The 2013 Ford Taurus SHO was far from raucous, but its successor boasts a noticeable reduction in ambient noise levels, thanks to a number of sound-deadening measures such as fabric-wrapped roof pillars, acoustical sealing, and wheel-well liners.
Enhancements to the Ford Taurus SHO’s stability-control technology enable torque-vectoring functionality and what Ford calls ”curve control.” These features are aimed at helping owners who might otherwise find themselves mowing down the scenery in overly hasty cornering. Both involve selective application of the brakes based on input from the car’s sensors.
Taurus Exterior
2013 Ford Taurus exterior updates include a new hood design, a wider grille, a new lower fascia, redesigned LED taillamps, and wider wheels and tires that lend a bit more muscle to the car’s appearance. The SHO gets more differentiation from its tamer stablemates with a new black mesh grille insert and a modest wing perched on the decklid. All models offer a new self-parking feature, as well as adaptive cruise control.
Taurus Interior
Interior materials have been generally upgraded, with lots of soft-touch surfaces, and optional features include hedonistic goodies such as massaging front seats. A particularly welcome touch: Head restraints with four-way adjustability are now standard. Ford head restraints of the past few years, with their heavily forward-canted shapes, have been close to medieval in terms of comfort.
Performance
Brake master cylinders in all models are bigger for improved pedal feel, and the SHO is set apart with bigger brakes. Performance of the upgraded system in our preview driving on wet Oregon back roads was impressive, with an easily modulated pedal and plenty of stopping power.
The binders were one of the previous SHO’s biggest drawbacks—besides its being big—as we experienced marked brake fade in our first road test. Our sample SHO was also equipped with a new Performance package—20-inch wheels with performance rubber, a quicker final-drive ratio, stiffer suspension tuning, and stability control with a “true off” track mode.
The Taurus Engine
For 2013, Ford adds its 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo four to the lineup, making it the first four-cylinder for this car since 1991. The turbocharged-and-intercooled direct-injection four is rated for 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque and will command a price premium of $995 when it becomes available later in the model year. Ford expects this model to be the Taurus economy champ.
Although not yet certified by the EPA, Ford projects fuel economy of 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. The standard Taurus engine continues to be Ford’s familiar 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V-6, but the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing raises output from 263 hp and 249 lb-ft to 288 hp and 254 lb-ft, and EPA ratings of 19/29 for front-drive models represent a gain of 2 mpg on the highway.
As for the version we had an opportunity to sample, the SHO, its twin-turbo, direct-injection 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is unchanged at 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. All three engines will be paired with six-speed automatic transmissions, each with its own specification tailored to the powerplant. All-wheel drive is standard with the SHO and optional with the naturally aspirated V-6; 2.0-liter turbo models will be front-wheel drive only.
Taurus Pricing
There are four Taurus trim levels, beginning with the base SE sedan at $27,395. The mid-grade SEL starts at $29,595, and the fancier Limited goes from $33,795. SHO pricing starts at $39,995, and our preview SHO had $6480 in optional features—a voice-activated nav system, adaptive cruise control, and the Performance package with 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. [image: caranddriver ]
