2009 Ford Taurus X - Page 1 Review

See more photos

Shopping for a 2009 Ford Taurus X? MSRP: $28,270 - $34,175

SEE LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS

Last year the Ford Freestyle was renamed the Taurus X and given a very mild restyle, along with a much peppier powertrain—making it, despite the odd name, a much more appealing vehicle.

The Freestyle has a profile that deceptively looks a lot like that of a full-fledged SUV, with some overall design cues inspired by the once-popular Explorer. But the Taurus X isn’t meant to go crawling off-road; passenger duty is its forte, and the Taurus X is actually closer to a tall-roof station wagon. For last year, along with the name change, the chunky SUV cues were softened a bit; more chrome was part of the spruce-up, along with a new taillamp design and an upgraded interior.

Before you condemn the Taurus X for its outward appearance, take a look inside, as the overall design allows for an incredibly spacious, and space-efficient, interior, with three rows of seating. The front two rows work well for adults, while the third row is manageable for short trips thanks to the stadium-style seating that perches the last row a bit higher than the others. Up front, the driving position is a Goldilocks-esque "just right" that falls somewhere between SUV-tall and sedan-short. The extended roofline and wagon profile of the Ford Taurus X offer impressive cargo capacity, especially with the third row folded down, and the loading height is very convenient. In full cargo mode, the 2009 Ford Taurus X can accommodate items up to nine feet in length.