Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Police Interceptor 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 288 hp 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Limited 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Don’t want to go far?
Find all cars near me?SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Police Interceptor 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 288 hp 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Police Interceptor 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 288 hp 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Overall Rating
Starting from a base price of $27,720, Ford’s winning formula has been to provide a potent 3.5L V6 engine that delivers exceptional performance in a sedan that boasts of comfortable ride quality as its strongest suits.
The affordable large-size sedan segment of the American automotive market has been on a meteoric rise over the past few decades and spearheading the progress from the front is the Ford Taurus. The Taurus has made its place in the buyer’s heart with its commodious cabin and aplomb trunk capacity.
We recommend buying the Limited trim of the Ford Taurus for its supreme practicality and usability. The Limited trim features specifications like cooled and heated front seats, leather upholstery, and is versatile enough to be driven both as a daily driver and a sprinter on the highway.
SEL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SHO 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
SEL 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Starting from a base price of $27,720, Ford’s winning formula has been to provide a potent 3.5L V6 engine that delivers exceptional performance in a sedan that boasts of comfortable ride quality as its strongest suits.
The affordable large-size sedan segment of the American automotive market has been on a meteoric rise over the past few decades and spearheading the progress from the front is the Ford Taurus. The Taurus has made its place in the buyer’s heart with its commodious cabin and aplomb trunk capacity.
The 2016 Ford Taurus is available in four different trims, each of which uses a standard engine setup but are differentiated from each other by the set of features and tuning and performance level of the engine.
The Ford Taurus falls in a price bandwidth that extends from $27,720 for the base variant and goes up to $40,385 for the top-rack variant. As standard, the Ford Taurus comes equipped with features like a rearview camera, cloth seats, child safety locks, and MP3 Player.
Trim |
SE |
SEL |
Limited |
SHO |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP (FWD) |
$27,720 |
$29,650 |
$34,570 |
N/A |
MSRP (AWD) |
N/A |
$31,500 |
$36,420 |
$40, 385 |
Key Features |
Cruise Control |
Adds or replaces features of SE |
Adds or replaces features of SEL |
Adds or replaces features of Limited |
|
Keyless Entry |
Rear Parking Aid |
Keyless Start |
HID Headlights |
|
Rearview Camera |
Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel |
Optional Adaptive Cruise Control |
Optional Adaptive Cruise Control |
|
Front and rear airbags |
Alarm |
Optional Automatic Parking |
Optional Automatic Parking |
|
CD Player |
Optional sun/moonroof |
Universal Garage Door Opener |
Universal Garage Door Opener |
|
Cloth seats |
Remote engine start |
Leather Seats |
Leather Seats |
We Recommend
We recommend buying the Limited trim of the Ford Taurus for its supreme practicality and usability. The Limited trim features specifications like cooled and heated front seats, leather upholstery, and is versatile enough to be driven both as a daily driver and a sprinter on the highway.
The engine on duty on the Ford Taurus is a standard 3.5L V6 unit, except for the SHO trim, that uses a turbocharged unit of the same setup. On the base and mid-level variants, the engine is capable of 288hp of power and 254lb.-ft of torque, while the top-rack variant’s turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine churns out 365hp of power and 350lb.-ft of torque.
As standard, the Ford Taurus comes attached to a 6-speed automatic transmission and can be channeled both as a rear-wheel and all-wheel-drivetrain. In the 60MPH acceleration test, the Ford Taurus SEL can boost from a still to the 60 MPH mark in 6.5 seconds and can complete the quarter-mile run in 15.1 seconds. It records a top speed of 151 MPH.
Model |
Ford Taurus |
Toyota Avalon |
Chrysler 300 S |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$31,390 |
$35,850 |
$38,095 |
Engine |
3.5L V6 |
3.5L V6 |
3.6L V6 |
Drivetrain |
All-wheel-drive |
Front-wheel-drive |
All-wheel-drive |
Transmission |
6-speed automatic |
6-speed automatic |
8-speed automatic |
Power |
288hp |
268hp |
300hp |
Torque |
254lb.-ft |
248lb.-ft |
264lb.-ft |
0-60 MPH (seconds) |
6.3 seconds |
N/A |
6.6 seconds |
Quarter mile (mph) |
15.1 seconds |
N/A |
15.1 seconds |
Top speed (mph) |
151 MPH |
N/A |
157 MPH |
In comparison, the Chrysler 300 S is the only car in the segment that makes use of 8-speed automatic transmission, while the Toyota Avalon is the only vehicle channeled as a front-wheel-drive variant. While performance figures for the Toyota Avalon are not known, the Chrysler 300 S clocks 6.6 and 15.1 seconds in the 60 MPH acceleration test and quarter-mile run, respectively. It records a top speed of 157 MPH, which is fractionally higher than the Ford Taurus.
In the segment that Ford features in, economic fuel figures play a considerable role in purchasing decisions, and the Taurus’ fuel economy is distressing, to say the least. The Ford Taurus manages 17 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. Combined, it averages a mileage of 19 miles per gallon of fuel. Its fuel tank has a total capacity of 19-gallons and can cover a total range of 323 miles in the city and 456 miles on the highway.
