2000 Ford Taurus: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Ford's best-selling car sheds its controversial styling in a 2000-model revamp. Exterior dimensions change little, but conventional shapes replace oval styling themes and add to head room and trunk space. Front side airbags and adjustable foot pedals are among new options.
Sedans come in LX, SE, SES, and SEL trim, the wagon in SE form. The SES and SEL started the model year as the SE Special Value and SE Comfort models, respectively. All use V6 engines. Taurus seats six with the available front bench seat, five with front buckets. A 2-passenger rear-facing third-row seat is a wagon option. The optional adjustable gas and brake pedals power fore and aft about three inches and are available on all but the LX model.
Head/chest front side airbags are a first-time option. Standard is Ford's new Advanced Restraints System designed to minimize airbag injuries to front-seat occupants by gauging crash severity, recognizing such variables as seat position, then determining whether to deploy the front airbags and at what power. The system does not control the side airbags, but does modulate the front outboard seatbelt pretensioners. Rear child-seat anchors are new, and sedans have a release inside the trunk to free trapped occupants. Antilock brakes are standard on SES and SEL, optional on other Tauruses.
The base overhead-valve V6 has 155 horsepower. Standard on SEL and optional for SES and the SE wagon is a 200-hp twincam V6. A 4-speed automatic is the only transmission, with traction control a new option. Standard 16-inch wheels replace 15s. Taurus again shares its underskin design and mechanical components with the similarly renovated Mercury Sable.

COMPETITION

Perennial Best Buys Honda Accord and Toyota Camry continue to shine with refinement, model diversity, and comfort. Both come in coupe and sedan form, offer economic 4-cylinder or sporty V6 power, have room for four adults, and are reasonably priced.
Recommended models include the smooth Buick Century, the import-flavored Chevy Malibu, the sporty Nissan Maxima, surprising Olds Intrigue, and the good-looking Pontiac Grand Prix. All come with V6 power, offer lots of standard equipment, and have pleasing road manners that will suit a variety of driving styles.
If you are looking for something a touch bigger without spending a whole lot more we suggest the Budget Buy Chevy Impala. It's the largest car in this class, has a powerful V6, and doesn't cost any more than the others.