Great review, as always, nsap. Hopefully Ford fixes the few problems with the facelift next year.
FIN Drives: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO
FIN Drives: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO
FIN ends 2010 reviews with one of Ford's finest enthusiast cars.
www.fordinsidenews.com
October 12, 2010
By: Nick Saporito
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One could probably not have asked for a better vehicle to end 2010 product reviews with than the Taurus SHO. The Ecoboost-powered flashy sedan is perhaps the most exciting Ford product in the stable outside of the legendary Mustang. With features that extend from massaging front seats to a power rear shade, the SHO is never short on SHO-iness in any form. With all of that flash does come some downfalls for the SHO, including the justification of purchasing one in the first place.
A generally very subjective area of any vehicle is exterior design. That is perhaps one of the most objective areas of the Taurus SHO. It is an excellent looking automobile and FIN’s two week tenure with the car brought about numerous compliments from bystanders of all ages. It is one of those few vehicle designs that is far from simple or mundane, yet manages to appeal en masse. If there is one subjective downfall to the exterior design, it is the rear. While Ford deserves kudos for a unique rear design, it is devoid of the pizzazz the rest of the SHO exhibits.
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Another pitfall on the exterior design is in fact not even a design trait, but rather an engineering move that baffles. Our tester was equipped with Ford’s adaptive cruise control system. The system utilizes radar in the front of the vehicle, something that is commonplace across the entire industry. Instead of integrating the radar into the vehicle design though, Ford simply slapped a black plastic cover over the driver’s side of the lower air dam. The left side is left open, thus throwing off the symmetry of the front end design. It is a very minor issue, but one that was unfortunately noticed by more people than just this reviewer.
As with the exterior, the interior of the SHO does not lack in appeal. With obvious nods to the Mustang, the design theme inside is very masculine with its all-black theme, faux carbon fiber trim and suede seat inserts. The dash layout is very “battleship” like with a flow-through center console and a barrage of buttons all around. With this particular design does come some odd ergonomics, specifically relating to the infotainment LCD. Depending on your arm length, the LCD can be just a couple inches shy of being within reach.
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Another issue with the LCD is the user interface design. While the UI is one of the best in the industry, the blue, white and orange color palette Ford selected for the Taurus is poor. The color scheme and angle of the LCD make it difficult to read when in sunlight, an issue that is nonexistent with Lincoln’s color scheme on the same UI.
Our SHO tester was bumping with Sony’s 12-speaker surround system and Ford SYNC technology. The combination made for an excellent audio experience, though it is worth noting that the sound quality is not near as great as the Sony-engineered system in the 2011 Edge. Low range bass was sparse in nearly every music genre.
Technology is an obvious pillar of the SHO’s formula and it shows (pun intended). As part of the adaptive cruise control, our tester had Ford’s collision avoidance technology. We unexpectedly put the technology to use when a vehicle ahead abruptly stopped during a highway cruise. With the SHO’s cruise set, the car recognized the vehicle in front was stopped and the SHO started braking—hard—on its own to avoid a collision. Every vehicle needs this technology, just as every vehicle needs the SHO’s host of other onboard safety features.
In particular, it is good that the SHO has so many new safety innovations. The twin-turbo mill powering this large sedan is enough to pique most people’s interest to engage in “playful” driving, though performance with the SHO is a story of mixed emotions.
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As in every application the engine is found in, the EcoBoost is superb in the SHO. With direct fuel injection and two turbochargers, there are gobs of instantaneous torque on-tap whenever you wish to depress your right foot. Acceleration is the car’s performance high point, despite its excessive weight problem.
Weighing in at just over 4,400-pounds, the weight is an obvious hamper on the SHO’s performance and handling. As mentioned, acceleration overall is impressive, but from speeds from 30-60 mph it becomes clear the car is fighting its own mass. Unfortunately, this is a problem with every EcoBoost equipped vehicle launched to date.
In reality, the SHO's handling characteristics is better than this reviewer expected. Body roll is kept to a minimum, though the weight problem limits the amount of fun one can have with it. There is no such activity as “tossing” the SHO around corners. Turning corners is pleasant overall, with an electric steering system that exhibits a nice on-center feel and weighting. Having spent numerous hours piloting an EcoBoost equipped Lincoln MKT, this reviewer was surprised to find that the SHO does not handle much better than its larger, heavier MKT cousin.
On paper and in practice, the Taurus SHO is an awesome product. It has a terrific design, loads of innovation and a world-class engine. However it is a car with a big identity crisis. It has more luxury features than some of its Lincoln relatives, but its wearing a blue-oval badge. It has the goods to be a performance sedan, but its mass greatly distorts that image. Throw in the $44,000 price tag and the SHO becomes a tough pill to swallow for anyone that is outside the realm of a car enthusiast.
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FIN Quick Facts
2010 Ford Taurus SHO (Production)
MSRP: $44,935.00
EPA Fuel Economy: 17/25 MPG
Observed Fuel Economy: 16.5 MPG (50% city, 50% highway)
Pros: Beautiful design inside and out, loads of technology, world-class engine.
Cons: Pricey, requires a lot of gas.
