2018 Ford Taurus

Non-smoker owner, Vehicle Runs Well, Smooth ride, Always parked indoors, New tires, Lots of storage, Arctic cold a/c, No pets, Never driven on Snow, Seats as good as new, Must test drive, Primarily highway miles, Title in possession, Family friendly, Drives great.The 2018 Ford Taurus delivers on its promise of a comfortable ride and plenty of space for four passengers and their luggage. But so do many other large sedans. The Taurus ultimately falls short for its substandard performance, compromised outward visibility and lackluster materials quality.Trim testedEach vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Ford Taurus SHO (turbo 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic AWD).ScorecardOverall6.8 / 10Driving7.0Comfort6.5Interior6.0Utility7.5Technology7.5Driving7.0If Ford hadn't called it the SHO, this Taurus would have acquitted itself nicely with a good balance of power, braking and solid drivability. But as a SHO, and a sport sedan, it comes up a bit flat with uninvolved steering and handling and much too tall gearing.Read moreComfort6.5If you happen to be the right height, the Taurus will impress you with a well-controlled ride and almost zero wind and road noise. But should you be above-average height, the wacky seating position will override most of its strengths.Read moreInterior6.0It's difficult to put our fingers on what makes this interior so unsatisfying, but it might be because we don't have enough fingers. The inside of the Taurus is an automotive anomaly, from the downright weird front seats to the inexplicably high rear seats and the time warp control interfaces.Read moreUtility7.5The Taurus SHO makes good use of its size, for the most part. There's certainly a big enough trunk for four golf bags, but the cabin is a mish-mash of oddly shaped bins and wasted space.Read moreTechnology7.5Ford's Sync 3 might well be the saving grace of a dated interior. Impressive connectivity and usability make it flexible enough for most any buyer. Be careful with option packages, as the Driver Assistance package cannot be ordered in conjunction with the Performance package.Read moreWhich Taurus does Edmunds recommend?The SE's low base price is undeniably attractive, but its skimpy list of standard features is unlikely to impress prospective buyers. The SEL is priced just a bit higher, and we think its added features including dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and satellite radio are worth the upgrade. If it were our money, we'd also check the box for Equipment Group 201A, which replaces the minuscule central display screen with an 8-inch touchscreen and the excellent Sync 3 system. Leather upholstery is also available, paired with heated front seats.Compare 2018 Ford Taurus trim levelsHelpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart2018 Ford Taurus modelsThe 2018 Ford Taurus is a large, five-passenger sedan sold in four trim levels. The base SE is modestly equipped, which is why buyers looking for 21st-century tech should strongly consider the next level SEL. It counts rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror among its upgrades. The Limited is significantly more expensive, as it comes with items that are optional for the SEL, plus additional luxury features. The SHO is a different beast entirely, marrying most of the Limited's features with a high-performance V6 and sport suspension.For power, the SE relies on a 3.5-liter V6 engine (288 horsepower, 254 pound-feet of torque) paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, an exterior keyless-access keypad, six-way power-adjustable front seats (with manual recline and lumbar adjustment), 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a driver information display, a rearview camera, Sync voice controls, Bluetooth, a 4.2-inch central display, and a six-speaker sound system with a C