Ford Taurus - Overview

The Taurus name has caused some confusion -- while the name is new for 2008, the car is not. The Taurus was marketed as the "Ford Five Hundred" from 2005 through 2007. New leadership at the company decided to change that car's name to Taurus for the 2008 model year, reviving a moniker last used on a wildly successful midsize sedan in the 1990's. The current Ford Taurus is Ford's full-size, flagship sedan. It is available with front- or all-wheel-drive. The Taurus is built on the same platform as Volvo's S80 sedan, so it's no surprise that it leads its class in our safety ratings. The car is largely viewed as a competent family hauler and a reasonable value, but not a top performer in its class. It is due for a major redesign for the 2010 model year.

The automotive press generally criticizes the Taurus' rather bland exterior styling, and finds its performance little more than adequate. Its interior, however, is near the top of its class. Spacious and comfortable, the Taurus is often considered Ford's most comfortable passenger cabin. It is available with Ford's Microsoft-based SYNC infotainment system, allowing drivers to control cell phones, iPods and other electronic devices in the car with voice commands. The Taurus does not perform well in our reliability rankings, and offers only an average industry warranty -- a strong reason to shop around before laying money down on a Taurus.

You can research the Ford Taurus by model year using the reviews below.