2010 Ford Taurus Limited

The 2010 Ford Taurus

The first thing to understand about the new Taurus is that it's big! We're talking Crown Victoria big here. Owners of previous-generation Taurus cars will be amazed.

And kudos to the Ford styling department; it has managed to make the Taurus visible on the street again. Even though this example is painted to blend in with the silver crowd, three times during my weekend stint did someone shout out and ask if this was the new Taurus or make comments. Mission accomplished here.

Now, for as big as the Taurus is on the outside, Ford sure found a way to make it feel small on the inside, in my humble opinion. There are a couple of factors at play here. First, the center console is huge and wide. It has two separate covered areas with drink holders, a sizeable shifter handle and an armrest/storage-bin area. This is coupled with a big and tall instrument panel. The combination of the two has the visual effect of shrinking the space inside the cabin. This is compounded by a set of beefy seats.

And speaking of the seats, I was never able to find a comfortable setting, even after a weekend of trying. I prefer to sit with the backrest upright. Headroom is fine in that position, but the seat is engineered to have a higher H point and doesn't adjust as close to the floor as I would prefer. This results in having to contort my head and neck getting in and out of the car or risk a mild concussion from hitting the roof rail. Also, the bolster on the seat is such that I felt like I was sitting on it, versus sitting in the seat, which would be more comfortable. Finally, adjusting the seatback recline to avoid the roof rail, and seat travel rearward for pedal comfort, left me with an arms-out driving position to reach the steering wheel.

One final interior note: The gauges are set deep into the dash cluster. But the combination of the chrome needles, the angle of the plastic gauge lenses and the high-gloss wood trim that surrounds the gauge cluster sets up plenty of glare on the gauges during the day.

Fixing those irritants would make the new Taurus close to a home run for me. The chassis is solid and the ride is firm without being too harsh. The V6 has adequate power, although it wants you to give it plenty of pedal when moving off from a full stop. At freeway speeds, this Taurus is luxury-car quiet.

2010 Taurus Limited

In Fleet: May 28-June 3

Base Price: $31,170

As-Tested Price: $38,080

Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; FWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 263 hp @ 6,250 rpm, 249 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,015 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 21/19.3 mpg

Options: Rapid Spec package 302A including blind-spot information system with cross traffic alert, memory power-adjustable pedals, auto high beam, branded front floor mats, rain-sensing wipers, intelligent access with push-button start, Sony audio system including Dolby 5.1 surround sound, 12 speakers, two subwoofers ($2,000); voice-activated navigation system ($1,995); adaptive cruise control ($1,195); power moonroof ($895)