Ford Taurus: Tired Bull

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Ford has only sold 17,912 new Tauruses since the model arrived in dealerships this summer, including a mere 3,562 in the month of September. Meanwhile, it sold 34,602 Five Hundreds through September (half as many as in the same period last year) including 668 in September.

Also, the old Taurus' legacy was less than storied in its later years. As recently as 2006, Ford was still selling the old Taurus to rental car fleets, even though the model had been withdrawn from the consumer market because it was so badly outdated. Ford can only hope that consumers will forget that sad final chapter.

Behind the Wheel

Slipping behind the wheel of the new Taurus is a pleasurable experience. The seats are set higher than in most sedans, which may make headroom tight for tall drivers but gives the car the feel of an SUV or crossover vehicle. I found the seats comfortable. They're padded to the point of seeming almost over-stuffed, but they have a firm, supportive feel. They reminded me of a couch I once bought at Maurice Villency, an upscale Manhattan furniture store.

The bigger V6 makes the Taurus quick for a family sedan. I timed it at 7.6 seconds in accelerating from 0 to 60. There's plenty of power when you punch the gas at highway speed. As with most new models these days, Ford has packed the Taurus' cabin with sound-deadening material, and it's very quiet.

There's nothing sporty about the way the Taurus handles, however. It only comes with an automatic transmission. And it handles like a solid but unexciting family sedan.

One of the new Taurus selling points is the size and flexibility of its cargo-hauling capabilities. The rear seats fold down, creating a large open space consisting of the huge trunk and the rear of the cabin. The back of the front passenger seat also folds down, adding to the available cargo space.

Pay more for the Taurus Limited, and the cabin has many nice touches that separate the car from a garden-variety sedan. The seats are trimmed in leather, and there's dark, wood-like trim on the door and dash. The pedals are power-adjustable and have a memory function (part of a $475 convenience package that includes a backup alarm). When you exit the car at night, little spotlights come on in the bottoms of the rearview mirrors, lighting up the area around the front doors.

However, I'm not a fan of the car's overall styling. Ford tried to jazz up the new Taurus' exterior with touches such as adding little vents to its front flanks. But it still looks bland to me. Over the years, the old Taurus' "jelly bean" and in later years "ovoid" styling was always distinctive. The new Taurus looks staid by comparison.

Inside the new Taurus, there are too many seams and creases in the dash and front door panels for my taste. It makes the interior look junky compared with, say, the interior of a Camry.

Buy It Or Bag It?

Ford is correct in saying that the new Taurus offers excellent value compared with its main competitors, with its roomy cabin, large trunk, decent mileage, and available all-wheel drive at a lower price.

The new Taurus merits a look if you're considering buying one of the more popular full-size or mid-size sedans. The '08 Taurus' average selling price is just $25,167, according to the Power Information Network (PIN). Surprisingly, that makes the new Taurus slightly less expensive than the new Honda Accord, which sells for an average of $25,785 (though more than the '08 Camry, which sells for $22,109 if you don't include the hybrid version).

The new Taurus is also cheaper than the Avalon ($32,582), the Buick Lucerne ($29,584), and the Chrysler 300 ($28,559), according to PIN (which, like Business Week, is a unit of the McGraw-Hill Cos. (MHP)).

The problem with the Taurus is that there's nothing compelling enough about it to lure buyers away from Hondas, Toyotas, and Chryslers. It's too bland-looking. It's a perfectly good car, but unless you're buying mainly on price, or only buy from domestic manufacturers, or really need all-wheel drive, it's a hard sell.

Click here to see more of the 2008 Ford Taurus.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.