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Often when introducing an all-new car, Detroit focuses on the exterior styling the first year, then spends the next several years on interior comforts and performance.

When the total package, inside and out, finally comes together, it`s time to replace the car and bring out a new one.

The new `86 Ford Taurus is a pleasant departure from the traditional Detroit formula. Ford paid attention to a total car the first year out. It`s not a perfect package, but it won`t need a major overhaul next year. At most, expect some refinements.

Taurus is built on a 106-inch wheelbase, slightly longer than a midsize GM A-body Celebrity built on a 105-inch wheelbase but shorter than a full-size H-body Buick LeSabre with a 110-inch wheelbase. The front-wheel-drive Taurus is offered in 4-door sedan and wagon body styles only.

After experimenting with the rounded sheetmetal “aero“ look on the Thunderbird, which came across a bit harsh, Ford was able to soften the design on Tempo a year later and finally refine it this year on the Taurus (and cousin Mercury Sable, Autos/Oct. 13).

Taurus looks good from its rounded sloping hood and floating Ford oval logo up front, where you`d normally find a grille, to its slightly raised and Audi-like rounded rear deck lid. The body is clean, even with bodyside molding protecting the sheetmetal.

By now everyone is familiar with the Lincoln-Mercury ad (which has General Motors absolutely livid) in which a couple leaves the club, asks for their Cadillac, and then gets confused because the car looks like a Buick, Olds, or any other GM wedge-shaped car.

That one commercial sums up one of the major problems at GM, even if the executives on the 14th floor won`t admit it.

You can`t mistake a Taurus, Ford`s new front-wheel-drive family size sedan. At one time it was going to replace the full-size, rear-drive LTD Crown Victoria, but it won`t for some years yet.

We test drove a top-of-the-line Taurus LX sedan and found it odd that a family sedan attracted stares and admiring glances. When`s the last time someone stopped you at the store to admire your Caprice?

Yet the attraction of the car is the total package, not just the styling. Three adults can fit in the back seat without squeezing or voices being forced two octaves higher. You can put a week`s groceries in the huge trunk AND have room leftover.

The 4-wheel independent suspension and gas-filled shocks smooth out the rough spots in the road and keep harshness out of the wheel and seat. Despite a heavy feeling in the wheel, steering response is quick, cornering tight, passing effortless.

If you now drive a big LTD Crown Vic with mushy, luxury suspension and are used to body roll in turns, you`ll appreciate how Taurus snaps out of corners with minimal wandering.

A new 3-liter, V-6 engine has adequate power, but is a bit noisy at low speeds and getting away from the light. It quiets down quickly when cruising. If an improvement could be made, we`d suggest a bit more punch from the fuel-injected engine, which has to move just under 3,000 pounds of car. A few more horses are all that`s needed, along with a little more sound muffling.

The V-6 is standard in the GL, LX and all wagon models and a $611 option in the base L. The 2.5-four is standard in the base L and MT5 models. A 3- speed automatic is standard in the base L, 4-speed automatic with overdrive is standard in all other models expect the MT5, which offers a 5-speed manual only.

The new 2.5-liter, four cylinder won`t be available until after the first of the year. How and if the four will handle the weight is questionable.

Expect the four to be the choice in fleet and company cars. The V-6 is EPA rated at 20 miles per gallon city/29 highway; the 2.5 hasn`t been rated yet.

Inside, Taurus is surprising for its simplicity, a welcome relief from the craze of filling the dash with so much sophisticated electronics that you need a Ph.D to find, much less use, the accessories.

Ford keeps it simple–and in sight. No elaborate gadgets merely to justify a high price. Instead, if it`s in the dash, it`s in sight, within reach, and serves a useful purpose. Simple, quick-turn dials take care of lights, heat, fan, air and the like.

There are a few notable exceptions. The rear-window defroster switch is left and low of the wheel. It could be higher. Windshield wipers have seven intermittent speed settings after “off“ and you can fumble trying to get the wipers to stop.

