2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

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By Grant Yoxon; photos by Grant Yoxon and Chris Chase

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2010 Ford Taurus SHO

Chicago, Illinois – The drive from Ottawa, Ontario to Chicago, Illinois is just over 1,300 kilometres. On a good day, one can do it in about 13 hours, including fuel stops and bio-breaks, because the two cities are connected by North America’s network of 400-series and interstate highways.

But in February it is nearly impossible to drive 1,300 kilometres without running into bad weather somewhere. So I expected the trip would take longer than 13 hours and left early, expecting to arrive late in Chicago.

For this road trip, to attend the Chicago auto show, Ford provided me with the latest version of its redesigned 2010 Taurus, the high-performance SHO (Super High Output).

2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

With standard all-wheel drive, the SHO would seem to be the perfect vehicle for a long winter drive, but when I realized it was equipped with all season tires, I became a bit concerned. The SHO has a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 that produces 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lbs. of torque. Too much power, coupled with the wrong tires in bad weather, can spell trouble. But it was too late to change plans and despite my trepidation about the tires, I set off for Chicago on a beautiful sunny winter day.

The SHO’s 3.5-litre engine is the most powerful in Ford’s family of EcoBoost engines, which feature direct injection to improve power and torque while reducing fuel consumption. Fuel is injected directly into the cylinder, rather than into the intake manifold. As a result, fuel vaporization during the intake stroke cools the incoming air, improves volumetric efficiency and enables a higher compression ratio. Add on two turbochargers and the V6 feels more like a V8, with tons of power between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm.

With clear roads and light traffic, satellite radio and a 390-watt 12-speaker surround audio system, time passed quickly and I reached the feeder lanes of Toronto’s 401 in a few minutes over four hours. Three and a half hours later I had reached the border at Sarnia. The Taurus SHO’s six-speed automatic transmission has a 2.77 to 1 final drive ratio, providing low rpm, quiet cruising at speed with decent fuel economy. Filling up near Toronto, fuel consumption was just shade under 10 litres/100 km.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

The fuel consumption surprised me because the Taurus is a fairly heavy car – 1981 kg or 4,368 lbs. I’ve driven many cars and SUVs that weighed less, but couldn’t match the Taurus for fuel economy, and guaranteed they didn’t match the power that the SHO held in reserve.

Most of the time, you’re not aware that the SHO has this untapped well of power beneath your foot. The top of the accelerator is for everyday driving, providing enough energy to easily move the big car away from a stop light or rapidly accelerate down an on-ramp to the freeway. But step hard into the pedal and the SHO will respond with a deep throated roar and a fury that will keep both hands firmly gripping the wheel and the AWD system searching for the best tire to push. It can take you by surprise if you’re not ready for the rush.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

As the miles passed by, I came to appreciate the range of equipment that is standard in the Taurus SHO. For $48,199, the SHO includes features that many luxury manufacturers reserve for their top models. Leather is standard of course and both front and rear seats are heated. The front seats are also ventilated and both have 10-way power adjustment. There is a dual memory for the power driver’s seat which also keeps the side mirrors and power adjustable pedals in the right position. The seat surfaces are suede, which I found more comfortable than leather on a long trip. But when the miles really start to wear on your backside, there is the massage button. Yes, that’s right, massage. Push the button on the side of the seat and the seat cushion starts to do the wave, back and forth, kneading your butt, easing the pressure of eight and a half hours in the saddle. It’s standard for the passenger side too. Nice touch.

Other standard equipment includes one-touch up and down power windows and a sunroof, both which can be opened using the remote; a power rear window sun shade, dual-zone automatic climate control, multi-you-choose-the-colour ambient lighting, front and rear reading lights and illuminated vanity mirrors.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

Ford’s SYNC infotainment system is also standard. With SYNC you can connect a Bluetooth-equipped phone to the car and download the music library from an iPod or other device and use voice controls to operate everything. It’s really easy to set up and use and with steering wheel mounted controls, it keeps your eyes on the road better than any other system I’ve tried.

On the driving side of standard equipment, the Taurus SHO comes with variable intermittent rain sensing wipers and headlights that automatically dim from high to low beam when traffic approaches or light conditions improve. A blind spot information system alerts you to approaching cars on either side, and when reversing out of a parking spot the same system will alert the driver with an alarm if a car approaches from the left or right. A back up camera is also standard, with the screen located in the auto-dimming rear view mirror. Rearward visibility in the Taurus is not great, so these technical aids are a great help.

The only options available for the Taurus SHO are a $2,300 navigation system, not included on my tester, and $1,500 adaptive cruise control and collision warning system which my car did include. While I could do without the radar cruise, which will match the speed of the Taurus to a car in front, the collision warning system provides a visible alert – LED lights projected on the windshield – and a loud alarm to warn of slow traffic ahead. If the driver is slow to respond, the brake system is pre-charged to enhance the chances of making a safe stop or to reduce the chance of injury. I was surprised to find the system also worked when a vehicle pulled out in front of me or when a driver performed a wide right lane to oncoming lane u-turn.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO. Click image to enlarge

According to Ford, the SHO’s suspension and steering “have been sport-tuned to provide discriminating drivers with precise control, confident handling, communicative feedback and a compliant ride.” While the ride is indeed “compliant” and actually quite comfy, I would not agree whole heartedly with the other descriptors. Certainly, with its unique shock absorbers, springs, stabilizer bars and strut mount bushings, the SHO is more sport-oriented than other Taurus models, but with its hefty weight I would hesitate to describe it as a sport sedan.

While weight might make a car less than nimble, it can be a positive factor in bad weather, helping to keep a car well-planted on the road. Five hours out of Chicago, the snow began to fall, a light dusting at first, but soon followed by a heavy, wet accumulation that clogged the road and reduced visibility. It was a significant storm that took many cars off the road between Lansing and Chicago. While most of the unfortunate found a soft landing in the median or off the shoulder, I did pass two collisions involving a guard rail and another vehicle.

I was thankful for the SHO’s all-wheel drive, stability control and traction control which helped keep the car moving straight ahead and the anti-lock brakes that helped bring it to a stop. With a light foot on the accelerator and a speed between 80 and 100 km/h, the Taurus SHO performed very well, never giving me any reason for concern, despite the slippery conditions and despite the standard all season tires. And unlike some others on the road that day, I arrived in Chicago on time and without experiencing any of the Taurus’ six standard air bags!

The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO proved to be the perfect match for a 1,300-kilometre drive in the middle of winter. It is an excellent highway cruiser, a car that is both powerful and comfortable, with a list of standard equipment that would embarrass some luxury car makers. A $50,000 Ford may seem incongruent to some, but compare the list of standard equipment to German and Japanese luxury competitors and you will soon realize that the Ford Taurus SHO is a very good deal.

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