Midsize car; Built in USA
  • 4-door sedan
  • 4-door wagon
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $2,100 – $7,000*


2000 Ford Taurus 4-door sedan


2001 Ford Taurus 4-door wagon


2000 Ford Taurus interior


2000 Ford Taurus 4-door sedan


2000 Ford Taurus SE 4-door wagon

Pros:
  • Cargo room
  • Handling/roadholding
  • Rear-seat comfort
Cons:
  • Low-speed acceleration

Taurus returned to its roots as family transportation with the 2000 redesign. Fully contemporary in styling, a Taurus delivers fine road manners, great utility, and an appealing array of safety features, at competitive prices. Despite acceleration limitations and imperfect ride comfort, Taurus deserves a place on any midsize-car shopping list.

Overview

Ford restyled its best-selling model for 2000. Exterior dimensions changed little, but the conventional shapes displaced the previous oval look, bringing more head room and trunk space. Inside was a more traditional dashboard, along with newly available adjustable pedals. As before, Taurus shared its basic design and mechanical components with the Mercury Sable. Gone was the slow-selling Taurus SHO, leaving an LX sedan and step-up SE sedan and wagon, all with V6 engines. Upscale SES and SEL sedans also joined the group. Seating for either five or six was available, and wagons could again have a 2-place third-row seat. A 155-horsepower V6 served as base engine. Standard with upper models and optional on SEs was a 200-hp twincam V6. Both drove a 4-speed automatic transmission and ran on regular fuel. Traction control and head/chest side airbags for the front seat were new options, while 16-inch wheels were newly standard. A standard Advanced Restraints System was designed to minimize airbag injuries to the driver by gauging crash severity and seat position, then deploying the steering-wheel airbags with appropriate force. Sedans got a release inside the trunk and all models had rear child-seat anchors. Antilock brakes were standard on top models, optional on others.

Yearly Updates

2001 Taurus
Only minor changes marked the 2001 models. Lower anchors for rear child seats were installed, and the fuel tank grew from 16- to 18-gallon capacity. The 200-hp V6 was standard in the SEL and optional for the SES sedan and SE wagon. Antilock brakes were standard for the SES and SEL, optional on other Tauruses.
2002 Taurus
Taurus made some previously optional features standard for 2002, and former option packages become separate models. Optional on SE at midyear was a Wood Package, complete with wood steering-wheel trim. SE, SES, and SEL sedans and wagons gained new submodels.
2003 Taurus
Unchanged for 2003.
2004 Taurus
The only changes for ’04 were mildly revised front and rear styling.
2005 Taurus
Taurus sedans and wagons soldier on with fewer trim levels for 2005; LX and SES versions are gone.
2006 Taurus
The wagon was dropped as an option, as was the 201-hp V6 engine.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Two different 3.0-liter V6 engines have been available in Taurus models: an overhead-valve version rated at 155 horsepower, and another with dual overhead cams that makes 200 horsepower. Standard in the top Taurus model, the stronger V6 was an option for midrange versions. Both engines worked with a four-speed automatic transmission.

ohv V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.0/182
Engine HP 155
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 185
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

19/28

dohc V61
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.0/181
Engine HP 201
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 200
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

20/28

18.4

1. 201-hp V6 engine dropped for 2006.

Road Test

Taurus delivers plenty of performance for a mainstream midsize car, though it lacks class-leading acceleration. Both engines run smoothly, but neither moves all that swiftly beyond midrange speeds. Each V6 can accelerate suitably from a standstill, but a Chevrolet Impala with the base engine responds better to the throttle than a Taurus, at 25-50 mph. Fuel economy with the twincam engine averaged 18.4 mpg. Road manners are another story. Taurus feels balanced, secure, and predictable even in rapid directional changes. Steering has fine on-center sense, but turning effort is not as linear as some drivers might like. Resistance to wallow and float is impressive, but rough-road ride is not. Stopping power feels strong and easily modulated. Family focused space is a strong point, including excellent back-seat room and comfort. Rear head clearance is generous, helped by the revised roof shape. Leg/foot space also is plentiful. The back seat is substantial and comfortably contoured, but the wagon’s fold-away rear-racing third seat is for children under 80 pounds. Front outboard seating positions are uncrowded, but the bench’s center spot is mighty snug. The new adjustable pedals work easily via a control on the seat bottom. Shorter drivers can sit farther from the steering-wheel airbag. Gauges are unobstructed, but their analog markings are small. On bucket-seat models, the only gear indicator is near the console floor shift. Audio and climate controls are easy to see and use, but lack selectable air conditioning or recirculation modes. Luggage space is generous in either body style.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2001 Ford Taurus LX

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 4
40%
Fuel Economy - 5
50%
Ride Quality - 5
50%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 5
50%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 6
60%
Cargo Room - 6
60%

Other

Value - 7
70%

Total: 55

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
108.5 197.6 73.0 56.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
17.0 16.0 6
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.0 38.1 42.2 38.9
4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
108.5 197.6 73.0 58.0
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
81.3 16.0 8
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.3 38.7 42.2 38.5
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2000 Taurus 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Front Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Rear Passenger Injury - 3
60%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 84
Injury 88
Theft 64

Trouble Spots

Engine misfire
Description: Cam failures can lead to failure on V8 engines installed on SHO models. It is possible to weld the cams prior to the failure. (1996-99)
Fuel odors
Description: Gasoline odor is probably due to a bad gasket on the lower intake manifold on the 3.0-L Duratec engine. (2000-01)
Heater core
Description: Installing a restrictor in the heater inlet hose may repair heater cores leaks. (2000-03)
Audio system
Description: Noise (whine or buzz) in the radio speakers is probably due to interference from the in-tank fuel pump requiring a RFI filter on the pump assembly. (2000-01)
Vehicle shake
Description: Harsh downshifts or shudder, especially on curves, can be caused by the transmission-fluid level being below the fullest level as shown on the dipstick. (2000)

Recall History

2000
Description: On certain vehicles, “vehicle capacity weight” and “designated seating capacity” information was not printed on safety-certification labels.
2000
Description: Headlamp-switch knob can fracture and separate from the headlamp switch.
2000-01
Description: Stoplamp can illuminate (at reduced intensity) even though the service brakes have not been applied.
2000-01 w/adjustable pedals
Description: Grease from the adjustable-pedal assembly enters the stoplamp switch and can contaminate the contacts, leading to carbon buildup and a potential short circuit.
2000-01
Description: A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper-motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of wiper function or fire.
2000-01
Description: Front coil springs on certain cars sold in specified states could fracture, due to corrosion associated with road salt used in winter.
2000-03
Description: Certain vehicles may have faulty stop lamp wiring, rendering them inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. Dealers will inspect and replace affected parts.
2001
Description: Owner’s guides may not identify center rear seating position as having LATCH-compatible lower anchorages.
2001
Description: Child-safety-seat anchor-latch fasteners on certain vehicles do not have adequate residual torque; road vibrations could cause a nut to loosen and separate.
2002 w/adjustable pedals
Description: Pedals are not far enough apart and must be separated to at least 50 mm to avoid depressing one or the other, or both, unintentionally.
2003
Description: Some windshields may have been mounted improperly, leading to increased wind noise and leakage. Dealer will inspect and replace these windshields.
2003
Description: The air filter paper may catch on fire in certain vehicles. Dealers will inspect and replace affected parts.
2004
Description: Power seats may have been inadequately welded and may not perform as intended during a crash.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

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