When making changes, hopefully Ford will reconsider the lumbar support mechanism for the bucket seats. The mechanism is supposed to stiffen lower back pressure, but the seats are more comfortable without it. With it, they`re downright uncomfortable.

Taurus standard equipment includes power brakes and steering, all-season steel-belted radials, 4-wheel independent suspension, and a stainless-steel exhaust system.

The base Taurus L sedan starts at $9,645; the GL $11,322; LX at $13,351; MT5 at $10,276. Base L wagon starts at $10,763; GL wagon $11,790, LX wagon $13,860, and MT5 wagon at $10,741. Add $426 in freight.

Taurus officially goes on sale Dec. 26, and is scarce in showrooms now. The car is built only in Atlanta.

Ford`s Torrence Avenue assembly plant in Chicago begins production in January, but it will take months to get adequate numbers to dealers. Inventories are slim and prices high at those dealers who ordered cars loaded with options for showroom display.

Ford will build about 300,000 Tauruses in calendar `86 and already has 100,000 advance orders. It should be a seller`s market for months.

Ford bills the Taurus sedan (Autos/Dec. 22) as its new front drive “family size“ sedan, which implies it`s a big car. No problem. Lots of room and comfort and the ability to hold three adults in back.

When it comes to the Taurus wagon, family size seems to be somewhat a misnomer. We`ll call it midsize instead and the reason is visual.

Sit in the driver`s seat and look in the rear view mirror and you`ll understand what we mean. You can see the entire liftgate in the mirror, as well as a few inches on either side of it. It leaves you with the perception the car is narrow and thus smaller.

The size doesn`t make it a bad vehicle, it`s just that potential lookers should be aware that it`s not a replacement for the full-size Crown Victoria wagon but more in line with the dimensions of the discontinued midsize, rear drive Ford LTD wagon.

The Taurus wagon is built on the same 106-inch wheelbase as the sedan but is 191.9 inches long overall versus 188.4 inches on the sedan. By comparison the old rear drive midsize LTD wagon was built on a 105-inch wheelbase and was 196 inches long; the rear drive full-size LTD Crown Victoria wagon is built on a 114-inch wheelbase and is 211 inches long.

There are plenty of pluses with the Taurus wagon. It comes with built-in roof luggage rack; the tailgate window opens separately of the gate or in tandem; an optional third seat holds the typical extra load of kids you got the wagon for in the first place; and an optional picnic tray slips out of the load floor to handle the crew`s food at the beach or outside the stadium.

Ride and handling are similar to the sedan.

A minor annoyance is the optional front bench seat, which allows you to carry one of the kids up front. But in doing so you give up the center console and a spot to hold your coffee cup. And, in the event of a front-end collision, we`d rather spill a cup of coffee.

A major irritant is the look of the sharply curved tailgate window glass, much like the Audi wagon. It`s a love-hate styling feature, and although you have one hate vote her , we couldn`t believe the number of people attracted to the wagon in our test drive, based primarily on that window.

A new 3-liter V-6 engine teamed with 3-speed automatic is the only combination offered in the wagon. An MT-5 wagon with 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual will be added this year.

Like the sedan, the V-6 is adequate but a bit noisy at low speeds and getting away from the light. Other standard equipment includes power brakes and steering, all-season steel belted radials, four-wheel independent suspension and a stainless steel exhaust system.

The base Taurus L wagon starts at $10,763, GL wagon $11,790, LX wagon $13,860 and MT5 wagon $10,741. Add $426 in freight. Personal note to Ford brass, however: Keep letting your dealers order fully loaded Tauruses for display with price tags bordering on the national debt and you won`t have to worry about too little supply and too much demand being a problem.

Two features we`d like to see added in the wagon as well as all Taurus (and Mercury Sable) models are 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel anti-skid brakes, not because the current front drive/braking systems are inadequate, but because with those upgrades the car would be far more than adequate.

Ford`s Lincoln line offers anti-skid brakes, so eventually Taurus will offer it, too. This fall, Ford will offer 4-wheel drive in the compact Tempo/ Topaz, and so that, too, will end up on Taurus.