2012 Ford Taurus

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The 2012 Taurus is available in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels and is offered with front- or all-wheel drive. The Taurus, which seats up to five people, competes with the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon. It is also offered as the high-performance Taurus SHO, which is powered by a twin-turbo V-6 engine. New in 2012 is all models now have an integrated blind-spot mirror in the side mirrors.

Driving the 2012 Ford Taurus

While driving, we found the Ford Taurus to be a thoroughly satisfying family sedan. It is not fast by street-racing standards, but it is by no means underpowered, either. Power from the 263-horsepower 3.5-liter Duratec V6 is smooth, progressive and entirely suitable for daily transportation. It's even been exhaust-tuned to deliver a satisfying little growl under acceleration, confirming to the driver that this is a serious road car. And there is no awkward sudden throttle tip-in here. Large four-wheel disc brakes bring the Taurus to a powerful halt. Admirable. The name Audi keeps coming up around the new Taurus, but that is unavoidable. The Taurus has an Audi-like feel on the road, which is a very good thing. Taurus ride quality is nicely damped and comfortable. It transmits information from the road accurately to keep the driver informed, but it soaks up road irregularities skillfully.

Exterior Design of the 2012 Taurus

The Taurus is a thoroughly American design, yet it owes almost nothing to the long, ponderous line of over-styled American sedans of the past. Its styling is exciting and chic, more than a match for any foreign competitors in its price class or even for competitors that cost a good deal more. The side panels are muscular and handsomely sculpted, while the side profile shows a distant similarity to the currently fashionable Audi family. At the rear, the car's lines feature another pair of sleek lamp complexes, tied together with a gleaming horizontal chrome strip. On the Taurus SHO, the upper lip of the trunk is adorned with a spoiler; with the speed the SHO can generate, the added downforce is appropriate.

'12 Ford Taurus Interior

Inside, the Ford Taurus is roomy, comfortable, and quiet. The gauges have a fresh, modern look, and all instrument lights are fully lit at all times. This is important, because so many cars dim their instruments in daylight, enough so that in high sun, the gauges and readouts are unreadable. For this bright decision, give Ford an A-plus. The seats are lavishly comfortable, with one exception: In order to achieve its full five-star rating in crash protection, which it successfully did, the front seat headrests lean slightly forward. This is a roomy car. In the matter of interior volume, the Taurus earns its standing as a full-size sedan, delivering total passenger volume of 102.2 cubic feet. It's big on the outside, too, though its deft styling makes it seem slightly less so. All in all, the Taurus interior is generous, comfortable, extremely quiet and pleasing to be aboard.

2012 Ford Taurus Lineup

The 2012 Ford Taurus comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6, 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

Taurus SE comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning manually controlled with air filter, six-way driver seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio with six speakers, three auxiliary power points, message center with trip computer, programmable performance-limiting key, illuminated visor mirrors, power windows with driver one-touch up/down, black exterior mirrors, rear window defroster, capless fuel filler, chrome exhaust tips, halogen headlamps with automatic windshield wiper activation, remote keyless entry, keyless entry keypad, floor mats, and 17-inch wheels.

Taurus SEL adds paddle shifters for the 6-speed automatic, body-color heated exterior mirrors, 18-inch wheels, Sirius Satellite Radio, message center with trip computer and compass, auto-dimming mirror, leather-wrapped shifter knob and steering wheel, and anti-theft perimeter alarm. The Taurus SEL AWD is equipped the same but includes all-wheel drive.

Taurus Limited upgrades with leather-trimmed seats with 10-way power in both front seats, driver seat memory, leather-wrapped steering wheel with wood inlay, woodgrain applique, SYNC hands-free communications and entertainment, 6CD changer, universal garage opener, global-open window controls, chrome mirrors and taillamps, ambient interior lighting, cargo net, mirror with microphone, reverse sensing system, and 19-inch chromed aluminum wheels. The Taurus Limited AWD adds all-wheel drive.

Taurus SHO features a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, all-wheel drive, electric power-assist steering, sports suspension, high-intensity discharge headlamps, rear spoiler, 19-inch premium wheels, door-trim color matched to seats, SHO floor mats, push-button start, aluminum pedals, leather seats with Miko suede inserts, and leather steering wheel with perforated insert.

Conclusions

For more on this model, visit the official 2012 Ford Taurus website. The Ford Taurus is a full-size sedan that should make Detroit proud of itself once more. This is a mature, comprehensively engineered, and lavishly equipped world car. And its faster version, the SHO, is one of the great performance sedans of the day.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com

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2012 Ford Taurus Des Moines

2012 Ford Taurus

Driving the 2012 Ford Taurus

Exterior Design of the 2012 Taurus

'12 Ford Taurus Interior

2012 Ford Taurus Lineup

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