"2010 Ford Taurus SHO: Driving Impressions" Edmunds Daily

2010 Ford Taurus SHO: Driving Impressions

The new 2010 Ford Taurus seems to be the flavor of the week, with consumers and enthusiasts alike clamoring for tidbits of information. We were fortunate enough to take part in a drive from Knoxville, TN to Asheville, NC to sample the 2010 Taurus and the spicier Taurus SHO version. (By the way, Ford's people no longer spell out S-H-O when they refer to it and instead pronounce it as "show.").

A downpour that had us contemplating building a big wooden ark kept us from getting a good grasp on the base Taurus models, but we'll have a full test coming shortly. Fortunately, the clouds parted just in time for us to put the Taurus SHO through its paces on one of the best roads in the nation -- the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our previous post on the Taurus covered our initial impressions of the exterior and interior. Now we'll concentrate on what it's like behind the wheel.

The big news with the new Taurus SHO is the engine and standard all-wheel-drive. Rather than opting for a V8 powerplant, Ford decided on a twin-turbo V6 for increased fuel economy without sacrificing power. This new engine, dubbed "EcoBoost," produces 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Even more impressive is the fact that all of this torque is available from around 1,500 to 5,250 rpm. But don't expect a rollicking-good time with sports car-like entertainment levels, because all of this power is tempered by a 4,400 pound curb weight.

Also notable for the new Taurus is the introduction of manual control of the transmission via steering wheel-mounted paddles. Upshifts were smooth but not very quick, as were the rev-matched downshifts. Unfortunately, Ford took a page out of BMW's previous Z4 playbook by using a finger-tapped paddle for upshifts and a push of the thumbs for downshifts, which requires an awkward crane of your thumb to select a lower gear. We prefer the more widely accepted column-mounted layout with two paddles. Also needing a bit of attention is the Taurus' overly soft brake pedal. Though the brakes themselves performed well, the pedal travel often got uncomfortably close to the floor when driven aggressively.

Handling is about what we expected from a full-sized sedan, with plenty of body roll in corners. The amount of roll is acceptable though, since the suspension does an admirable job of sticking to the pavement once the car is heeled-over. The Taurus SHO gracefully carved through the tight turns and long sweepers of the Smokey Mountains, but there was no mistaking that we were piloting a large sedan. An optional performance package with a stiffer setup and stickier tires is available for those wanting a sportier ride, but we were unable to sample it firsthand.

Like the regular Taurus, the SHO's cabin remained pleasantly quiet, with road and wind noise silenced to almost whisper levels. However, given the performance leanings of the SHO, a more aggressive growl from the engine would've been a welcome addition.

In the brief time we spent with the new Taurus lineup, we feel that Ford has produced a capable and distinctive luxury sedan that is worthy of consideration amongst the German, Japanese and Korean marques. For the price, the Taurus is rich in connectivity and safety features along with options like blind spot detection, cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. Competitors like the Chrysler 300C , Audi A6 or Lexus GS350 lack most of the Taurus' features or are priced well out of its range. Consider too, the plentiful power combined with impressive fuel economy, and the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO is definitely a step forward, and indeed a promising start.