe features inside and out. It is a luxury sedan that stands out due to the value it offers when compared to other vehicles in its class.
While the newest Ford Taurus features the patented smooth and quiet ride that has made it a family-friendly vehicle since its launch, this is not the same Ford Taurus your father drove. It is better. The 2010 Taurus is available in four styles: the SE, the SEL, the Limited, and the SHO. The SHO, with a base MSRP of $37,770, is the flagship model of the quartet. It comes with a special luxury-latent interior and rolls on 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels…which greatly enhance its sporty appearance.
This year’s Taurus models are lighter and more streamlined than preceding models and boast an energy-efficient 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers impressively in both fuel efficiency and performance. Ford pitted its Taurus SHO’s 3.5 V6 EcoBoost engine against the V8 engine of the highly regarded Audi 6 in a series of zero-to-60-mph races and quarter-mile runs. The SHO bested the A6 in each event. The EcoBoost’s 365-horsepower engine utilizes twin-turbo charging and direct-fuel injection to match the output of the larger engine. The final notable eyebrow raiser here is that the Taurus SHO is priced around $20,000 less than the Audi A6.
Kudos to Ford for having the moxie to prove that the Taurus offers quality on par with the industry’s best by taking on the industry’s leaders in head-to-head comparisons. It compared the Taurus SHO’s paint job to that of the Lexus LS460. In a test that many may find be too painful to watch, both cars followed behind a dump truck that dropped gravel from its rear that bounced off the road and onto the cars. When analyzed in the lab, the paint job on the Taurus was proven to be more resistant to stone chips and scratches than that of the nearly $70,000 Lexus LS460.
The Taurus has unique smart-technology features. Along with an adaptive cruise-control system, there is Ford’s Blind Spot Information System that alerts the driver of traffic not readily seen through mirrors. It also is quite handy when pulling out of parking spots where it is difficult to see. A warning light in the mirror indicates lets the driver know if there is oncoming traffic.
Another great use of smart technology by Ford is the MyKey system. This enables the owner of the car to have control over how it is operated even when someone else is driving, such as a teenage son or daughter. The system also allows the owner to place controls on the maximum speed the vehicle can be driven as well as keeping the volume on the stereo at a pre-set limit. MyKey is the next best thing to actually being there to ensure that the car is being operated safely.
The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO also turned out to be quieter than a $48,000 Acura RL, and, in head-to-head tests with an Infiniti M45, it was proven that Ford’s Blind Spot Information System provides the driver with more relevant data to avoid potential hazards.
Have you driven a car that you could afford lately? The 2010 Ford Taurus is a family-friendly sedan with features usually found on vehicles costing $20,000 to $30,000 more. It is a package that adds up to great value.