FIN ends 2010 reviews with one of Ford's finest enthusiast cars.
www.fordinsidenews.com
October 12, 2010
By: Nick Saporito
One could probably not have asked for a better vehicle to end 2010 product reviews with than the Taurus SHO. The Ecoboost-powered flashy sedan is perhaps the most exciting Ford product in the stable outside of the legendary Mustang. With features that extend from massaging front seats to a power rear shade, the SHO is never short on SHO-iness in any form. With all of that flash does come some downfalls for the SHO, including the justification of purchasing one in the first place.
A generally very subjective area of any vehicle is exterior design. That is perhaps one of the most objective areas of the Taurus SHO. It is an excellent looking automobile and FIN’s two week tenure with the car brought about numerous compliments from bystanders of all ages. It is one of those few vehicle designs that is far from simple or mundane, yet manages to appeal en masse. If there is one subjective downfall to the exterior design, it is the rear. While Ford deserves kudos for a unique rear design, it is devoid of the pizzazz the rest of the SHO exhibits.
Another pitfall on the exterior design is in fact not even a design trait, but rather an engineering move that baffles. Our tester was equipped with Ford’s adaptive cruise control system. The system utilizes radar in the front of the vehicle, something that is commonplace across the entire industry. Instead of integrating the radar into the vehicle design though, Ford simply slapped a black plastic cover over the driver’s side of the lower air dam. The left side is left open, thus throwing off the symmetry of the front end design. It is a very minor issue, but one that was unfortunately noticed by more people than just this reviewer.
As with the exterior, the interior of the SHO does not lack in appeal. With obvious nods to the Mustang, the design theme inside is very masculine with its all-black theme, faux carbon fiber trim and suede seat inserts. The dash layout is very “battleship” like with a flow-through center console and a barrage of buttons all around. With this particular design does come some odd ergonomics, specifically relating to the infotainment LCD. Depending on your arm length, the LCD can be just a couple inches shy of being within reach.
Another issue with the LCD is the user interface design. While the UI is one of the best in the industry, the blue, white and orange color palette Ford selected for the Taurus is poor. The color scheme and angle of the LCD make it difficult to read when in sunlight, an issue that is nonexistent with Lincoln’s color scheme on the same UI.
Our SHO tester was bumping with Sony’s 12-speaker surround system and Ford SYNC technology. The combination made for an excellent audio experience, though it is worth noting that the sound quality is not near as great as the Sony-engineered system in the 2011 Edge. Low range bass was sparse in nearly every music genre.
Technology is an obvious pillar of the SHO’s formula and it shows (pun intended). As part of the adaptive cruise control, our tester had Ford’s collision avoidance technology. We unexpectedly put the technology to use when a vehicle ahead abruptly stopped during a highway cruise. With the SHO’s cruise set, the car recognized the vehicle in front was stopped and the SHO started braking—hard—on its own to avoid a collision. Every vehicle needs this technology, just as every vehicle needs the SHO’s host of other onboard safety features.
In particular, it is good that the SHO has so many new safety innovations. The twin-turbo mill powering this large sedan is enough to pique most people’s interest to engage in “playful” driving, though performance with the SHO is a story of mixed emotions.
As in every application the engine is found in, the EcoBoost is superb in the SHO. With direct fuel injection and two turbochargers, there are gobs of instantaneous torque on-tap whenever you wish to depress your right foot. Acceleration is the car’s performance high point, despite its excessive weight problem.
Weighing in at just over 4,400-pounds, the weight is an obvious hamper on the SHO’s performance and handling. As mentioned, acceleration overall is impressive, but from speeds from 30-60 mph it becomes clear the car is fighting its own mass. Unfortunately, this is a problem with every EcoBoost equipped vehicle launched to date.
In reality, the SHO's handling characteristics is better than this reviewer expected. Body roll is kept to a minimum, though the weight problem limits the amount of fun one can have with it. There is no such activity as “tossing” the SHO around corners. Turning corners is pleasant overall, with an electric steering system that exhibits a nice on-center feel and weighting. Having spent numerous hours piloting an EcoBoost equipped Lincoln MKT, this reviewer was surprised to find that the SHO does not handle much better than its larger, heavier MKT cousin.
On paper and in practice, the Taurus SHO is an awesome product. It has a terrific design, loads of innovation and a world-class engine. However it is a car with a big identity crisis. It has more luxury features than some of its Lincoln relatives, but its wearing a blue-oval badge. It has the goods to be a performance sedan, but its mass greatly distorts that image. Throw in the $44,000 price tag and the SHO becomes a tough pill to swallow for anyone that is outside the realm of a car enthusiast.
FIN Quick Facts
2010 Ford Taurus SHO (Production)
MSRP: $44,935.00
EPA Fuel Economy: 17/25 MPG
Observed Fuel Economy: 16.5 MPG (50% city, 50% highway)
Pros: Beautiful design inside and out, loads of technology, world-class engine.
Cons: Pricey, requires a lot of gas.
5
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Something I didn't mention in the review...the cup holders in this car are a royal pain. Out of the three in the front none ever seem to be the right size for what you need (other than a soda can, which one seems designed just for such). I didn't mention it because this is a really tiny issue, but my spilled coffee one morning made it a bit more than just a tiny issue! 
1 - 20 of 42 Posts
