", For carrying groceries, luggage, or, as Motor Trend suggests, sporting equipment, there's "a whopping 21.2 cubic feet (think six golf bags) in the trunk proper, and a whole lot more if the split rear and front passenger seats are collapsed." The transmission shifts smoothly and seamlessly. So as Ford readied a new and improved version for the 2008 model year, the company decided to swap names as well and -- voil! The engine upgrade, along with the Five Hundred's pre-existing comfortable cabin, cavernous trunk and top-notch safety scores, make the new Taurus a worthy candidate for a full-size sedan. Research, browse, save, and share from 575 Ford models in Mesquite, TX. These numbers are on par with rival crossovers like the Mazda CX-9 and Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook triplets. . Find aused certified pre-owned Fordfor sale. I replaced the alloy wheels with a black aftermarket wheel which draws lots of compliments , retaining the corroded OE wheels for the dedicated snow tires. ( Falken Eurowinter) . Row TwoTwo captains chairs are the standard second row, but a 60/40-split three-seat bench is a no-cost option. Also standard are front side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags (with a rollover sensor), with rear parking sensors and adjustable pedals optional on all models. Compare side by side the Limited vs SEL vs SHO in terms of performance, pricing, features and more All-wheel drive is an option; fundamentally sound handling is standard. Ford calls it Command Seating, and we dig it." In 2006, it dropped the name and brought out the full-size Five Hundred sedan. When you park the car or pull it into the garage is when you realize this is a full size car. Buyers can choose between front- or all-wheel drive. acceleration, quick braking. The Taurus X addresses both by changing from a 3.0-liter V-6 engine to a 3.5-liter V-6 and a conventional six-speed automatic transmission. Options include a moonroof, a navigation system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, satellite radio and the Ford Sync system, which allows voice activation of cell phones and entertainment systems. And it looks real nice washed up. Some exterior remodeling, a larger engine and a conventional automatic transmission have improved the Taurus X, whose main selling points are a Top Safety Pick designation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a very roomy standard third-row seat. Though the cars platform comes from Fords Swedish brand, Volvo, they didnt carry over this usual Volvo feature. Check out Ford lease specialsCheck out Ford Taurus X lease specials. All sources checked by TheCarConnection.com agree that in the 2008 Taurus, Ford offers a much quieter ride than before. For the Ford Taurus, 2008 means a beefed-up engine, but it only brings performance up to adequate in the eyes of most reviewers. Inside, you get the leather upholstery, driver memory settings, power adjustment on the steering wheel, and 10-way power for heated and ventilated front seats. The Taurus X crossover vehicle isnt a new model; it was sold as the Freestyle from 2005 to 2007. Under new leadership at Ford, the company resurrected the Taurus nameplate for the 2008 model year and applied it to the Ford Five Hundred, a large sedan introduced in 2005. Wanted something to still get all the kids and animals in but was lower to the ground. It turns out the Taurus X drives and handles like a car (which it is), but with it's higher ride height and folding seats, it can haul most of the things I thought I needed a truck for. I was comfortable in these chairs, thanks mostly to exceptional legroom. Where its sister sedan model, the 2008 Taurus (formerly the Ford Five Hundred), is a unique, high-riding, remarkably roomy sedan, the Taurus X with a choice of six or seven seats distinguishes itself much less in the sea of wagon/crossover/SUV models that offer all-wheel drive. The 2008 Ford Taurus X debuts with a far more energetic 3.5-liter V6. The addition of 60 horses makes the 2008 Ford Taurus a much more attractive proposition than the slow-as-snails Five Hundred. My X had the option, and its numbered straps made it simple to lower and raise, though not as simple as the second row. Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g, FUEL ECONOMY: weather as we had AWD. Last winter the car performed well for most of the winter in the Falken All Season Radials but a couple deep snows convinced me to go with a dedicated Snow tire this winter. From the closed liftgate, I measured 9.5 feet to the dashboard and more than 11 feet to the base of the windshield. The car was frequently downshifting for more power. ", Perhaps not as fond of all things shiny, MyRide is a somewhat less enthusiastic fan of the new look, but does say that the front-end styling "gives the Taurus a huge dose of character that the Five Hundred lacked." This trim of the large sedan has Bluetooth for phone and audio, six speakers, a CD player, two USB ports, an auxiliary audio jack, a 4.2-inch display, Sync voice controls, and a rearview camera. ", Cars.com reports that all but one of the five seats has head restraints. Even though the thing is 6 years old, it