Ford Taurus

When it was first introduced for the 1986 model year, the Ford Taurus was a revelation in American cars. With styling that was completely different than anything else available on the market, combined with a very space-efficient front-wheel-drive design, the Ford Taurus suddenly made a lot of sense—as well as fashion sense—for U.S. families. Over the years, alternatives to the Taurus have included the Chevrolet Impala, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Avalon, and Toyota Camry.

Ford didn’t mess with a good thing for several years (and it thankfully discontinued the tepid base four-cylinder engine), and Taurus sales boomed. A thorough 1992 update made the Taurus appear a little lower and more aerodynamic in front, and the Taurus was slightly roomier and longer.

In its redesign of the Taurus for 1996, Ford simply struck out. Perhaps in response to some critics who had called the 1992 redesign conservative, the automaker gave the Taurus a more radical redesign that emphasized ovals, gentle curves, and elliptical shapes inside and out, but it brought serious deficiencies like meager trunk space and tight headroom in back.

Ford then backtracked a bit in 2000, bringing up the roofline and trunkline and making the front and rear styling of the Taurus a lot more conservative. It also backtracked on powertrains

Beginning in 1989, Ford offered a special high-performance Taurus SHO version, which used a special Yamaha-built 3.0-liter V-6 that made a then-very-impressive 220 horsepower. Later version of the SHO, from '96 to '99, got a 3.4-liter V-8 engine that made 235 horsepower but weren't as appreciated.

Looking at '86 all the way through 2006, most Taurus models are equipped with Ford's 'Vulcan' V-6 engine, which delivered adequate but never remarkable performance. The 200-horsepower Duratec 3.0-liter was offered from the late '90s through 2005 and makes the Taurus more enjoyable.

Ford wound down Taurus production in 2006, after introducing both the slightly smaller Ford Fusion and the larger Ford Five Hundred. Then in 2007, under the leadership of Alan Mulally, Ford renamed the roomy but conservative Five Hundred the Taurus (also renaming the Freestyle the Taurus X).

For 2010, the Taurus was redesigned into a sleeker, less conservative-looking sedan, sacrificing a little bit of headroom for a lower roofline. In the years since then, the Ford Taurus has been a repeat IIHS Top Safety Pick and offers several advanced-tech features like adaptive cruise control and Ford's MyKey programmable access system. The Taurus SHO has also returned, with a 365-horsepower twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6, six-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive.

The Taurus again got a significant refresh for 2013. With restyled front and rear appearances, as well as more soft-touch surfaces and a quieter interior--as well as the introduction of the MyFord Touch interface to upper trims--the 2013 Ford Taurus keeps its look contemporary next to the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion. The big news is a new four-cylinder engine--the 2.0T EcoBoost four, making 237 hp and delivering 31 mpg or more on the highway--while the familiar 3.5-liter V-6 now makes 290 hp, with mileage boosted by 1 mpg. Ride and handling have been improved, while there's more onboard tech than ever--including multicontour seats with Active Motion, rain-sensing wipers, an Intuitive Park Assist feature, and a host of active-safety aids.