New Ford Taurus X scores on its wagon style points
— -- Taurus X hit the market as a 2005 model, under the name Freestyle. For '08, Ford mechanically modified the vehicle, cosmetically tweaked it and renamed it Taurus X because the boss, CEO Alan Mulally, thinks people will warm to a vehicle with the Taurus name as they didn't quite to the Freestyle.
The X in the name is supposed to suggest a four-wheel-drive, SUV version of the Taurus sedan (Test Drive, Aug. 17).
The X is based on the Volvo XC90 SUV, though it uses a wholly Ford powertrain. Ford owns Volvo.
Test vehicles were two well-equipped preproduction vehicles and one regular-production model priced about $38,000. Driving mainly was in the suburbs.
Taurus X has a hunkered-down wagon stance that distinguishes it from the tall silhouette of other crossovers, which is the designation for SUVs built on car chassis instead of truck frames. Crossovers usually are lighter and more fuel efficient than truck-based SUVs, and ride and handle better. X's wagon look evokes the safe and solid family feel that came with Ford, Chevrolet, Olds, Buick and Rambler wagons of the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
Here's what stood out after several hundred miles:
•Nice drivetrain. The '08's 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic are shared with the Taurus sedan. No more noisy sluggishness trying to get up steam as was the case in the old 3-liter Freestyle with CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission).
The transmission usually shifted quite well but gave a little shudder or shake now and then at low speeds, suggesting that more tuning would be useful.
The optional all-wheel-drive system can predict when it should switch out of fuel-saving front-drive mode and begin sending power to the back, Ford says. No waiting for the front wheels to spin.
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