The Ford Transit Connect is a unique vehicle.  It has only been sold in the US since the 2010 model year, and is imported to the US from Turkey and Romania.  It is classified as a compact panel van.  It is sold as both a cargo van and a wagon.  The cargo vans are imported to the US as passenger vans, where they are then stripped of their rear seats and their windows are replaced.  This circumvents a 25 percent tariff on light trucks.

The Ford Transit Connect is designed for small businesses.  It is a van, but priced more like a midsize sedan or crossover SUV.  It gets great fuel economy, is tall enough to haul oddly-shaped objects, such as product displays, and can seat five people.  It is short on features but long on space and economy.

The 2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon XLT has a 2.0 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 136 horsepower and 128 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 15-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

The Connect Wagon XLT comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses cruise control.  It also has front captain’s chairs, driver height adjustment, driver lumbar support, a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback, keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, power steering, a front console for storage, an overhead console for storage, front seatback storage, 12-volt outlets in both the front and cargo areas, and air conditioning.

It also features a rear “barn door,” rear defogger, rear wiper, privacy glass, cargo tie downs, automatic headlights, and foglights.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, and a radio data system.  It is pre-wired for a telephone.

The Transit Connect Wagon is one of the safest vehicles on the road.  It comes with stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, and side front airbags.  This year’s model hasn’t been tested, but the 2010 model got perfect 5-star ratings from the US government on frontal and side impact crashes.  These were under the new, more stringent standards.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

When you climb into a Transit Connect Wagon, you will definitely be reminded that it is a business or fleet van.  The interior is almost devoid of frills, bells, whistles, and shiny objects.  It is plain bordering on drab, but it does save you and your business a few thousand dollars.  The controls are easy to understand and easy to reach.  All in all, you might find the Transit Connect to be pleasantly uncluttered, both physically and visually, compared to modern vehicles.

There is a lot of passenger space in this little van.  The combined headroom and legroom in the front seat is 91.6 inches, which, for comparison purposes, is tall enough for any basketball player currently on a roster in the NBA.  The rear seats give you a combined measurement of 89 inches.  The seats themselves are fairly comfortable, and are great for use such as an airport ferry, but are a bit hard for longer trips.

The cargo space is 78.4 cubic feet, which can be expanded to 129.6 feet by folding down the rear seats.  Of course, the rear seat can be removed altogether and kept in storage for those who prefer the versatility of having a cargo van that occasionally hauls people.  The maximum payload is only 1600 pounds, though.

The Transit Connect looks like a van, but it is fairly small.  It is very maneuverable and can park in places where a larger van just won’t fit.  It has a 39-foot turning radius, which is very small for any vehicle classified as a van.  The steering and suspension are definitely van-like.  The Transit Connect is made to get you and your business cargo from point A to point B with a minimum of drama.  This also means a minimum of excitement.

The steering gives middling response, and the suspension allows for a fair amount of body roll.  The center of gravity is a bit high, so anything remotely resembling sporty performance is out of the question.  The engine is enough to move the vehicle, but don’t expect much in the way of acceleration; the zero to sixty time is 12.6 seconds, which is the slowest time we have run into here.  The ride is middling at best.

Once again, the Transit Connect is made to efficiently help you meet the transportation needs of your business at the lowest possible cost.  This means you sacrifice a bit in creature comforts.

There are some great options for fleet owners.  The first is the Ford Work Solutions Crew Chief Telematics.  The Crew Chief monitors the driver.  It catalogs idle time, location, and speed.  This helps business owners or management know where their employees are and whether or not they are driving safely.  It also lets management know if an employee is abusing his lunch breaks or making unauthorized stops along the way.  For a standard business whose employees don’t have a vested interest in the business, the Crew Chief pays for itself pretty quickly.

Another option is the Ford Work Solutions in-dash Computer with Ford Sync.  It includes a Garvin navigation system, a mobile office, destination routing, and even a feature called Tool Link which can take a physical inventory of objects in the van by using the RFID tags.  Other features are voice-activated calling, and conversion of SMS messages to audio messages.  There are a lot of features here.

Basically, you can turn your Transit Connect into a virtual office while on the road.  This allows a lot of flexibility, and is a world-class tool for those in sales-oriented professions who are often on the road.

All in all, this is a great vehicle for small businesses that need more than a car, but less than a full-sized van or truck.  The Transit Connect is also available in three other trim levels: the Cargo Van XL and XLT, which have no rear seat and whose rear windows are replaced by metal panels, and the Wagon XLT Premium, which adds a few frills that we don’t feel are worth the added cost.

The verdict: this is an excellent vehicle for a small business that doesn’t need a full-sized van.

