2008 Ford Taurus

Jil McIntosh

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

There's a reason why I'm not a forecaster, and it's because I'm not very good at it. There have been a few models I thought would tank, and they ended up doing very well, and a couple I pegged as winners that didn't resonate with the public. The Ford Five Hundred was on that latter list.

It was roomy and it rode fairly well, and I figured it was a shoo-in to replace the Taurus, a car that hadn't aged gracefully. The Five Hundred lasted only three years.

For 2008, it's been replaced with a model that revives the Taurus name, the idea being that consumers will return to a designation they know.

More than just the name has changed. Under the hood is a 3.5 L V6, borrowed from the Edge, that replaces the Five Hundred's 3.0 L V6; horsepower rises from 203 to 263, and torque from 207 lb.-ft. to 249.

Previously, the all-wheel-drive models used a rubbery continuously variable transmission (CVT), but all Taurus models now use a six-speed automatic.

The new model is also the requisite longer-wider-taller of most makeovers, although the wheelbase stays the same and the changes are so small as to be pretty much unnoticeable. My all-wheel-drive Limited tester outweighed its predecessor by 50 kg, but even with that and the bigger engine, fuel mileage is virtually unchanged.

Overall, Taurus is a much better performer than Five Hundred. The extra power gives it snappy acceleration when needed, and the six-speed automatic is very well matched to it.

This isn't a sports sedan by any stretch of the imagination. It's more nimble than you'd think, given its size, but it's still first and foremost a big highway cruiser that returns a plush ride: if you make the Toronto-to-Tallahassee snowbird run each season, this is now a very serious contender.

The Limited's interior is heavily accented in dark plastic wood, which will be either stodgy or comforting, depending on how much nostalgia you feel for big 1970s sedans.

Fit and finish is improved over the Five Hundred, but it still could be better. Some of the styling cues, such as the square door handles pushed into the door panels, look cheap on a car that, thanks to my tester's options, was just under a too-hefty $44,000. (Base prices on the Taurus start at $30,899 for the front-wheel SEL and $37,199 for the front-wheel Limited; all-wheel-drive models are $33,399 and $39,699 respectively.)

There are no complaints about the seating, front or back.

The base and Limited models come well-equipped with luxury touches, including dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, six-CD stereo, power seats and automatic headlamps. The Limited also throws in driver's side seating memory, parking sensors and heated leather seats.

All of this is housed in a design that uses the company's signature three-blade grille (why do I always think of a disposable razor?) and more upscale taillights than the Five Hundred's plain red triangles.

The Designated Passenger put it best when he described the Taurus as "a pair of sensible shoes." No one's going to run over to look at your Taurus, but if you're more concerned with comfort than cachet, this one's worthy of a test-drive.

Freelance automotive writer Jil McIntosh can be reached at jil@ca.inter.net.

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