1994 Ford Taurus LX Wagon review

1994 Ford Taurus LX Wagon

By Professional Test Driver

Overview

The good news for wagon shoppers is bad news for domestic and import manufacturers who would love to unseat the auto industry's best-selling nameplate: The 1994 Ford Taurus LX Wagon, like the Taurus sedan, shows no signs of slipping. The formula that has kept it a strong seller is still in place.

That means the Taurus Wagon has retained its unique styling signature and nimble performance characteristics, not to mention a high level of workmanship that keeps wagon buyers buying.

What's more, Ford has strengthened the recipe with a heaping helping of safe and engineering ingredients. Most significant, Ford has added dual air bags and a handling advance called "speed assisted steering" to the 1994 version of the Taurus Wagon.

Perhaps the most remarkable trait about the LX Wagon is the fact that, besides its full roof and liftgate, it still looks a lot like the Taurus sedan. And our road tests showed even more similarities to the sedan in the way this wagon handled, performed and comforted its occupants. It was vintage Taurus in every category we tested.

Our test Taurus LX Wagon came to us bearing an MSRP of $21,345. Among other standard features, that price included a 3.8-liter V6 engine, air conditioning, bright cast aluminum wheels, a luggage rack and a six-way power driver's seat. It also featured options such as an AM/FM stereo with a cassette player, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a power antenna, a rear-window defroster and wiper, and a remote keyless entry system.

Walkaround

As mentioned earlier, our basic impression of the Taurus LX Wagon was that its swept aerodynamic contours, raked windshield and sloping hood made it all but identical to the Taurus sedan.

For '94, Ford has deleted some chrome trim in favor of body-matched vinyl coverings that have made the wagon even more attractive. As further evidence of Ford's mission to minimize chrome and emphasize understated lines, a thin red accent stripe at the beltline replaced the chrome trim along the side of our test vehicle.

No matter what the vantage point, we found the LX Wagon's styling seamless and unified. The front bumper's ribbed vinyl protector was reprised along the sides of the vehicle in the form of bodyside cladding. The wraparound rear bumper was also protected by the same ribbed vinyl. All of these components perfectly matched our Taurus Wagon's rich, flawless Champagne Clearcoat Metallic finish.

Even the dual-action liftgate (we could raise the entire gate or just the window), with its graceful outward bow, didn't interrupt the LX Wagon's smooth look. Up top, we found a solid cargo-carrying roof rack that looked more like an aerodynamic spoiler than a functional piece of equipment. And the contemporary 12-spoke cast aluminum wheels added a touch of flare to our LX Wagon that just isn't there with many competing family vehicles.

Interior Features

Styling unity and sweeping curves were visible throughout the inside of the LX Wagon. From window glass to armrests to the instrument-panel housing, everything was subtly contoured.

The gracefully curved instrument panel housed the speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges, and an extensive display of warning/function lights - all easy to see through the steering wheel (padded leather cover is optional).

Power control buttons for the windows and door locks were thoughtfully positioned on the front portion of the driver's left armrest, well within fingertip range. The 60/40 rear bench seats were curved to look and feel like bucket seats.

Regardless of the sports-car feel of the interior, Ford designers didn't forget they were creating a station wagon. That's borne out by the adequate shoulder- and legroom we found enough to comfortably seat six adults-and the generous carpeted cargo area behind the rear seat.

A portion of the rear seat folded down to handle long items such as skis, and the liftgate featured a fold out picnic table-which will make this wagon a popular tailgate site on football Saturdays.

Other interior touches we liked were the smooth hydraulic assists for the rear liftgate window, the deep cupholders and the cargo net in the concealed storage area.

Driving Impressions

On the road, the LX Wagon turned in an impressive performance: a combination of a smooth-as-silk ride, easy handling and reassuring performance.

With the LX version of the Taurus Wagon came a healthy 3.8-liter, sequentially fuel-injected V6 mated to an electronically controlled four-speed transmission. This power train brought our test vehicle close to matching the responsiveness of a sports car. From a dead stop, we made it to 45 mph in a jiffy. When passing on the highway, we moved briskly from 45 to 60 mph, with the engine breezing at a top range of 2,000 rpms. This performance was made all the more formidable by the large engine's EPA ratings of 19 city and 28 highway.

Stable cornering, nimble lane changes and easy steering have always been part of the Taurus performance package, and they were evident during our drive. Our favorite part of the test was negotiating a 90degree turn at 35 mph without the slightest hint of skidding or loss of control. Other maneuvers were even more gratifying, thanks to the new speed-assisted variable-power steering unit.

Although our test vehicle wasn't equipped with the optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes, braking was swift and free from any alarming lockups. We attributed that, in part, to the automatic transaxle that was part of our vehicle's front-wheel drive power transfer system.

As for wind, road and engine noise, they were virtually undetectable in the Taurus LX Wagon.

Summary

All of the things that have impressed us on the perennially popular Taurus were front and center on the '94 LX Wagon. The superb performance characteristics, particularly in steering and handling, may have even been superior to previous models. The balance between performance and fuel efficiency remained good, and the addition of dual air bags only added to our confidence in this wagon.

Building on the Taurus' front-running nameplate seems to have become an addiction at Ford. Our positive experience with the LX Wagon suggests that its creators are in no mood to kick the habit.

Source By : http://nctd.com