First Drive: 2010 Ford Taurus – A Big Suit to Fill
Ford’s marketers and PR types have a tremendous task ahead of them: Educating the American consumer on what company’s new Taurus is all about. It’s a Herculean task that amounts to nothing more than rebuilding a brand that was once broadly considered an icon – not just of the auto industry – but of American business at large.
Fortunately for the Blue Oval team, they may have an ace-in-the-hole. As we learned driving the 2010 Ford Taurus through Tennessee and North Carolina’s Smoky Mountain roads, this new bull shows promise and takes the marque upscale like never before. But be under no illusions – this is a risky move. The Taurus name has never been extended upmarket like this before (let alone in such a waterlogged economy), and it isn’t immediately clear who the model’s competitors are – a detail that could prove problematic when trying to target customers.
Tags: ace in the hole, chevrolet malibu, ford taurus, new taurus, toyota camryRelated posts
2010 Subaru Legacy gets its EPA numbers, hits 31 mpg highway
The 2010 Subaru Legacy is bigger, wider, and more powerful than ever, yet the engineers made a point to increase fuel economy as well. The new Legacy will hit 31 mpg on the highway and 23 around town, but you’ll have to opt for the 2.5i model with the CVT transmission.
With the more enjoyable 6MT transmission, fuel economy isn’t such a great story. The row-your-own 2.5i model will only get you 19/27. Step up to the Legacy manual trans 2.5 GT or the 3.6R with the five-speed auto and you’ll have to settle for 18/25, which is actually decent considering the fact that you’re getting plenty of power and AWD.
Beyond the more competitive powertrains and improved fuel economy, the new Legacy also starts at a competitive $19,995. We can’t think of another vehicle that has room for five, AWD and a price tag under $20,000, making the Legacy a very competitive option in the mid-size market.
Tags: epa fuel economy, hyundai sonata, subaru legacy, subaru of america inc, vw passat