New EcoBoost model gets best-in-class 32 mpg highway
With the 2013 Ford Taurus set to go on sale later this summer, the EPA has finally released the official fuel economy ratings for Ford's biggest sedan. With three different engine options available, the 2013 Ford Taurus promises to offer a great balance between power and efficiency with a reworked base engine and two optional EcoBoost engines. The biggest news for 2013 is that the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine will be rated with a best-in-class 32 miles per gallon on the highway, but even the base 3.5-liter V-6 and the SHO's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 receive numerous power and fuel economy improvements for 2013.
The base 2013 Ford Taurus gets an upgrade to its 3.5-liter V-6 to include Ford's twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) which increases the engine's output to 288 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque (a gain of 25 hp and 5 lb-ft) while simultaneously improving fuel economy. This engine is now rated at 19 miles per gallon in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and a rating of 23 mpg in combined driving - up 1 mpg in each category compared to the 2012 Taurus. Add the optional all-wheel drive system to the base 2013 Ford Taurus, and fuel economy will drop slightly to 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
Optional on SE, SEL and Limited trim levels, the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged inline-four further helps Ford expand its EcoBoost strategy of offering this fuel-efficient engine in 90 percent of its global line-up by 2013. Ford says that this engine has been rated at 32 mpg on the highway with a combined rating of 26 mpg, and while it did not announced the official city rating, we would expect it to be somewhere close to 22 or 23 mpg. Also unclear is what the fuel economy is going to be on the all-wheel drive models. Still, with these kind of numbers, the 2013 Ford Taurus gets better highway fuel economy than front-wheel drive rivals like the Toyota Avalon and Chevrolet Impala, and, surprisingly, it even gets a slightly better combined EPA rating than the diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec. Despite such impressive fuel economy figures, this engine still delivers on the performance side of things, too, with 240 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque.
Finally, the power and fuel economy figures on the performance-tuned 2013 Ford Taurus SHO will stay the same meaning that the car will keep its 365 horsepower, 305 lb-ft of torque and highway fuel economy of 25 mpg. This 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 was one of the very first applications of Ford's EcoBoost plan when the current-generation Taurus debuted in 2009, and this all-wheel drive model continues to be a fun, luxurious and sporty sedan.
“Ford understands people want fuel-efficient vehicles but don’t want to sacrifice power, cargo space or convenience preferences to get them,” said Raj Nair, vice president of Engineering for Global Product Development. “Taurus fuel economy showcases Ford’s success in developing smaller yet more powerful engines for its larger vehicles.”
Pricing for the updated 2013 Ford Taurus will start at $26,600 for the base SE trim level, but the MSRP for the optional EcoBoost engine on non-SHO models has yet to be announced. Stepping up the model ladder, the 2013 Taurus SEL will start $28,800, and the Taurus Limited will go for $33,000; adding all-wheel drive to the SEL or Limited will cost an extra $1,850. Topping out the 2013 Taurus line-up, the SHO will start at $39,200.