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March 3, 2010
Other standard equipment includes one-touch up and down power windows and a sunroof, both which can be opened using the remote; a power rear window sun shade, dual-zone automatic climate control, multi-you-choose-the-colour ambient lighting, front and rear reading lights and illuminated vanity mirrors.
 2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge |
Ford’s SYNC infotainment system is also standard. With SYNC you can connect a Bluetooth-equipped phone to the car and download the music library from an iPod or other device and use voice controls to operate everything. It’s really easy to set up and use and with steering wheel mounted controls, it keeps your eyes on the road better than any other system I’ve tried.
On the driving side of standard equipment, the Taurus SHO comes with variable intermittent rain sensing wipers and headlights that automatically dim from high to low beam when traffic approaches or light conditions improve. A blind spot information system alerts you to approaching cars on either side, and when reversing out of a parking spot the same system will alert the driver with an alarm if a car approaches from the left or right. A back up camera is also standard, with the screen located in the auto-dimming rear view mirror. Rearward visibility in the Taurus is not great, so these technical aids are a great help.
The only options available for the Taurus SHO are a $2,300 navigation system, not included on my tester, and $1,500 adaptive cruise control and collision warning system which my car did include. While I could do without the radar cruise, which will match the speed of the Taurus to a car in front, the collision warning system provides a visible alert – LED lights projected on the windshield – and a loud alarm to warn of slow traffic ahead. If the driver is slow to respond, the brake system is pre-charged to enhance the chances of making a safe stop or to reduce the chance of injury. I was surprised to find the system also worked when a vehicle pulled out in front of me or when a driver performed a wide right lane to oncoming lane u-turn.
   2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge |
According to Ford, the SHO’s suspension and steering “have been sport-tuned to provide discriminating drivers with precise control, confident handling, communicative feedback and a compliant ride.” While the ride is indeed “compliant” and actually quite comfy, I would not agree whole heartedly with the other descriptors. Certainly, with its unique shock absorbers, springs, stabilizer bars and strut mount bushings, the SHO is more sport-oriented than other Taurus models, but with its hefty weight I would hesitate to describe it as a sport sedan.
While weight might make a car less than nimble, it can be a positive factor in bad weather, helping to keep a car well-planted on the road. Five hours out of Chicago, the snow began to fall, a light dusting at first, but soon followed by a heavy, wet accumulation that clogged the road and reduced visibility. It was a significant storm that took many cars off the road between Lansing and Chicago. While most of the unfortunate found a soft landing in the median or off the shoulder, I did pass two collisions involving a guard rail and another vehicle.
I was thankful for the SHO’s all-wheel drive, stability control and traction control which helped keep the car moving straight ahead and the anti-lock brakes that helped bring it to a stop. With a light foot on the accelerator and a speed between 80 and 100 km/h, the Taurus SHO performed very well, never giving me any reason for concern, despite the slippery conditions and despite the standard all season tires. And unlike some others on the road that day, I arrived in Chicago on time and without experiencing any of the Taurus’ six standard air bags!
The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO proved to be the perfect match for a 1,300-kilometre drive in the middle of winter. It is an excellent highway cruiser, a car that is both powerful and comfortable, with a list of standard equipment that would embarrass some luxury car makers. A $50,000 Ford may seem incongruent to some, but compare the list of standard equipment to German and Japanese luxury competitors and you will soon realize that the Ford Taurus SHO is a very good deal.
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Pricing: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO
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Specifications
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Crash test results
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