As promised, we are reviewing the 2012 Ford Taurus SHO separately from its sibling trims.  SHO stands for “Super High Output.”  The SHO was first made by Ford from 1989-1999, when it was discontinued due to a lack of popularity.  The SHO was made by the same team that made the Mustang SVO from 1984-1986.

In the late 1970′s and early 1980′s, when gas was creeping all the way over a dollar a gallon, muscle cars were losing their popularity.  Fuel economy became an issue, and MPG replaced RPM as a determining factor in whether the average buyer wanted a particular model or not.

Since Ford had a racing team and didn’t want to abandon the muscle and pony cars altogether, they developed a team called Special Vehicle Operations Department, which was referred to in-house as SVO.  Their job was to develop race cars for NASCAR and other racing leagues, and to produce small lines of limited-edition muscle cars.  The Mustang SVO was their first, and it used a turbocharged version of an inline 4-cylinder engine that had been previously used in the Pinto.

While the idea was great, and it almost redeemed the 2.3 liter inline-4, it really didn’t work because of a lack of torque.  Undaunted, the team would create a car that would inspire a cult following that continues to this day: the Taurus SHO.

The 1989 version went from zero to sixty in 6.6 seconds and had 220 horsepower.  Much of its performance came from its very well-conceived gear ratios and its then state of the art 5-speed transmission.  It featured a 3.0 liter SHO engine.   It would eventually evolve to a 3.4 V8 engine that produced 235 horsepower.

Fast-forward to the reissue in 2010.  The modern, fourth generation Taurus dwarfs previous generations, at least under the hood.  The Ford Eco-boost engine makes one who wasn’t there wonder what all the fuss over a 235 horsepower engine was about.

Now, the Ford Taurus SHO is known as a “sleeper.”  In the automotive community, a sleeper is a car that looks like a family car but has a very large amount of power under the hood.  This is different from a Shelby or a Camaro in that both of those cars look like fast cars, and have a lot of overt exterior aerodynamics.  The Taurus SHO, on the other hand, looks like a car in which you could take your grandmother to church on Sunday, but drives like something you might want to take to the track on amateur night.

The 2012 Ford Taurus SHO has a 3.6 liter, twin-turbo, V6 engine that produces 365 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque.  It has all-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shifters.  It has a mechanical center differential and a center limited slip differential.  It has 19-inch painted alloy wheels and P255/45R19, high performance, all season tires.  It somehow manages to get 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.  It goes from zero to sixty in 5.8 seconds, which is four-fifths of a second quicker than the original in 1989.

Often, muscle cars are somewhat sparse on the inside, without a lot of conveniences.  True to its sleeper status, though, the Taurus SHO is equipped like what it is: the highest trim level of a full-size family sedan.  It comes with front sport bucket seats with 8-way power adjustment, including height adjustment and lumbar support.  It has leather and alcantra upholstery, a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback, keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, and cruise control.

It also has electric power steering, a universal remote transmitter for garage doors and security systems, 12-volt outlets in the front and rear, a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that contains cruise, audio, and transmission controls, leather and chrome trim on the shift knob, alloy trim on the dash, leather trim on the console, 2-zone climate control divided between driver and front passenger, 2 driver memory settings, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, and automatic, high-intensity xenon headlights.

The audio system has 7 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a 6-CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, a USB/iPod input, a radio data system, Bluetooth, realtime traffic, and a subscription service, voice direction navigation system.

The Taurus SHO also has a lot of safety built in: rear parking sensors, blind spot mirrors, a rearview camera, antilock brakes, side curtain airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, and a post-collision safety system.  The Taurus got perfect safety ratings in front impact, side impact, and roof strength from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is a notch above most muscle cars.  That is probably because it doubles as a great family sedan.  The materials are high quality with a few harder, midgrade parts sprinkled in.  The design is modern without a hint of retro, which is another rarity among muscle cars.

There is so much room in this car that it might remind older muscle car fans of the 1960′s, when there was plenty of room in most cars, and any seat that couldn’t hold someone at least six feet three inches tall was seen as small. The combined headroom and legroom is 80.9 inches in the front and 75.9 in the back.  The trunk is 20.1 cubic feet, which is just plain huge.

The real stars of the SHO, though, are the engine and the sport suspension.  The engine provides a lot of horsepower for sterling acceleration and effortless highway performance.  The steering is very responsive, partially because the electric power steering is adjusted perfectly.  The suspension helps the car hug the road and can take some pretty extreme cornering with great rebound and almost no body roll.  With the SHO, you almost don’t notice that you are driving a car that weighs 4368 pounds before you start putting people in.