still has a modern design. ", As for the seats themselves, Cars.com deems them "well-padded, if a bit narrow," which contrasts Autoblog's assessment that "the seats themselves are closer in feel to those found in larger vehicles" and MyRide's comment that the "seats are big and comfy, perfectly suited to big American butts. type of car you're interested in and then select a used car from our massive database to (Ford made some upgrades and renamed it after concluding that people didnt know what it was). My test car had a remote-controlled power liftgate, kindly offered as a stand-alone option. It also scored the optimal rating of "Good" in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests. Overview Engine 3.5L V6 Gas Engine 3.5L V6 Gas Transmission 6-Speed Automatic Transmission 6-Speed Automatic Drivetrain. 2008 Ford Taurus Photos & Videos 1 - 3 of 3 Specifications Dimensions, Weights & Capacities Exterior Fuel Economy Mechanical Performance Warranty Entertainment DVD Entertainment System Satellite. The only real gripe I have with the car is that there seems to be a corrosion problem on the alloy wheels that I can't seem to get off with anything that I have tried. New vehicle prices include Tindol Trade Assist which requires the trade of a qualifying 2008 or newer vehicle with no more than 120,000 miles. This criticism of the audio system was virtually the only negative TheCarConnection.com found in reviews of Taurus features. ", Perhaps Autoblog's reviewers are somewhat shorter than those at Edmunds, which likes the Command Seating in the 2008 Taurus but warns that it "puts taller drivers very close to the ceiling"--though MSN points out that with "nearly an inch more headroom in the front and back seats than a new Camry, this Taurus is welcoming for even tall passengers." Guess the Edge replaced it. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for For Ford Taurus 2008-2009 Ford 9G1Z19E630B Right Instrument Panel Air Duct at the best online prices at eBay! Edmunds lists "leather upholstery, a power passenger seat, front seat heaters, a memory system for the driver seat/mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, an upgraded audio system with a six-disc CD changer, heated mirrors with puddle lamps, and an analog clock" as standard on the Limited, with "moonroof, a navigation system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, satellite radio and the Ford Sync system" optional. While the great outward visibility might be very reassuring to little old ladies who like to watch The Golden Girls on cable, the satisfaction of the height-challenged Estelle Gettys of this world might be balanced by the consternation of the statuesque Bea Arthurs, who will find that their hair brushes the roof of a car that supposedly has best-in-class headroom. Handles great! The Pacifica has less. You Asked for More PowerOf all the modifications Ford has made to turn the Five Hundred into the Taurus, none are as important as those under the hood. The presence of Sync makes the rest of the Taurus X's control layout seem dated, but families should find its capabilities useful just the same. Had a tough winter here in Wisconsin and the Taurus did great. Cars.com doesn't like the center armrest, which they call "hard enough to dribble a basketball on" and knock Ford for the "overhead grab handles [that] still slam against the ceiling when you let go -- something most automakers addressed years ago with soft-shut handles.". find cheap prew-owned vehicles for sale near you. Reviewers across the board give the 2008 Ford Taurus high marks for safety, though some would like to see the optional stability control feature made standard. And full-size it certainly is. The moon makes one orbit of Earth and you can try out a Rite Life Power Juicer with a no-hassle money-back guarantee. (The Ford Expedition is a notable exception.) (Ford made some upgrades and renamed it after concluding that people didnt know what it was). I prefer to see form follow function, but that doesnt mean form doesnt matter at all. 2008 Ford Taurus AWD 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Automatic 6-spd Regular Gasoline: View Estimates How can I share my MPG? 204,000 miles now in two weeks and still going strong! On the plus side, the button that lets you close it without the keyfob is on that pod, where shorter people can access it. Opting for the Freestyle Eddie Bauer earns you 18-inch wheels, gold body cladding, automatic headlights, two-tone leather upholstery in the first and second rows (vinyl for the third), wood-grain interior trim and dual-zone automatic climate control. Every 2008 Ford Taurus X comes with a 3.5-liter V6 making 263 hp and 249 pound-feet of torque -- jumps of 60 hp and 42 lb-ft over last year's Freestyle. From Gardner) image 1 of 1 484 Route 12 South. The optional leather on my cars seats was average at best, and I found the perforations in the center panels peculiarly large. Used car values are constantly changing. For better or worse, Ford has realized that four out of five car buyers have heard of the Taurus, which sold almost 7 million units in the nameplate's 21 years on the market, and the same couldn't be