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The Greenest Car of 2024 Isn’t an EVFord Taurus Through the Years
When it first debuted in 1986, the Ford Taurus was an instant hit and a best seller for nearly a decade. Here we cover the rise and fall of an American icon.
Looking Back at the Ford Taurus
2018 Ford Taurus – media.ford.com | Shop Ford Taurus on Carsforsale.com
When it first debuted for the 1986 model year, the Ford Taurus represented a leap forward for the Blue Oval. With consumers preferring smaller, reliable, and more fuel-efficient vehicles, Japanese automakers like Honda and Nissan had made inroads into the US market. With Ford‘s sales declining throughout the first half of the 1980s, the company embarked on a new culture of quality, with the Taurus being part of the “Quality is Job 1” rebranding.
Throughout most of the 1990s, the Ford Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States. However, sales began to slump in the latter half of the decade, with the Taurus getting the ax in 2006. The once-popular nameplate was later revived in 2008, and the Ford 500 was rebranded as the Taurus. While a completely different car, the Ford Taurus returned for a sixth and final generation in 2010 until it was retired for good in 2019. Here we will cover the features and highlights of the iconic Ford Taurus.
First Generation (1986-1991)
As large V8-powered sedans fell out of favor, the all-new Ford Taurus marked a new direction for Ford. Heavily mired in debt, the company bet the house on this all-new, front-wheel drive sedan. While heavily criticized for its looks and often regarded as too futuristic, the aerodynamic design provided better fuel economy.
In addition, the Ford Taurus was innovative for its time and debuted many features that we see in cars today. Among them were contoured switches that could be identified by touch and operated without the driver having to take their eyes off the road. Suffice to say, the first-generation Ford Taurus was a hit, with more than 2,000,000 million rolling off the assembly lines when production ceased in 1991.
- Switches and buttons with one half raised and the other half indented became the norm for years to follow.
- The first-generation Ford Taurus won numerous awards during its six-year production run.
- The base engine 2.5L four-cylinder had 90 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, but it was dropped in 1991.
- In addition, there were a pair of V6 engines. Both the 3.0L and 3.8L V6 engines made 140 horsepower, albeit the larger engine had more torque.
- An automatic transmission was standard on the V6 options, but the 2.5L four-cylinder could be paired with a five-speed manual through 1987.
- The Ford Taurus was offered as a sedan and wagon with its sister nameplate, the Mercury Sable, offering a few luxury-oriented extras.
- The Taurus was customizable with a range of options like a front-row bench seat and a number of creature comforts. A driver’s airbag became standard in 1990.
- In 1988, a Super High Output (SHO) version debuted with a Yamaha-built 200 horsepower 3.0L V6 and a five-speed manual transmission. It was one of the fastest four-door cars at the time and could accelerate from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds.
Second Generation (1992-1995)
By this time, the Ford Taurus had become a hit and was the best-selling car in the US. While there were no changes under the hood, the exterior was refreshed, and it had a more rounded look. In addition, it was slightly longer and heavier than its first-generation counterpart.
- Both sedan and wagon models were offered, with the engine choices being a 3.0L or 3.8L V6.
- There were minor changes to the door trim, seats, and interior panels of the Taurus.
- A police version with 15 extra horsepower was available, although it never became popular.
- Safety features like four-wheel disk brakes and ABS were added for the second generation. The 1993 Taurus and Sable were the first mid-size cars to offer dual front airbags.
- The Ford Taurus SHO could be paired with an automatic transmission, and it was the last Taurus that could be optioned with a manual gearbox.
Third Generation (1996-1999)
Completely redesigned, the round and oval-shaped third-generation Ford Taurus sold well during its first two years, although it lost the number one spot in 1997 to the Toyota Camry. This generation never caught on as Ford had hoped, and it marked the beginning of the end for the Taurus, with nearly half of all sales being to car rental companies.
- Like its predecessors, there were three interior configurations, and when equipped with a front and third-row bench seat, the wagon could seat eight people.
- The radio and climate control switches were simplified and easier to operate.
- The base Ford Taurus and GL models retained the standard 145 hp and 170 lb-ft torque 3.0L V6, while the top-tiered LX models received a new 200 hp and 193 lb-ft of torque 3.0L Duratec V6.
- The Ford Taurus SHO was offered with a 3.4L V8 that put down 235 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque. This engine proved to be troublesome, and due to less than stellar sales, the SHO was dropped after 1999.
Fourth Generation (2000-2007)
The fourth-generation Ford Taurus was less oval-shaped than its predecessor and had more standard curves for the time. It was also wider with more interior room and trunk space. However, sales continued to decline for the Taurus, and it fell further behind the likes of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. In addition, it faced competition from within its own ranks, which led to the Taurus getting the ax in 2007.
- The 3.0L Vulcan V6 found in the Ford Taurus received a slight bump in performance to 155 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. The higher trim SES and SEL could be optioned with the Duratec V6.
- The fourth-generation Ford Taurus was one of the first cars to offer side-impact airbags.
- The wagon was dropped in 2004, with the Mercury Sable being discontinued the following year.
- The Ford Taurus was never popular with consumers, although fleet sales remained strong.
- With sales declining and Ford vested in the 500 and Fusion sedans, the last Taurus of the original series rolled off the production line in October 2006. However, this decision was not without its controversies, and Ford was heavily criticized for letting one of its most popular models fade into oblivion.
Fifth Generation (2008-2009)
The Taurus nameplate was revived in 2008, and aside from a different drivetrain and exterior trim, for all practical intents and purposes, it was a rebadged Ford 500. This was an entirely different model, and it bore nothing in common with the outgoing fourth generation.
Sixth Generation (2010-2019)
Redesigned for 2010, the “new” Ford Taurus used was built on the 500’s chassis. Now Ford’s largest sedan, it replaced the venerable Crown Victoria and became popular with law enforcement. While this was the best Taurus by far, the decision to focus on SUVs and trucks led to it being retired for good in 2019.
- The sixth-generation Ford Taurus was available in five trims: SE, SEL, Limited, SHO, and Police Interceptor.
- Engine choices ranged from a 240 horsepower 2.0L turbo four-cylinder up to a pair of 3.5L naturally-aspirated V6 engines that made either 263 or 288 horsepower.
- A six-speed automatic transmission was standard on all models.
- The Ford Taurus could now be optioned with AWD.
- The Ford Taurus SHO returned to the lineup and had a more powerful twin-turbo 3.5L V6 that put down 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The all-wheel-drive SHO was a capable sedan with a respectable 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds and responded well to modifications.
- Unlike previous generations, the sixth generation was not mass-produced, with sales never topping more than 70,000 units a year.
2018 Ford Taurus – media.ford.com | Shop Ford Taurus on Carsforsale.com
- The Taurus was one of Ford’s first vehicles to be offered with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. Four-wheel disk brakes, ABS, traction and stability control, were standard on all models.
- The only refresh during this generation of the Ford Taurus came in 2013, with most of the changes having been made to the interior. A new infotainment system with an 8″ screen debuted along with a push-button start, high auto beams, and a rear-view camera.
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