Video: Driving Northwest: The Ford Taurus X

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To put it mildly, the automotive landscape is in turmoil. Gas prices are at an all-time high and those who profess to know where things are headed predict that fuel prices will climb higher than the seating position of a Suburban, Sequoia or Armada. Families who were once attracted to rigs like these when gas was two bucks a gallon won't even consider them now. But what if you need room for your clan? Certainly a family of four can fit into a car the size of a Honda Civic; our Euro cousins who endure higher petrol prices than ours have done it for years. Historically though, Americans demand more space and comfort from their vehicles. Thus, automakers are rolling out more and more car based crossovers like the Taurus X to soften the sticker shock of gasoline, which I'll remind you is still cheaper than bottled water.  

If the Taurus X looks familiar, it should. Most of the exterior is carried over from the outgoing Freestyle (not to be confused with Ford's late minivan the Freestar). X gets a handsome new Fusion-like 3 bar grille and taillights with an Edge motif. By far the biggest gripe with this rig when it wore Freestyle badges was the powertrain. That's been addressed with a 263-horse V6 that delivers 30 percent more power. Mercifully the old continuously variable transmission has been replaced with a conventional 6-speed. There are also changes to the frame up front for further refinement. 

These changes mean the very comfortable Taurus X is much more satisfying to drive now. The tranny no longer feels like it's slipping and sliding, which is a common complaint with efficient CVT transmissions. The 6-speed doesn't like to downshift unless the throttle is nailed hard but that dynamic is becoming more common as manufacturers try to eek out every MPG they can. The V6 has enough power to deliver a confident everyday driving dynamic. Passing on two-lane roads requires a little more chutzpah from the pilot, especially if you're loaded down with kids and camping gear.

I know this because I pressed the Taurus X into extreme duty when it was time to haul the family to Leavenworth, Wash. for our annual Martin Luther King cross-country ski extravaganza. Yes, I know, MLK day was months ago, but considering I just found the video tape that was presumed lost, I'm just happy to get the story done. Consider this piece early for next year since chances are always good that Eastern Washington will get more snow come winter time.     

If your family is like mine you will over pack for these journeys. There are roof rails on the Taurus but no ski rack accessory, so those long boards get chucked inside. We and our friends always rent a large house for this trip and I'm in charge of a breakfast. In this regard I come armed for bear with three - yes, three waffle irons - so that my friends get them hot, fresh, and in copious quantity. With a recipe made from scratch, I take this task very seriously. With the easy fold third row flattened and the middle row slid forward a bit, the cavernous cargo area easily swallows my cooking armament, food, ski boots, hats, gloves, sleds, sleeping bags, winter clothing and a dozen stuffed animals. Can't forget the stuffed animals. 

Even the petite Mrs. Car Guy (who could really care less about cars by the way) finds a good driving position. Plenty of cup-holders scattered throughout the cabin are helpful. The second row can be ordered to seat two or three. This tester has heat in that row and my boy - who is a connoisseur of bun warmers - is in seventh heaven. Growing out of the roof is the DVD entertainment system, so my kids can watch "Napoleon Dynamite" for the 23rd time. The third row, which is never used on this trip, will accommodate real adults and the song "Knees up Mother Brown" won't come immediately to mind if the mid row is slid forward a bit. During three days of full loads, mountain roads and slippery conditions, the Taurus X returns 19 miles per gallon. Not bad for a vehicle that can be ordered to seat seven.

If you remember our past winter here in the Northwest, we had a lot of precipitation. On our way to Leavenworth the white stuff comes early and in large amounts. Fortunately the X has all-wheel drive that kicks in automatically, seamlessly and often. Heavy snowfall on Stevens Pass is easily handled. The chassis is largely the same as Volvo's XC90 so it comes with a solid substantial feel and a 5 star safety rating from NHTSA. The X is a quiet cruiser with subdued road noise and little wind roar. The electronic stability control and well modulated antilock brakes get a workout in the snow and ice-covered roads. My only gripe with the driving dynamic is that the steering is not as satisfying as some of the competition. Initial turn in feels quick but does not stay linear, so accuracy suffers.

To help keep my eyes on the slippery road, Taurus X has the Microsoft Sync system. Sync integrates popular electronics like music players and cell phones so that they can be controlled by voice. It will even read incoming text messages and has pre programmed responses you can send. My fave would be "I'm driving right now and it would be really, really, really stupid of me to try to text you back right now." It took me about an hour to figure out and configure the Sync system to my voice so it was more effective. In my opinion it's the best system available these days but not perfect. I'd say it misinterpreted me 20 percent of the time. 

After settling in with our friends and feasting on waffles, it's time to ski them off (the waffles, not the friends). In 15 degree weather, the mid-row seats refuse to do their flippy action that allows access to the third row. This would not normally be a problem except one seat that was left tumbled will not latch into the useful position. After warming the Taurus up for 20 minutes the seats cooperate again. I talked to the folks at Ford (based in frigid Michigan of course) and they firmly state this is highly unusual. But since it happened to me with both seats I'm pointing it out. Somehow in this process the key gets locked in the car. Fortunately there's a keypad on the door that allows it to be opened with a code. Why I happened to put the code number in my wallet I don't know, but I looked like a hero for once in my life.

Other gripes? Like many of them, the powered liftgate is on the slow side and doesn't like to be hurried by pushing up on it. The instrument panel is made from quality materials but one trim piece is at eye level, and the picky side of me finds this small part up near the sideview mirrors looks like an after thought. 

Competition is fierce in the large crossover segment with Taurus X going up against the likes of Pilot, Highlander, Acadia, Outlook, Enclave and Veracruz. Chevy will soon have the Traverse and Ford will compete against itself with the giant box called Flex, which is based on the Taurus platform. Vehicles like Taurus X are great for getting families and loads of gear to places like snow-laden Leavenworth. Retail prices start at $27,830 for a front drive SEL model, or go for a loaded AWD Limited like the one I'm driving for around 38K. However, things being what they are these days, Ford stores currently have 2,000 George Washingtons in the form of incentives to start sweetening the deal. The rest is up to you. Taurus X can be equipped with all the amenities of a lodge, even a Sync. It's a nice improvement over the Freestyle and has family values down cold.