1996 Ford Taurus Review

Ford, which offers a radically revamped 1996 Taurus station wagon, has been a big player in the wagon market since Ford dealers began selling wagon conversions of Ford Model Ts in 1912 and since it intrduced the first mass-produced wagon in 1929.


Nearly all young families in newly built suburbs seemed to have a station wagon in the early 1960s. Wagons then accounted for nearly 15 percent of the market, with production topping the one-million mark in 1960 and 1963.

That was when people typically owned only one vehicle, families were larger and the wagon was the only multipurpose vehicle for the majority of motorists. Times changed, and most automakers scaled back wagon models and added minivans to their lines in the 1980s because it looked like minivans would kill wagons.

That never happened. Although much has occurred since the early 1960s, wagon sales last year still totaled a healthy 419,000 units--capturing nearly five percent of the total market.

Ford defied conventional wisdom in the 1980s and retained a fair number of wagon models. It's happy that it hung in there. The automaker's small Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer wagons and mid-size Ford Taurus and similar Mercury Sable wagons have kept it the industry wagon leader, with slightly more than half of the wagon market share in 1993 and 1994.

The station wagon is holding its own partly because a growing number of motorists feel a minivan makes them look ``domesticated.'' Some who dislike minivans are turning to sport/utility vehicles, but others prefer the car-like wagon.

One wagon that seems destined to remain a top-seller is Ford's front-drive Taurus, which is the country's best-selling regular-size wagon, with sales last year of 61,000 units. The Taurus and Sable wagons have been radically revamped for 1996. The result is that the new wagons make the 1995 models look and feel dated.

Ford says it is targeting its made-in-Chicago 1996 Taurus and Sable wagons at ``younger, more affluent better-educated buyers employed more often in upscale professions than their sedan-buying counterparts.''

The dual-airbag Taurus wagon comes as the base, $19,680 GL model and as the upscale, $22,000 LX model, which I recently tested.

A soft car market and no buyer incentives on the new Taurus have caused Taurus sales to slip below year-ago levels. But analysts say slightly higher Taurus prices also are contributing to the lower sales.

The roomy 1996 Taurus wagon is roughly 6 inches longer and about 2 inches wider than the 1995 model, although its new aerodynamic lines might fool some into thinking it's smaller. The new model's wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer, at 108.5 inches, for better passenger and cargo space and, says Ford, an ``improved ride.''

However, I found the LX wagon had a firm ride with two adults and no cargo aboard--although a firm suspension allows a wagon to offer better driving control when carrying heavy loads, which typically soften a vehicle's ride.

Steering is sharp, and handling and braking are good. Like the sedan, the wagon has a anvil-solid feel, much like a Mercedes or BMW.

The LX wagon has a 3-liter, 200-horsepower V-6, with double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, while the GL has an old-fashioned 145-horsepower pushrod V-6 that produces less torque. Wagons are called on to haul a variety of loads, so the LX model's V-6 best provides the kind of power and torque needed for this type of vehicle.

Virtually no fuel penalty is paid with the LX V-6. It delivers an estimated 19 in the city and 27 on highways, against 19 and 28 for the GL V-6. While the GL has the 1995 Taurus four-speed automatic transmission, the LX offers a new, quick-shifting four-speed electronic automatic.

Many feel the new Taurus sedan's styling is radical, but Ford says even more have said the wagon has a more unconventional appearance--thanks largely to its uniquely designed far rear side windows. But the wagon's new styling is more aerodynamic for less wind drag and a quieter interior at highays speeds.

Rakish and highly functional, with an innovative, user-friendly interior, the new Taurus wagon is still ahead of the station wagon pack.