The Ford Taurus isn’t what it used to be.
Actually, it’s what the Ford Five-Hundred was supposed to be.
For 2008, Ford has reintroduced the Taurus nameplate (along with the Mercury Sable), replacing the Euro-inspired Ford Five-Hundred, whose short run ended after a couple of years. (We hardly knew ye.)
A redesign that added beef, including a 263-horsepower V6, was given the former Five-Hundred. The earlier model’s biggest criticism was a lack of power.
Not so for the Taurus, which has a bit of bullish brawn under the hood to go with more room in both the trunk and backseat, making it roomier and giving it more storage capacity than both the Five-Hundred and Taurus of old.
No one quite knew what the Five-Hundred was, though it hearkened back to an earlier Ford as well. That’s not a problem with the Taurus, which was one of Ford’s best sellers in the 1980s and 90s.
Branding means a lot in today’s marketplace. Taurus screams out family sedan to a couple of generations of car buyers, and Ford needs something to make a statement if not an exclamation in a crowded market.

ERGONOMICS/AESTHETICS

2008 FORD TAURUS

Price Range: $23,635-$29,470
Body Style: Sedan
Fuel Economy: 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway (AWD)
IN THE MARKET: Chrysler 300, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera

Of course, everything I say here goes double for the Mercury Sable. The Sable has more standard equipment, while the same are offered as options on the Taurus.
Ford’s “Sync” system is part of the deal with the Taurus — and most of the nameplates this season, so that’s a plus. I particularly enjoy the Bluetooth option for my cell phone, though it sometimes inexplicably disconnects itself. It also allows the connection of digital music players, but since I’m the only person on the planet without an iPod (or any variance thereof), I didn’t get to test the music end of it.
The tested Taurus came fully loaded — as did the Sable a few weeks later.
The SEL and up-level Limited, are the trim levels offered. The well-equipped SEL has 17-inch wheels, power seats and windows, and it is hardly barren. The Limited, which was the tested vehicle, had all the accessories one would expect from a competitor in the large-sedan market, including 18-inch wheels, a stereo upgrade, heated mirrors, seat heaters and driver-seat memory system.
The new Taurus is too roomy front and back to not be comfortable. It is airy and spacious enough to reach land-yacht status in my book.
The notable complaint from other critics was the high seat position for the driver, which is not completely correctible with the power controls. Taller drivers might have some problems despite the relatively high roofline. Most will just feel a little odd sitting so tall in the saddle, so to speak.
The three-bar chrome grille is a nice touch on the outside. Overall, the design is a bit boxy, as was the smaller Five-Hundred and hearkens back to the days of Crown Victoria.

PERFORMANCE
Taurus added 60 horsepower from the relatively underpowered 203 horsepower that outfitted the Five-Hundred. The new 3.5-liter V6 is coupled with a more responsive six-speed automatic replaces the sluggish continuously variable transmission (CVT) across all trim levels.
From a safety standpoint, anti-lock brakes are standard as are front- and side-curtain airbags. In crash tests, the Taurus/Sable got perfect five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Overall, the Taurus offers up a sublimely quiet ride, which is key for most buyers in the large-sedan market. While the Five-Hundred was more nimble and handled better, the tradeoff with the new Taurus is raw power and the ability to get up to highway speeds quickly, which it does with little effort.
The all-wheel-drive option with 18-inch wheels is certainly something to think about for potential buyers who live in cold-weather areas who want a car rather than an SUV.

FINAL THOUGHTS
The last time around, the Taurus was supposed to be an Everyman’s car, with family sedan and SHO models.
Its current incarnation won’t lend itself to that kind of mass appeal, but its positives, such as the aforementioned all-wheel-drive, Sync system and overall space, should certainly turn some heads.