If you ever wonder just how important modern systems have become, the Taurus with its powerful Duratec engine can quickly demonstrate the benefits of traction control: Simply switch off the traction control, nail the throttle, and the front tires will shriek as they claw for traction. With a powerful modern front-wheel drive package like the SE Comfort's Duratec engine, traction control works very well, reducing wheel spin to help you better control the car.
The 2000 Taurus chassis proves an uncommonly successful home for this forceful Duratec drivetrain. As a family sedan, the SE Comfort's gas-pressurized shock absorbers provide a smooth, impact-free ride. Yet when pushed in the corners, the Comfort proves stable, nimble and ready for more. Cornered hard, its body roll is moderate, and the nicely tuned variable-ratio power rack-and-pinion steering delivers a steady stream of road-information alerts every step of the way. And when the turning is done, this steering system provides improved on-center response, guiding you straight down the center of your course once more.
As we learned in an emergency lane-change demonstration set up in a parking lot, the brakes bring the Taurus to a smooth stop and the ABS allows you to maintain steering control during hard braking. Braking performance was much smoother than that of the Dodge Intrepid.
We hate to say it, but in SE Comfort form, this 2000 Taurus family sedan comes uncomfortably close to being a very good mass-produced sports sedan. Next Page