said of the slow-selling Five Hundred. Like other reviewers, they believe that with the Taurus, Ford's antiskid system "should be standard rather than optional. Most versions can be had at a considerable discount--even more so if you shop the nearly identical Mercury Sable. (It got four stars in rollover.) If you were to force me to take an interstate trip in the wayback of a midsize crossover vehicle, Id want it to be this one. To me someone who was ferried to day camp in a Ford Country Squire station wagon it still looks like an overgrown wagon. The most expensive choice, an all-wheel-drive Limited loaded with every option you can add, comes to $40,235. The 2008 Ford Taurus is quicker and rides more quietly and smoothly, but still lacks the dynamic magic of a Honda Accord. i had this exact car just a different color and i got in a bad car accident and it completely saved my life i walked out of my crash with just scratches on my foot and a little pain in my neck. Receive pricing updates, shopping tips & more! 2008 ford taurus sel. . While nobody will ever call the Taurus quick, the drivetrain no longer feels overwhelmed. Whenever my friends get inside my car, they are shocked that they are in a TAURUS. higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Once you have identified a used vehicle For more room, both the second- and third-row seats can fold flat into the floor and expand capacity to 85 cubic feet -- a generous amount, though still about 20 cubes shy of the GM triplets. city/highway. Pros: It's been totally reliable. Ford softened the suspension to create a suppler ride, which should please most potential customers, but we found that the Five Hundred handled a tad better. out what other owners paid for the Used 2008 Ford Taurus. the hole" and merging onto the interstate is no problem for the naturally aspirated 3.5 Liter V-6. Safety features include standard antilock brakes, front- and side-impact airbags for the front seats, and side curtain airbags that protect occupants in all three rows in a side impact or rollover. According to Edmunds, "power-adjustable pedals and rear parking sensors" are additional safety options offered with the 2008 Ford Taurus. You might say the Taurus X is the ex-Freestyle. ", Edmunds, which also knocks the slow downshifting, says that it is "a result of being tuned for maximum fuel economy"; MSN comments further on this aspect, noting that "this transmission--a joint venture product with General Motors Corp.--has two overdrive gears to get the maximum out of every gallon of fuel. ", Firmly ambivalent about the new look is Cars.com. They mention the new taillight lenses and, yes, chrome door handles. It was slow to react, and it seemed to bring out the worst in the 3.0-liter V-6 by causing it to rev too readily into high and noisy engine speeds. It has surprisingly good acceleration "out of. By the numbers, the front seat isnt especially roomy, but at 6 feet tall I found it more than workable. There are three different engine choices along with four trims and many options. I dont consider that a bad thing, but many people do which explains the SUV craze and the stigma associated with minivans. Better still, more muscle doesn't seem to have hurt fuel economy: 18 EPA mpg city and 28 highway, albeit a lackluster 16 in our test. In 2005, Ford introduced the seven-passenger Freestyle crossover to capitalize on consumers' growing interest in tall wagons and car-based SUVs. One month later after some rather sobering market research followed by some corporate soul-searching, the same car was reintroduced at the Chicago auto show as the 2008 Ford Taurus. Antilock disc brakes and traction control are standard, as are front side- and full-length side curtain airbags. Available trim lines include SEL, Eddie Bauer and Limited. ", Among the naysayers is AutoWeek, noting "the Ford electric-razor grille is nice, but the car still looks like an overinflated previous-generation Passat.". Simply research the Enhancements such as the last two add mass, but not a whole bunch. Power-adjustable pedals are available on all trim levels, but theyre connected to the seat-position memory only as an additional option on the Limited, in which memory is standard. Perhaps the Taurus' target buyers in gloriously flat Boca Raton, Florida, will find this an acceptable trade-off. The navigation system suffers from a slightly undersized dashboard screen and could be more intuitive." Everything inside is set up with practicality in mind. Like most trims, the Taurus SE has a 288-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine or the available 240-horsepower, 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. According to Edmunds, "Ford softened the suspension to create a suppler ride"; however, they still think "the Five Hundred handled a tad better." In space, seating comfort, and a quiet ride, the 2008 Ford Taurus excels. The driver has a good view of the road without being needlessly high. Powertrain Dimensions Read. Thats equal to the Pacifica and better than most crossovers and SUVs. Later in the fall, Ford's high-tech Sync communication system codeveloped with Microsoft, will be available for the Taurus. Have