Surprisingly, this doesn’t detract a lot from the ride, which is a typical large family car ride.  You can feel the road a bit, but the ride isn’t nearly as stiff as the performance would indicate.  Better yet, because of the subtle aerodynamics, there is almost no wind or road noise.

The verdict: yes.  A thousand times yes.

Click here to search for Ford Explorers in the Knoxville area.

Featured Deals Below

2008 Ford Explorer XLT, 71,554 miles.

4.0 liter, V6 engine, 210 horsepower, 254 foot-pounds of torque.  14 mpg city, 20 mpg hwy, 5-speed automatic transmission, rear wheel drive, P235/70R16 all season tires, 16-inch painted alloy wheels.

Keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, power steering, cruise control, leather-wrapped tilt-adjustable steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, air conditioning, cloth upholstery, front sport seats, 6-way power driver seat with height and lumbar adjustment, split-folding rear seatback, trip computer, privacy glass, rear wiper, rear defogger, roof rack, rear liftgate door, flip-up liftgate window.  80-watt audio system with 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, audio jack.

Safety features: stability control with roll stability control, traction control, ABS, side front airbags, side curtain airbags.  Perfect safety ratings from US government and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Ford Explorer is a midsized, truck-based SUV, and one of the best-selling of all time.  It can tow up to 5395 pounds.  It is the lowest of four trim levels, but still has a lot of features and conveniences.  The combined front headroom and legroom is 82.2 inches in the front seat, with a combined 75.6 inches in the rear seat.  There are 45.14 cubic feet of cargo area behind the seats, and 83.7 cubic feet if you fold the rear seats down.

It drives like a truck, but the rear independent suspension helps the Explorer remain stable and hug the road while cornering or driving in inclement conditions.  The ride is smooth for a truck ride, without any of the large jolts that used to define a truck ride.  The engine has enough power for adequate suspension and smooth operation at high speeds.

Ford Explorer available in the Knoxville area right now

2010 Ford Explorer XLT, 33,817 miles.

4.0 liter V6 engine, 210 horsepower, 254 foot-pounds of torque.  RWD, 5-speed automatic transmission, 14 mpg city, 20 mpg hwy, 235/70R16 tires, 16-inch painted alloy wheels.

Leather-covered, tilt-adjustable steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, air conditioning, 6-way power driver seat with height and lumbar adjustment, sport front seats, cloth upholstery, split-folding rear seats, keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, 12v outlets in front and rear, speed-proportional power steering, rear defogger, rear wiper, roof rack, privacy glass, chrome grille, trailer hitch and wiring, cargo tiedowns, foglights.   80-watt audio system with 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, audio jack.

Safety features: stability control with trailer sway and rollover controls, traction control, ABS, side front airbags, side curtain airbags.  Perfect safety ratings from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and US government.

Same driving and ride dynamics as 2008 model with slight improvements.  Electronic assist to power steering helps the Explorer steer very easily for a truck-based SUV.  The ride is closer to a car-based SUV than a truck.

Please feel free to browse our extensive database for Ford Explorers and all cars and trucks, both locally and nationally.  Make sure to contact at least three dealers if not more to ensure the best possible prices.

2012 Ford Edge SEL:

The Ford Edge is a midsize crossover SUV.  It is built on the Ford CD3 platform, and has been shared with the Mazda 6, the Lincoln MKX, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and Mercury Milan.  It has been around since 2006 and is still in its first generation.  It did get a “facelift” for 2011, with upgraded interior materials and the new Ford Eco-boost and Duratec engines.

The 2012 Ford Edge SEL is the second of four trim levels.  It has a 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and 253 foot-pounds of torque, 18-inch painted alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  It is rated at 19 mpg in the city, and 27 mpg on the highway.

The Ford Edge SEL comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, front bucket seats, an 8-way driver’s seat with lumbar and height adjustments, split-folding and reclining rear seats, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full power accessories, 12-volt power outlets in the front, rear, and cargo areas, power steering, 2-zone climate control divided between driver and front passenger, leather and chrome trim on the shift knob, simulated alloy trim on the dash, and a trip computer,.

It also has a rear spoiler, a chrome grille, intermittent front and rear wipers, a rear defogger, privacy glass, 245/60R18 all season tires, a rear liftgate door with a fixed window, cargo tie-downs, and automatic headlights.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, 6 months of Sirius satellite radio included, an audio jack, a USB/iPod input, and Bluetooth.

