2010 Ford Taurus

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Safety - What the Auto Press Says

In the same month it went on sale, the 2010 Taurus won the "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  The Taurus earned the highest possible score, "Good," in front-, side- and rear-impact tests performed by the Institute. The federal government has not yet announced crash test scores for the Taurus.

Every 2010 Ford Taurus comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-side airbags and side head-curtain airbags. A number of optional safety features are offered, including a blind-spot warning system, a cross-traffic warning system (which warns the driver of approaching cars when reversing and is quite useful in crowded parking lots), and a rearview camera.

A safety feature unique to Ford is the optional MyKey system.  MyKey-equipped Tauruses come with a separate set of keys that parents can give to new drivers.  The car is fully functional when started with the parents' keys.  Parents can limit what the car can do, however, when it's started with new drivers' keys.  Using a password, parents can limit the car's top speed, for instance, and cap the radio's volume - exposing teens to the car's full capabilities only as their driving skills merit it.

• "Forward sightlines are good (thanks to the fall-away design of the dashboard), and rear-quarter views are augmented by the radar-based ‘blind-spot information system' (BLIS), which flashes a light in the side mirror when another car lurks in your blind zone." -- Car and Driver
• "One noteworthy safety feature is Ford's new MyKey system that allows parents to alter the vehicle's performance parameters and set warnings to effectively mandate safer driving for the youngins.  For instance, adults can use the system to lock out the traction-control defeat button (no smoky burnouts for Junior), impose a top speed of 80 mph (no street racing for Junior), lower the maximum volume of the stereo...it can even be programmed to activate the belt-minder chime incessantly and keep the stereo muted until the front seat occupants are buckled." --  Autoblog