questions about warranties or CPO programs? MSN says of the Taurus, Fords trunk "makes the Camry's 15-cubic-foot trunk seem stingy"; perhaps more impressive, Edmunds points that the trunk is "bigger than the Crown Victoria" and that with the "60/40-split rear bench and front passenger seat fold[ed] flatitems up to 9 feet in length" can fit inside the 2008 Taurus. The optional power-folding mechanism for these seats seems superfluous. It would have been hot back when people cared less about image and didnt think twice about buying minivans, or even when there were few car-based models with three rows of seats. **2008 Ford Taurus X Limited*$2499 OBO*4X4 LOW MILES! . Unfortunately, it may have missed its window of opportunity. Tepid sales and a new CEO led to the revival of a once-bright nameplate, even though that name had been dumped after years of sedans whose appeal seemed limited mostly to rental fleets. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in. The two-seat third rows headroom and legroom put other models to shame. It was a great vehicle to transport aging parents, low to the ground so they could get in and out easily and wheel chairs and walkers fit in back. Its been a wonderful car and I love it. Side airbags and full-length curtain airbags are standard, although stability control is curiously only an option. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Taurus X!!!!!!!!! As before, safety will be a major part of the marketing. One thing led to another and I dug this Taurus sitting on the. Providing further reassurance is the Taurus X's perfect five-star scores in all front- and side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2008 Ford Taurus FWD 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Automatic 6-spd Regular Gasoline: View Estimates Though the steering ratio is slightly slower than last year, we expect the wagon's steering will still feel well-weighted and accurate. However, that tall seating position puts taller drivers very close to the ceiling. Passing ability was pitiful, and power delivery was unrefined. Ford is also offering a new "Sync" system for hands-free access to audio and phone functions. Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings It was an overstatement in the sedans case, but the Freestyle was borderline; fill it with people or cargo and take to the hills, and youd find acceleration wanting. What Ford describes as an orbit of chrome stretches from the increasingly ubiquitous Ford three-bar grille to the rear license plate mustache. The Taurus has performed well, with no mechanical issues thus far. The Taurus X isnt a sport wagon, but it isnt a lumbering minivan either. (Both front- and all-wheel-drive Taurus models get this transmission.) type of car you're interested in and then select a used car from our massive database to Find cars for sale near you, Interior trim a step behind in look and feel. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them. Other improvements for this large family sedan include the adoption of stability control, a "Ford Sync" system (that allows hands-free use of mobile phones and digital music players), improved cabin materials and more sound insulation for a quieter ride. For help comparing the various Ford Taurus trim levels or to learn about the various options and packages, talk to the team at Berglund Ford in Salem and Berglund of Bedford, Virginia. Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report. It too looks like an afterthought, with a substantial exposed strut spanning from the gate to a bulky, space-robbing pod on the left side of the cargo area. Legroom is plentiful in both the front and rear and a tall seating position should both please those used to SUVs and make for easier ingress/egress. In addition, TheCarConnection.coms staffers also drove the latest version of the Ford Taurus to provide you with their expert opinion, to bring you even more detailed coverage of the Taurus, and to explain why different reviews from the Web might have strongly different opinions. Buyers with infants and small children will like that "the Latch child-seat anchors for the outboard seats are spaced a few inches inward of the door," which means that when installed properly, the seats will be "farther away from potential side-impacts, and the inboard anchors are close enough to easily secure a seat in the center position -- the safest spot for kids.". First, the bad: While Autoblog says that the "strong platform and rigid construction goes a long way in making the Taurus feel like a high quality car from behind the wheel," others find fault with what Ford has placed around the driver. Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.9 sec New car and Certified Pre-Owned programs by, Ford models up to 6 years old with less than 80,000 miles. ", Leaving aside the inevitable question of whether the 2008 Taurus makes one's butt look big, TheCarConnection.com finds that the car gets kudos all around for interior space. $3,400. No problems at all. The only thing I've had to do (besides scheduled maintenance). A deep 16-cubic-foot cargo well provides a good deal of space for groceries even with all seats upright.