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Sedan
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5 Seats
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21-23 MPG
(Combined)
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Key specs of the base trim
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Overview
The Good
- Sporty styling
- Cabin quality
- Big trunk
- Available luxury features
The Bad
- Boat-tail rear styling
- Backseat is snug for a big car
What to Know
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Choice of V-6 engines
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Available heated and cooled front seats
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Available collision warning system
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Available adaptive cruise control
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FWD or AWD
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2012 Ford Taurus Review
from the Cars.com expert editorial team
Vehicle Overview
The 2012 Taurus is available in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels and is offered with front- or all-wheel drive. The Taurus, which seats up to five people, competes with the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon. It is also offered as the high-performance Taurus SHO, which is powered by a twin-turbo V-6 engine.
(Skip to details on the: Taurus SHO)
New for 2012
All models now have an integrated blind-spot mirror in the side mirrors. Otherwise, there are no significant changes for 2012.
Exterior
The Taurus has sleek sheet metal that bestows a sporty look on Ford’s flagship car. The grille and front bumper combination is reminiscent of Ford’s European cars.
The sporty look continues around back with the trunk lid and taillights. The trunk lid’s forward-swept design recalls old wooden speedboats, but the look doesn’t translate particularly well on land. Exterior features include:
- Standard 17-inch wheels
- Standard body-colored door handles, front and rear bumpers
- Standard chrome grille and chrome-tipped exhaust
- Optional 18- and 19-inch wheels
Interior
The Taurus has room for five on front bucket seats and a three-person rear bench. The Taurus’ backseat is big, but it feels like the roof is encroaching more on rear passenger space compared with pre-2010 models. Interior features include:
- Standard air conditioning
- Standard power driver’s seat
- Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and a CD stereo
- Optional Sony six-CD ste...
Vehicle Overview
The 2012 Taurus is available in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels and is offered with front- or all-wheel drive. The Taurus, which seats up to five people, competes with the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon. It is also offered as the high-performance Taurus SHO, which is powered by a twin-turbo V-6 engine.
(Skip to details on the: Taurus SHO)
New for 2012
All models now have an integrated blind-spot mirror in the side mirrors. Otherwise, there are no significant changes for 2012.
Exterior
The Taurus has sleek sheet metal that bestows a sporty look on Ford’s flagship car. The grille and front bumper combination is reminiscent of Ford’s European cars.
The sporty look continues around back with the trunk lid and taillights. The trunk lid’s forward-swept design recalls old wooden speedboats, but the look doesn’t translate particularly well on land. Exterior features include:
- Standard 17-inch wheels
- Standard body-colored door handles, front and rear bumpers
- Standard chrome grille and chrome-tipped exhaust
- Optional 18- and 19-inch wheels
Interior
The Taurus has room for five on front bucket seats and a three-person rear bench. The Taurus’ backseat is big, but it feels like the roof is encroaching more on rear passenger space compared with pre-2010 models. Interior features include:
- Standard air conditioning
- Standard power driver’s seat
- Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and a CD stereo
- Optional Sony six-CD stereo
- Optional leather seats
- Optional power-adjustable pedals
- Optional moonroof
- Optional heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats and power rear sunshade
Under the Hood
The 2012 Taurus is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 263 horsepower. Mechanical features include:
- Standard six-speed automatic transmission
- Uses regular gas
- Maximum towing capacity is 1,000 pounds, when properly equipped
Safety
Safety features include:
- Antilock brakes
- Side-impact airbags for the front seats
- Side curtain airbags
- Electronic stability system
- Optional rear parking sensor
- Optional blind spot warning system and collision warning system
Taurus SHO
Ford revived an old trim with the Taurus SHO — it stands for Super High Output — which effectively caps the Taurus lineup from a performance and luxury standpoint. The SHO swaps the Taurus’ standard drivetrain for a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 with direct injection. It’s one of the first engines in Ford’s EcoBoost initiative, which forgoes larger engines for smaller turbocharged ones.
Taurus SHO’s EcoBoost makes 365 hp and 350 pounds-feet of torque. It works with a six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel paddle shifters. All-wheel drive is standard.
Other changes are fairly subtle. Among them are various SHO badges, 19- or 20-inch wheels, dual exhaust pipes and a rear spoiler. The suspension and steering response have been sharpened, too. Beefier brakes, more responsive steering, a shorter final drive ratio, 20-inch summer tires and a higher-threshold Sport mode for the electronic stability system are part of the SHO Performance Package. Back to top
Consumer Reviews
What drivers are saying
Read reviews that mention:
Most reliable car I have owned
This car has been a very dependable lot of legroom and a large trunk. Good ride on the highway.. I would like to.purchae another Tarus Ford . Read full review
Best car I’ve owned
Met all my needs. Comfortable and strong car that runs super. Car was also well maintained. Spacious and delightful. Drove it hard sometimes, and it responded well. Read full review
Safety
Recalls and crash tests
Warranty
New car and certified pre-owned programs by Ford
New Car Program Benefits
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Bumper-to-Bumper
36 months / 36,000 miles
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Powertrain
60 months / 60,000 miles
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Roadside Assistance
60 months / 60,000 miles
