The original Ford Taurus had a unique design which brought Ford considerable praise for this innovative saloon that debuted in 1986. Although the Taurus remained a good seller, it eventually fell out of favour and was unceremoniously dropped from the Ford lineup for 2007. The departure was short-lived though.

The Five Hundred saloon which replaced the Taurus struggled to gain the respect and sales. Ford decided in 2008 to rename the Five Hundred, Taurus simply due to name recognition. Not a bad move, considering the “new” Taurus has been a much better seller.

The Taurus was remodeled two years ago and arrives in 2013 with some definite interior and exterior  changes. It gets a new grille, wheels, front and rear lighting and a new front fascia, plus a turbo engine.

There are some definite advantages to this year’s Taurus, including a stylish cabin, 569 liter boot, long list of standard features, and some other less notable changes.

The improvements should attract more car shoppers, but there are some drawbacks as well. The front-wheel drive Taurus is a large saloon, yet it surprisingly still doesn’t provide the room and comfort one might expect in the back seat.

Another common complaint is the perplexing MyFord Touch screen. Nothing is real intuitive with this system, which will have many drivers frustratingly searching for buttons, trying to adjust the climate controls, or even master the entertainment controls.

Most people will enjoy the front-wheel Taurus powertrain, which features a refined 3.5-liter, V-6 with 290 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. Ford added 25 more horsepower and the powertrain is teamed with a standard six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is an option in the SEL and limited models.

For something different, the Taurus lineup now includes a turbo-charged 2.0-liter, four cylinder that generates 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A third option is the Taurus SHO, which is powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.

The Taurus offers a good handling with its considerable size and weight. The steering gives a confident feel and it handles itself well when making tight turns or navigating on curvy roads. The braking is strong and the ride is relatively quiet on most surfaces.

The 2013 Ford Taurus does provide comfort and good leg room for driver and passenger, and it replaced much of its hard plastic that gave it a cheap quality.

Ford’s flagship saloon offers a wide range of features and engine choices that can satisfy car buyers for various reasons.