EPA-rated passenger volume is 146 cubic feet. Inside are bucket seats front and rear, each with center consoles, offering roomy accommodations for four, while large windows everywhere lend an open feeling. The Ford Taurus X cabin has a light and airy feel, an important feature. The roof rack has been strengthened and reinforced to carry more load. Likewise, the Edge-clone taillamps, rear quarter panels and decklid have been redone, and the rear bumper has been rejiggered to feature exposed dual exhaust tips. From the dashboard rearward, though, it's pretty much carried over from the Freestyle, because it was a pretty solid package to begin with. The hood, fenders, headlamps and driving lamps are all new, with a bit more bling around them here and there. In the design change from Freestyle to Taurus X, Ford has completely redone the front end, with a large three-bar horizontal grille that fits in better with the Ford family look of the Focus, Fusion, Edge, and the coming Flex. LATCH child seat anchors and rear safety locks are standard. Taurus X has been awarded five-star ratings in all four crash categories and a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Safety features include front, side and curtain airbags, ABS and traction control. Options for the Taurus X include voice-activated DVD navigation system ($1995), reverse sensing system ($295), power liftgate ($475), auxiliary HVAC system ($650), DVD entertainment system ($995), AdvanceTrac electronic stability control ($495), power moonroof ($960), heated seats ($240), Sirius satellite radio equipment ($195), and 18-inch seven-spoke chrome wheels ($695). Limited adds premium audio system with subwoofer, second-row consoles, chrome interior trim, auto tilt-down in reverse for outside mirror, heated front seats. Eddie Bauer carries a distinctive two-tone paint job, plus 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and tires, wiper-activated headlamps, and Eddie Bauer logos inside and out. The Eddie Bauer edition adds leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic temperature control, power adjustable pedals, 6CD, front consoles, eight-way adjustable driver's seat with memory, woodgrain applique trim. SEL comes with cloth upholstery, manually controlled air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, six-way adjustable driver's seat, power windows, power locks, and 17-inch aluminum wheels. Simple math tells us that makes the Haldex all-wheel-drive system an $1850 option on all models. (All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices and do not include the destination charge ($750). The Taurus X is designed to compete with the Nissan Murano, Mitsubishi Outlander, Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia, among others. The Taurus X fits into the product lineup above the five-seater Ford Edge crossover SUV that's built on the same platform as the Fusion, and under the upcoming 2009 Ford Flex, a larger, more luxurious, square-cornered family truck. The new engine makes more power, and accelerates the truck much quicker (Ford says up to 44 percent quicker), but it also gets about 10 percent better fuel economy, even after adjusting for the new, stricter 2008 fuel economy rules that the EPA is using for fuel economy numbers on the window sticker. This new powertrain makes the 2008 Ford Taurus X a whole lot more fun to drive than the Freestyle crossover was. Likewise, last year's continuously variable transmission has been replaced by a new 6F six-speed automatic. Last year's 3.0-liter V6 engine has been dropped in favor of a new, 3.5-liter, 24-valve V6 that makes a full 30 percent more horsepower and more load-pulling torque. The Taurus X offers some detail changes to the suspension, however. Like the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans, the Taurus X is loosely based on the same architecture as the Volvo S80 luxury sedan and Volvo XC90 SUV and it uses the same Swedish Haldex all-wheel-drive system as the Volvo on AWD versions. So it's ready to compete in the hotly contested crossover segment with a whole bunch of new arrows in its quiver. However, the 2008 Ford Taurus X offers host of improvements inside, outside and underneath when compared to the old Freestyle. If you've never heard of a Taurus X before, it's only because this is a new name for an existing product, the crossover SUV that used to be called the Ford Freestyle.
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