Model |
Ford Taurus |
Toyota Avalon |
Chrysler 300 S |
---|---|---|---|
MPG (city) |
17 |
21 |
18 |
MPG (Highway) |
24 |
31 |
27 |
MPG (Combined) |
19 |
24 |
21 |
Fuel Capacity |
19 gallons |
17 gallons |
19.1 gallons |
Range (City/highway) |
323/456 mi |
357/527 mi |
343.8/515.7 mi |
In comparison, the Toyota Avalon is the most fuel-efficient car in the segment and averages a combined mileage of 24 MPG, while the Chrysler 300 S remains marginally behind averaging 21 miles per gallon of fuel. Also, the Chrysler features the largest fuel tank in the segment, having a total capacity of 19.1 gallons. In terms of total distance covered, all three cars remain at par with each other.
The idea of the Ford Taurus being a luxury vehicle is evident by its well-built and practical cabin, which enhances ride quality. The use of wooden accents feels upmarket, while both upholstery options are sturdy and highly comfortable. The presence of abundant goodies in the cabin adds to the usability while the central console that houses the infotainment system has a large number of storage spaces. The cabin in itself is quite as if you were isolated from the outside world.
While the front seats are appropriately positioned and provide good viewing angles, it is the rear seat that may be the deal-breaker for many. Decreased head and legroom due to a tapering roofline may irk some buyers, but the Taurus still manages to seat 3 passengers at the rear end. The cargo space of 20.1 cubic feet is the best figure in the segment.
Model |
Ford Taurus |
Toyota Avalon |
Chrysler 300 S |
---|---|---|---|
Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
39/57.9/41.9 |
37.6/58.2/42.1 |
38.6/59.5/41.8 |
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
37.8/56.9/38.1 |
37.9/57/39.2 |
37.9/57.7/40.1 |
Cargo Capacity (cu. Ft) |
20.1 |
16 |
16.3 |
In comparison, all three cars as standard can seat five passengers only. While the Toyota Avalon has maximum legroom for front-seat passengers, the rear seat occupants enjoy maximum comfort in the Chrysler 300 S. The cargo capacity on offer is considerably lower on both the Toyota Avalon and Chrysler 300 S when compared to the Ford Taurus. Some salient interior features of the Ford Taurus include:
The infotainment system on the Ford Taurus has grown exponentially over the last year with the introduction of the SYNC3 software. Even from its base variant, the Taurus has the potential to compete with the cars above its class. As standard, the Ford Taurus comes equipped with features like AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth connectivity, and an MP3 Player.
The 8-inch touchscreen that can be used for the rearview camera and navigation system has the highest of resolutions and is of impeccable quality. The infotainment system comes attached to a 6-speaker sound system. Other salient infotainment features include:
There is no defined opinion on how the Ford Taurus fairs on the designing front. If you’re someone who is wooed by subtleness and sublimity, the Taurus will stand to impress you. However, we feel that the Taurus needs refreshed styling; it is the only car in the segment that is yet to step onto the bandwagon of aggressive design elements.
While the front lights are handsomely designed and work well in tandem with the overall stance, the taillights are rather idiosyncratic. The Ford Taurus weighs 4,196 lbs and has a total length, width, and height of 202.9, 76.2, and 60.7 inches, respectively. While its ground clearance is not known, the Taurus’ wheelbase measures 112 inches.
Model |
Ford Taurus |
Toyota Avalon |
Chrysler 300 S |
---|---|---|---|
Curb weight (lbs.) |
4196 |
3461 |
4235 |
Length(in) |
202.9 |
195.3 |
198.6 |
Width(in) |
76.2 |
72.2 |
75 |
Height(in) |
60.7 |
57.5 |
59.2 |
Ground clearance (in) |
N/A |
5.5 |
4.8 |
Wheelbase (in) |
112 |
111 |
120.2 |
In comparison, the Toyota Avalon is the lightest car in the segment, while the Chrysler is the heaviest car weighing 3,461 and 4,235 lbs, respectively. While the Taurus is the largest in dimensions, the Toyota Avalon has the highest clearance from the ground of 5.5 inches, whereas the Chrysler 300 S has the longest wheelbase of 120.2 inches. Some standout exterior features include:
The 2016 Ford Taurus scores highly in the crash tests conducted by the NHTSA and gains a rating of 5-stars, which is the highest possible. The Ford Taurus as standard uses a 4-wheel ABS and 4-wheel disc brake system that accords the car with decent halting distances. The Ford Taurus comes equipped with features like driver and passenger airbags, brake assist, and electronic stability control. Other salient safety features include:
The Taurus isn’t as well-built as Ford would have wanted it to be. While its engine performance, cabin build, and cargo capacity are above segment standards, the idiosyncrasy in its design and distressing fuel-efficiency works antithetical to its cause. With the 2016 iteration of the Taurus, Ford has introduced new and advanced safety and infotainment features that make the car even more practical and pragmatic. However, its flaws are difficult to hide. While the Ford Taurus has a lot to offer, we would recommend looking elsewhere to find that extra bit of enthusiasm and excitement in your sedan.