The Ford Taurus was discontinued back in 2019, but on the used vehicle market, it remains a popular and award-winning offering. In fact, the 2011 and 2014 Ford Taurus made the cut as two of Consumer Reports‘ Best Cars for Teens Under $20k last year, along with the 2014-2015 Ford Edge. Now, Consumer Reports has released its 2022 version of that same list, and the 2011 Ford Taurus has made the cut, along with the 2015 and 2018 Ford Fusion, as Ford Authority reported yesterday.
Purchasing a vehicle for a teen is a trickier proposition since most parents must balance cost and safety, particularly since teens are, on average, the riskiest drivers on the road and experience crash rates far higher than other age groups. That’s precisely why Consumer Reports teams up with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to come up with a list of vehicles that are reliable, safe, and affordable.
In that regard, the 2011 Ford Taurus made the cut thanks in part to its average list price of $6,300. To make this list, vehicles must also have above-average reliability scores based on CR‘s member surveys, average or better scores on emergency handling tests, dry braking distances of less than 145 feet from 60 miles-per-hour, good ratings in four IIHS crashworthiness tests – moderate-overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints – and either four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if the vehicle has received a rating.
“In compiling these lists, we found that some of the same models that were on last year’s lists are actually more expensive now even though they’re a year older due to the tumultuous market,” said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports Auto Test Center. “As the same amount of money may not be going as far, it’s even more important to make it a safe and reliable choice.”
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Comments
For teens? I prefer and would pay more for this car than for any involutive, unpractical and boring SUV or crossover.
I had one of these, atrocious rear and rear quarter visibility, although the car was very dependable and handled well. From a cost and safety standpoint I agree, but from a driving dynamic view, not a good car for teens (or any adult) incapable of driving with spatial awareness.
Just what every 16 yo boy wants grandmas 2011 Taurus it only has 20k miles how is he going to learn how to do burn outs with a fwd car