2010 Ford Taurus And Taurus SHO Features

The highly anticipated 2010 Ford Taurus is now making its debut ... and there's plenty to like about it. As Edmunds.com aptly put it, " ... the new Taurus is exactly what a modern full-size American sedan should be".

With its roomy and stylish cabin, powerful yet efficient V6 engines, comfortable and quiet ride, generous feature content and available all-wheel drive, the new Taurus is a force to be reckoned with in the large sedan segment. It successfully bridges the gap between a family sedan and a luxury car. In fact, it's so good, it may well win over previous truck and SUV buyers.

It's actually quite different from its well-known predecessor with only the front suspension, some of the body structure, the 263 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 engine and the six-speed automatic transmission being carried over. In addition to its fresh look, most of its other mechanical components are new, or in the case of the rear suspension design, borrowed from the 2009 Lincoln MKS luxury sedan, a nice place to borrow from.

But perhaps the biggest news about the new Taurus is the reintroduction of the highly acclaimed and much-missed Taurus SHO model. The SHO is a performance-oriented sedan sporting a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine called the "EcoBoost". This engine churns out a hefty 365 horsepower to all four wheels while apparently producing gas mileage results of a less powerful car.

Standard Features And Options:

The 2010 Ford Taurus is catagorized as a full-size, five-passenger sedan that's available in four trims: SE, SEL, Limited and SHO.

Standard features on the already well-equipped SE model include 17 inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, SecuriCode entry pad, cruise control, air conditioning, automatic headlights, a 6-way power driver seat, steering wheel audio controls, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a tilt/telescoping steering column, and a 6-speaker sound system with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio jack.

The Taurus SEL has all of the above, plus 18 inch wheels, heated external mirrors, upgraded cloth upholstery, automatic transmission paddle shifters, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and satellite radio.

Available optional features on the SEL include leather upholstery, a power passenger seat, 19 inch wheels, rear parking sensors, ambient lighting, and the Sync electronics interface system (which includes both Bluetooth and an iPod interface).

All of the SEL's options come standard on the Taurus Limited, in addition to 10-way power front seats, driver memory and an upgraded audio system with a 6-disc CD/MP3 player.

The Taurus SHO adds the more powerful turbo engine, a sport-tuned suspension, a rear spoiler, keyless entry and ignition (optional on the SEL and Limited), xenon headlamps, an auto-dimming exterior driver mirror (optional on the Limited), and upgraded leather trim with faux-suede accents.

Other available options depend on the trim level and include multicontour massaging seats, heated front seats, a sunroof, power-adjustable pedals, remote ignition, and a 12-speaker premium sound system.

On Limited and SHO models, options also include a blind-spot warning system, adaptive cruise control with a collision warning system, an auto-dimming exterior driver mirror, heated rear seats, cooled front seats, automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, a power rear window sunshade and a navigation system with an in-dash CD/DVD player, a hard drive with 10GB of digital music storage, and Sirius Travel Link with real-time traffic, weather and other information.

In addition, the Taurus SHO has available 20 inch wheels, a rearview camera and the SHO Performance package that features recalibrated steering, performance brake pads, a different final-drive ratio, stability control defeat, the 20 inch wheels and summer tires.

Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:

Powering the 2010 Taurus is a standard 263 hp 3.5 liter V6 engine that's mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. All models except the SE feature manual shift control and downshift rev-matching capability. Power is sent to the front-wheels, however, all-wheel drive is offered on SEL and Limited models.

The high-performance Taurus SHO is equipped with a 365 hp (350 lb-ft of torque) twin-turbocharged 3.5 liter V6 with direct fuel injection. It's coupled with a six-speed automatic with shift paddles. Ford engineers have said that their EcoBoost technology and exclusive twin-turbo could provide enough power for the SHO to hit over 160 mpg, although it's been technically limited to 133 mph.

Gas mileage for front-wheel drive Taurus models is estimated at a quite respectable 18 mpg city and 28 mpg on the highway. All-wheel drive models are rated at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg. This goes for the AWD SHO as well, quite amazing due to the engine's extra 102 horsepower.

Safety:

Standard safety features on all 2010 Ford Taurus models include antilock disc brakes (ABS), traction control, stability control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In addition, a blind-spot warning system, a pre-collision warning system, a cross-traffic warning system (when reversing), a rearview camera and rear parking sensors are available as options.

While NHTSA crash-test results had not been completed at the time of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the 2010 Taurus its highest accolade, a "Top Safety Pick" rating, based on the results of front, side and rear-impact crash tests.

Interior:

With its twin-cowl dash and waterfall center stack, the new Taurus has been updated with a stylish interior and driver-focused design. It's comfortable, attractive and user-friendly. And the way the dash slopes away from the occupants creates an even more open feel. A big convenience and safety plus is the Sync electronics interface (available on all models except the SE) that's a voice-activated technology for controlling your cell phone or iPod.

While the back seat is a tad smaller than the previous Taurus (one of the largest backseats in its class), rear space is still ample for adults. In addition, trunk cargo space comes in at a cavernous 20.2 cubic feet making the Taurus one of the most convenient cargo haulers among all sedans (the Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis are fractionally larger).

Drive:

The ride of the new Taurus is sportier than you would anticipate from a large sedan. The steering is precise with plenty of feedback. And due to its sleek aerodynamics and ample sound insulation, the cabin remains comfortable and quiet whether cruising down the highway or in busy city traffic. Road bumps and imperfections are well absorbed, even by the SHO with its stiffer suspension.

The standard V6 engine of the Taurus has long been noted for its power competence and ease of acceleration. The twin-turbo SHO clearly ups the ante and goes from a standstill to 60 mph in under 6 seconds, with a chassis that remains rock-solid during the process. Gear changing in the SHO is quick, and according to Ford engineers, is faster than the automatic in a BMW 335i.

Update: Bad Economy Leads To Lower Ford Prices:

Ford sales have been weak for months, evidence of a continuing poor economy and an especially weak car buying trend. They got a nice bounce during the "Cash For Clunkers" program, but the market quickly returned to its previous state.

And once again, the combination of fierce competition and a soft market has created an ideal opportunity for nailing down great deals.

How To Buy A New Taurus At The Lowest Price: Before listing MSRP and invoice prices for the 2010 Ford Taurus, here's step-by-step instructions on how to get the best price, especially given the current slow car market.

Price:

2010 Ford Taurus:

SE, FWD: listed retail price: $25,170, invoice price: $23,243

SEL, FWD: listed retail price: $27,170, invoice price: $25,043
SEL, AWD: listed retail price: $29,020, invoice price: $26,708

Limited, FWD: listed retail price: $31,170, invoice price: $28,643
Limited, AWD: listed retail price: $33,020, invoice price: $30,308

SHO, AWD: listed retail price: $37,170, invoice price: $34,043

Other Resources

The All New 2010 Ford Taurus Features And Prices