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2008 Ford Taurus X Safety Review

July 2, 2008

SAFETY | 10 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Five stars, front and side impact protection; four stars, rollover resistance
NHTSA

Top Safety Pick; good in frontal, side, and rear-impact crash tests
IIHS

good view of the road
Cars.com

driver sightlines are better than average for a vehicle of this type
Kelley Blue Book

The 2008 Ford Taurus X is one of the few vehicles to which TheCarConnection.com awards a perfect 10 for safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) both give the 2008 Ford Taurus X high ratings, with IIHS awarding it Top Safety Pick honors. The NHTSA rates it at five stars across the board for front and side impact protection and four stars for rollover resistance.

Cars.com notes standard safety features included with the Ford Taurus X include "standard antilock brakes, front- and side-impact airbags for the front seats, and side curtain airbags that protect occupants in all three rows in a side impact or rollover," as well as an electronic stability system. The Washington Post notes that the 2008 Ford Taurus X's side bags are "designed with two chambers--one to deploy faster for better protection of the lower extremities and an upper chamber engineered to design more slowly to cushion the upper body without torso injuries."

Many sources comment on this Ford 2008 model's high degree of visibility; Cars.com notes "the driver has a good view of the road without being needlessly high." On the other hand, the "optional flip-down video screen for the backseat made [the] rearview mirror almost useless." ConsumerGuide also comments that the Ford 2008 Taurus X's "visibility is generally good, though the view to the rear corners is hindered by roof pillars."

Conclusion

Except for the rear visibility issues, the 2008 Ford Taurus X is as safe a vehicle as they come.

SAFETY | 10 out of 10Expert Quotes:Five stars, front and side impact protection; four stars, rollover resistanceNHTSATop Safety Pick; good in frontal, side, and rear-impact crash testsIIHSgood view of the roadCars.comdriver sightlines are better than average for a vehicle of this typeKelley Blue Book The 2008 Ford Taurus X is one of the few vehicles to which TheCarConnection.com awards a perfect 10 for safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) both give the 2008 Ford Taurus X high ratings, with IIHS awarding it Top Safety Pick honors. The NHTSA rates it at five stars across the board for front and side impact protection and four stars for rollover resistance. Cars.com notes standard safety features included with the Ford Taurus X include "standard antilock brakes, front- and side-impact airbags for the front seats, and side curtain airbags that protect occupants in all three rows in a side impact or rollover," as well as an electronic stability system. The Washington Post notes that the 2008 Ford Taurus X's side bags are "designed with two chambers--one to deploy faster for better protection of the lower extremities and an upper chamber engineered to design more slowly to cushion the upper body without torso injuries." Many sources comment on this Ford 2008 model's high degree of visibility; Cars.com notes "the driver has a good view of the road without being needlessly high." On the other hand, the "optional flip-down video screen for the backseat made [the] rearview mirror almost useless." ConsumerGuide also comments that the Ford 2008 Taurus X's "visibility is generally good, though the view to the rear corners is hindered by roof pillars." ConclusionExcept for the rear visibility issues, the 2008 Ford Taurus X is as safe a vehicle as they come. 2008 FORD TAURUS X STYLING | [7 out of 10] Autoblog: "Edge-inspired exterior styling" Cars.com: "it still looks like an overgrown wagon" Edmunds: "cloth upholstery in SEL models is unimpressive" Jalopnik: "looks like the spiritual successor to the big wagons of yore" Washington Post: ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The slow-selling Chrysler Pacifica, which has been discontinued after this model year, has been the Taurus X's closest rival, though the Pacifica has slower acceleration and doesn't handle any better than the 2008 Ford Taurus X; it's also won top crash-test results across the board. At the back, the Taurus X's third row is roomier, with easier access. The Outlook is one of a group of new GM crossovers that includes the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia; it performs well and has a more refined ride than the Taurus X, though it feels smaller inside than the Pacifica and Taurus X, and its third row is tight. The same goes for the Honda Pilot, which is also rated well for safety and has a tight third row of seating. Some may find the Pilot's faux-rugged, boxy appearance alluring.

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See the Ford Taurus X in Other Years:

2009 | 2008

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