Found this gem in the ES today; black, just 9K miles, Limited base model (Spec package 300B). Only problem is the interior smelled a bit smoky, from a previous cigarette user. Bleah, hate them! Have been wanting to drive the 2010 Taurus for awhile now, so I'm very happy.
Overall thoughts; I really like it; driving mannerisms are very similar to that of the Ford Flex, albeit somewhat better, due to the Taurus' reduced curb weight. I like the new styling, although the rear view isn't as pleasant as that of the front 3/4. The rear deck lid is high, and while the designers were channeling the Ford 427 prototype, it didn't come through quite as well in the rear vs. the front. I think the rear spoiler on the Taurus SHO helps to improve the trunk look.
Exterior: It's a big car, but while driving, it didn't feel overly ponderous. The belt-line, while high, was not too restrictive. The wheel arches are massive, and they house large 19" aluminum clad wheels, which look pretty nice. Instead of fog lamps, the Taurus uses LED strips instead, which look cool, but aren't as effective as fog lamps. I think the Lincoln MKS has fog lamps however. The Taurus has body creases running along the doors, which do a good job of masking the large flanks.
If it weren't for the fact that this is a Limited model with standard rear-view camera, I would feel nervous backing up the Taurus.
Front 3/4 view
Rear view, with high deck-lid
Side view, looks pretty sleek
Interior; I wasn't quite sure how I would like the "dual-pod" interior design, but I think it looks pretty nice in person. The instrument gauges are easy to read, especially at night/darkness. The steering wheel initially felt odd; there is a wood portion that's thinner than the leather wrapper portion, and the grip initially felt a little strange. With more usage, the steering wheel was very comfy.
Was not a fan of the huge gear select shifter; felt too meaty, and would probably belong better on an F-150. Some of the buttons on the center stack felt a little cheap, maybe some higher quality plastic could've been used. The seats on the Limited featured perforated leather, with contrast stitching. The leather looked and felt nice.
Gauges
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4416/gaugesi.jpg
Center stack
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/9...ackandpods.jpg
For the Taurus models that do not have the navigation screen, the rear view camera appears in the rear view mirror. This is similar placement to that of the Chevy Equinox/GMC Terrain. The screen appears to be a bit smaller than that of the Chevy/Equinox, but since it's combined with rear ultrasonic parking sensors, the ensemble package works well.
I was concerned that rear visibility might be a problem, due to the sloping roof-line. It's not too bad; the rear headrests do get in the way and can't be folded down, and while the side view mirrors could be larger, the visibility situation is not as poor as some other vehicles I've driven. However, one thing to be careful of is the giant B pillar, which obstructs the driver's view when switching lanes. So be careful!
Rear visibility
The seats are very comfortable, with just the right amount of firmness. With 10-way power controls, one can easily adjust the seats for an optimal position. Entry/egress is very easy, and the door sill plates are ideally placed and situated. Overall, driving position is excellent and great for long-distances. After a weekend of driving, I found the steering wheel to be very comfortable, with an ideally located indentation for the thumb. The heavily padded center arm rest is well bolstered and located.
Driving Impressions; The base V-6 is fine for in-town cruising, and like the Flex, once you get in gear, passing on the highway is no problem. Again, makes me want to try the Taurus SHO. Brakes were fine, and functioned well during an emergency situation on the highway. NVH dampening is well done, and the cabin is quiet at all speeds. The engine and brakes were surprisingly decent for a vehicle of this size.
Overall, I averaged about 27-30 mpg on the highway, while using the AC at full blast, with 3 adults in the car, and driving around 75 mph. There was one annoying aspect of the car; the National/Enterprise folks used their master key to program the "MyKey" to a) give a warning when approaching the threshold of 80 mph, and b) prevent the volume on the radio from being turned past 50%. I found the latter to be particularly annoying for classical music mp3 files, where I had to turn the volume up significantly (but couldn't do so) in order to listen to certain sections. Additionally, Taurus Limiteds come with a standard adjustment/telescoping for the steering wheel, but for some reason, the adjustment lever was missing! from this particular rental. I had to continually duck my head down to glance at the speedometer.
All in all, I really enjoyed the Taurus. Ford did a bang-up job with it. The trunk is huge, and it's perfect for long-distance travel. Drove 9-10 hours in one day in the Taurus with little to no driver fatigue or leg cramping. Great ride.