Rented: 2007 Taurus SE

[USA_Idol]

Good:
- Surprisingly quiet at highway speeds.
- Genuinely agile for a large-ish midsize.
- It's a handsome car...in a generic kind of way.
- Vulcan 3.0L V-6 is smoother than I expected.

Bad:
- Styling may be a bit too generic.
- Interior design is definitely too generic.
- Cabin materials are disappointingly cheap.
- Sloppy assembly (I don't think there's a body seam or interior panel that lines up the way its supposed to).
- Seats have weird bulge in the lower backrest; very uncomfortable.
- Seat fabric looks low-rent.
- Engine power trails off at higher speeds, probably not unusual for a positively ancient pushrod V-6.
- It may be a fairly large and heavy midsize (or semi-shrimpy full-size, take your pick) with a V6 engine...but 20-21 MPG is not what I'd call fuel efficient.

Verdict:
On a budget -- Not a bad choice despite its flaws.
Not on a budget -- I'd seriously look at the imports first, most of which are higher quality and have greater mechanical refinement.

[Colin]

You've missed the worst failing of this car........ the brakes, or rather the complete lack of them, especially in the wet. I remember renting one of these a few years ago and being genuinely scared about its lacking of stopping ability on wet roads (that was before I experienced the Explorer, which is similarly afflicted).

I succesfully managed to avoid the "Tortoise" for the last few years, and hope that the very last stragglers have finally been pensioned off by Mr Hertz.

Why anyone would prefer one of these to a Hyundai or a Kia beats me, but it seems blind prejudice lives on in the minds of many customers......

[SVT666]

- It may be a fairly large and heavy midsize (or semi-shrimpy full-size, take your pick) with a V6 engine...but 20-21 MPG is not what I'd call fuel efficient.

It's a full size car.  It's nowhere near midsize.

[ifcar]

It's a full size car.  It's nowhere near midsize.

The 2007? It straddles the middle ground the same way the GM W-bodies do, and certainly occupied the squarely midsize market position between the discontinuation of the Contour in 2000 and the introduction of the Fusion in 2006.

[Pommes-T]

Ford should stretch the Mondeo and sell it in the USA... 

[omicron]

Ford should stretch the Mondeo and sell it in the USA... 

A larger Mondeo, you say? Your car awaits!




Petrol Mondeos are rated at 9.5l/100km (24.75mpg), and a six-cylinder petrol Falcon is rated at 10.1l/100km (23.28mpg) - not a huge difference given the size and power advantages of the larger car.

[Submariner]

Wait are we talking about the Taurus Taurus, or the 500 turned Taurus, Taurus.

[ifcar]

The Five Hundred Taurus came out for 2008. The 2007 model was the older version.

[Submariner]

The Five Hundred Taurus came out for 2008. The 2007 model was the older version.

Ohh...that...*shudders* Taurus.

[SVT666]

The 2007? It straddles the middle ground the same way the GM W-bodies do, and certainly occupied the squarely midsize market position between the discontinuation of the Contour in 2000 and the introduction of the Fusion in 2006.

Sorry, I thought he was talking about the 2008, which is definitely a full size.

[USA_Idol]

Oh yes, I did forget about the brakes!  Sorry, I was tired when I posted the review. 

In routine driving, they feel fine.  But I had to stop suddenly on wet pavement one night and WHOA!  That car nearly slid across the intersection!  Those brakes locked up so fast it wasn't even funny.  Downright scary, in fact.

I'm sure they're acceptable with the ABS option, but I wonder now how many of them are actually equipped with that safety feature?

[the Teuton]

My brother just bought one.  The brakes (ABS, methinks) were fine, and the Vulcan wasn't that bad.  It's not a terrible car.  I can't see what you're all seeing.

It's no less comfortable than a LaCrosse, albeit a bit less luxurious.

[ifcar]

A lot more space than the LaCrosse, and not nearly as quiet. But I've always liked the Taurus more than most people do.


EDIT: I'd originally written "I've always liked the Taurus more than most people", which is probably also true, but not as relevant here.

[Byteme]

EDIT: I'd originally written "I've always liked the Taurus more than most people", which is probably also true, but not as relevant here.

Ah, the sign of a true gear head.