Lets start with the style. Ford really did a good job on the interior, excellent layout makes the radio and climate controls easy to use. One or two buttons might be better placed but no console is perfect for everyone. The interior colors are consistent and pleasant - mine is Slate Grey. My car is black and that really takes away from the 'family car' image that I had with the Taurus of the past. Exterior styling is great and the rear deck spoiler makes the car look quite sporty. 16 inch machined aluminum wheels add a little of that sports car look on the lower series tires. A really nice feature on my car is the lights under the outside rear view mirrors, they really make a difference at light. I would never have thought it, but they are really nice!

Interior usability is outstanding. Power pedals make changing drivers an easy proposition and make the less than perfect seats better. The dash is clearly laid out and the dials are easy to read under all lighting conditions, if slightly boring. The radio (mine is the MACH upgrade w/6 CD changer) is really impressive. I think it's EXTREMELY loud and still the volume display says it's not even half way up the range! Excellent sound clarity for both music and voice. The CD changer is in the center console, which is good for access, bad for space. You can't fit much more in the console than a pad of paper and some receipts. It's not tall enough for extra CD cases?!?! I keep my CDs in the door (away from heat and drinks). The front seats could use more side and thigh bolster support to hold you in place while cornering but are okay. I find the comfort great so far (longest trip has been 2.5 hours), firm, but great adjustability give lots of options, especially in concert with the power pedals. Lots of open storage bins, one nice long one on the passenger side of the drive train hump. Visors cover the hole side window when flipped that way and have a mini front visor leftover for the front – pretty clever. Drink holders in the center console are adequate and out of the way when not in use but using them means giving up one open storage area. Air and heat are powerful! Quick heat and the climate control system makes it all pretty easy and hands off.

Performance (with the 200hp DuraTech V6) has been better than I expected. Pedal to the floor you can get some impressive acceleration, especially as the engine revs past 5000 RPM. Redline must be over 6500 as it regularly hits 6000 at full power. The transmission is smooth and quiet and contrary to other opinions about it 'not knowing what gear to be in', I have found it does a great job. Actually it’s quite 'silky'. Brakes are predictable if not up to racecar performance – and what is up with rear drums?? At least Ford should offer rear disks as an option. Handling only average, yet not sloppy – but you know you’re not buying a Porsche here right?

While my car has every option you can get on a Taurus, I think the climate control, radio upgrade and sunroof are the best from the luxury point of view. The ABS is great, but I honestly don’t know if you can get ABS in a drum brake? I’m not sure I’ll ever use the exterior keypad entry – though if I just learn it, I’m sure it’d be nice to have when you go out to the car for that bag you forgot and don’t have your keys along with you.

The safety package is very impressive and actually contributed to my purchase decision. The new body style is too new to have all the government crash tests, so we’ll have to wait and see for those results, but there are side airbags, seat belt pretensioners and more. All of it is integrated in a working system. You won’t find this many safety features on cars in the price range – I looked. There are 3 LATCH anchors in the back seat, which I intend to use whenever the car seat manufacturers get a few more LATCH seats out there.

A comparable Nissan Maxima is about $5000 more (but has 50hp more!) and other cars are (at least when I bought) $500 to $2500 more for the same trim level. Good value in the Ford up front – but resale is going to be lower. 3 year warranty is not up to industry standards though.

Its a good car for just about everyone - I always thought it was an 'old persons' car, but here I am at 33 (is that old?) and I really like it, style and all. This car pleasantly surprised me.

Amount Paid (US$): 25,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: SEL - Leather, MACH sound, ABS, 200HP V6, Auto, trac ctrl