The Ford Taurus is a full-size car built from 1986 to 2019 over 3 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 99.6% of those on record. Between 1986 and 2019 it grew 30 cm longer and gained 285 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Taurus is
The Ford Taurus is a full-size car that Ford built from 1986 to 2019 — 34 model years. Our measurements put it at 3 generations, the current one starting in 2008. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: Crown Victoria, Five Hundred, C-Max.
Where the Taurus is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 14,537 Tauruss on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1FA, 1SA, 1FM, 1ME | 1986-2019 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Ford VIN decide which of these 3 lines your Taurus belongs to. What every character in a Taurus VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Ford Taurus adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Taurus generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Taurus's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Taurus that gives 3 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-1995 | 483 cm | 269 cm | 1368 kg | - | - |
| 1996-2006 | 502 cm | 276 cm | 1497 kg | +19 cm | +129 kg |
| 2008-2019 | 513 cm | 287 cm | 1653 kg | +11 cm | +156 kg |
Between 1986 and 2019 the Taurus gained 30 cm in length (+6.2%) and 285 kg in weight (+20.8%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Taurus that is 285 kg against 30 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Ford Taurus tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Taurus owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Ford Taurus have? Power & range
The Ford Taurus is offered with 3 powertrains — 3.5L 6-cyl, 3.4L 8-cyl, 2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 3 for the Ford Taurus, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.5L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| V8 | 3.4L · 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Premium |
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Taurus by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Ford Taurus. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Taurus | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 179 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 20,054 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,690/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 1,204 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Ford Taurus?
The Taurus is a full-size car, built from 1986 to 2019 across 3 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8.
Where is the Ford Taurus made?
Across 14,537 cars in our records the split is: the United States (99.6%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Taurus have?
3 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2008. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Taurus grew 30 cm longer and gained 285 kg.
What is the Ford Taurus warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Taurus reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Taurus?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Ford
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 1981–2026 | 462 | 72 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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| Ford Ranger | 1982–2026 | 278 | 58 mpg | 3.5/5 |