Introduction

Introduced in 1985, Ford Taurus held the title of the best selling passenger car in US from 1992 to 1996, although Toyota Camry and Honda Accord led this category since then.
Taurus is available in two body styles: sedan and station wagon.
Front-wheel drive. Transverse mount engine, 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.
Two engine choices: Vulcan 3.0-liter OHV V-6 with 155 h.p and more powerful Duratec 3.0-liter DOHC V-6 with 200 h.p.
While the built quality is not the best, the 2000-06 Taurus doesn't have that many problems compared to the previous models.

The interior is fairly quiet, comfortable and roomy, but conservatively-styled and looks rather cheap. The split rear seat can be folded down for extra cargo room.
Ride is soft, although feels a bit "bouncy" on rough road. Handling is good. Steering is very light. Heavy front end provides good traction on the snow. ABS is optional. Disk brakes in the front, drums in the back (all four disk brakes available on wagon).
Ford Taurus 2000-06 models rated "Good" in IIHS Offset Frontal Crash.
In NHTSA frontal crash test, models from 2000 to 2003 have five stars for both driver and passenger, while 2004 - 2006 model has four stars for driver and five stars for passenger.

The engine

Taurus is available with two engine choices:
The 3.0-liter 155 h.p 185 lb.-ft. 12-valve OHV V-6 Vulcan engine. This is a durable engine with an old pushrod design; it's simple and easy to work on. It has good low end torque and is fairly powerful for daily driving.
Another choice is the 3.0-liter 200 h.p 200 lb.-ft. DOHC 24-valve V6 Duratec engine, which offers more power but is more complex and consequently more expensive to maintain.

Strengths

- Inexpensive; used Ford Taurus is few thousands cheaper than the same age Camry or Accord
- Comfortable and spacious interior
- Good handling
- Heavy front end provides good traction on the snow.

Weaknesses

- Not the best quality
- Depreciates fast
- Rear windows go down only half way
- Ride isn't that smooth on rough road
- No 4-cylinder version

Overall

The 2000-2006 Taurus might not offer that high-quality interior as in the Honda Accord or Camry's smooth ride, but it's very comfortable, and it's a lot cheaper; 3-4 years old Taurus goes for 4000-5000 US cheaper than Camry or Accord of the same age.
Not very expensive to maintain and any repair shop can work on it. Parts are widely available and moderately priced. Compared to the previous generations, the 2000-2006 Taurus is more reliable with not that many problems; however, the extended warranty might be still a good idea to protect yourself from unexpected problems.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash your car regularly, wax it once in a while to keep the car body shiny and protected from harsh environment.
- If you live in the area with high humidity, rustproofing will help to protect the car body from corrosion.
- Regular oil changes are very important to keep your engine in a good shape.
- Change transmission fluid regularly.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine - it may cause serious problems.
- Take care of minor problems as soon as you can, before they cause something serious.
- Always check your parking space for leaks, and if you find one, get it fixed as soon as you can.
- At least once a year have your car inspected in the garage on the lift (e.g when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at one of those fast lube places; the car must be on the lift.

Ford Taurus 4-door sedan short specs. (2003 US model)

Dimensions

Length 197.6 (5019 mm)
Width 73.0 (1854 mm)
Height 56.1 (1425 mm)
Curb Weight (with Duratec engine) 3,322 lbs (1507 kg)

Maximum Towing Capacity

Vulcan: 1250 lbs (567 kg)
Duratec: 1750 lbs (794 kg)
Vulcan OHV

12 valves 3.0L V6 155 h.p @ 4900 rpm,
185 lb.-ft. @ 3900 rpm
Vulcan OHV 12 valves
city: 20MPG (11.8 L/100km)
hwy: 28MPG (8.4 L/100km

Duratec DOHC 24 valves

city: 20MPG (11.8 L/100km)
hwy: 27MPG (8.7 L/100km