Saftey features: ABS, traction control, stability control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, blind spot mirrors, brake hill holder, and the Ford MyKey system.  MyKey allows you to program a key for another driver that limits the speed of the vehicle and the volume of the audio system.  The US government gave the Edge an overall rating of 4 stars out of 5.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it perfect scores of good in front, rear, and side impact tests.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

You will like the interior.  It has a look that is practical but modern.  The materials are all high-quality, and the front seats are both comfortable and supportive.  The combined head and legroom in the front seats is slightly over 80 inches, while the rear seat combined room is almost 79 inches.  Some find the rear seats a bit uncomfortable on longer trips, but this can be easily remedied with a couple of pillows.  There are 32 cubic feet of cargo space in the back, and if you fold down the back seats, you can raise it to 69 cubic feet.

The SEL trim has the steering and suspension adjusted toward a very comfortable ride.  The steering is accurate, and both the steering and suspension give average response.  Body roll is kept to a reasonable amount.  The result is a very nice ride for a midsize crossover.  When you add a very quiet cabin, the result is bordering on luxury, but without the “squishy” quality.  The engine has enough power to provide reasonable acceleration and smooth operation at highway speeds.

All in all, the Edge SEL  is a nice crossover SUV for families and commuters.  If, however, you are a driver who needs a more engaging experience, we would recommend moving up to the Sport trim.

The verdict: definitely worth a test drive.

Options, other trims, and various caveats:

There are plenty of great options available for the SEL.  You can get all-wheel drive.   You can also have a 4-cylinder, 2.0 liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine that produces 240 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque.  The Ecoboost comes with front-wheel drive, a 6-speed automatic transmission, and a aero package.  The Vision package has a blind spot warning system and a cross-traffic warning system.

Ford also offers a voice-activated navigation system with “Destination Guidance” and “Destination Download.”  There is also a rear-seat DVD system with two headsets.

There are three other trims besides the SEL.  The bast trim is the SE, which is like the SEL but without the power driver’s seat, automatic climate control, or the leather-wrapped steering wheel.  The SE also gets 18-inch wheels.

The next trim is the Limited.  It comes with all of the following option packages that can be added to the SEL.  First is the Leather Comfort package with leather upholstery, a 6-way power passenger seat, and heated front seats.   Then, there are the Ford MyTouch touchscreen system, Ford Snyc, which gives voice controls to most of the electronics, and a second USB port.

The Limited gets the standard SEL equipment, plus the options above, and an 8-way power passenger seat and an upgraded 12-speaker Sony audio system that adds HD radio.  You can also opt for the Driver Entry package with keyless ignition and entry and a power liftgate.  Single add-ons include adaptive cruise control, xenon headlights, and 18-inch chrome wheels.

The Edge Sport gets the SEL’s optional and standard equipment plus a bunch of sport-performance tweaks.  Those include the Sony sound system, some exterior aerodynamic tweaks, 22-inch wheels, and a sport-tuned suspension.  The Sport gives superior handling, but some don’t like the stiff ride that comes with it.  Others think it is very engaging to drive.

The midsize crossover SUV segment is very competitive.  We think the Edge is very likable, but not quite enough to inspire any passion toward it.  There are other companies that make sportier models, and some that make more-refined models.  The one great thing we can say about the Edge is that it straddles the middle ground very well.  It also gives a lot of options, from the unpretentions base trim to upper trims rife with electronic innovations.

Please feel free to browse our large inventory both nationally and locally.  We recommend that you always contact at least three dealers when looking for any vehicle.   That way, you ensure that you will get the best prices.

Click here to search our database for a Ford F-150 within 50 miles of New York City

Todays Featured F150 Deals

2007 Ford F-150 XLT regular cab 4X4, 50,604 miles.

4.6 liter, SOHC V8 engine, 248 hp, 294 torque, 13 mpg city, 17 mpg hwy, 4-wheel drive, 4-speed automatic transmission, manual hi-lo gears, mechanical center differential, 17-inch chrome wheels, 235/17R17 all-terrain tires, chrome bumpers, full size spare tire.

40/20/40 split-bench seat, driver lumbar support, premium cloth upholstery, power locks, windows, and mirrors, cruise control, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, 12-volt front outlets, power steering, air conditioning, automatic headlights, overhead storage console.  4-speaker AM/FM stereo with CD player, and MP3 input

Safety features:  4-wheel ABS, top safety pick by IIHS, perfect 5-star crash testing by US government.

The F-150 tows up to 9500 pounds and can carry a payload of up to 1810 pounds.   It is one of the most reliable and sturdy trucks on the market.  Cabin is simple and unpretentious, but made of good materials.  The 5.4 liter engine is the largest and most powerful in the F-150 line, and provides plenty of power.  The suspension handles all heavy-duty tasks easily, and the ride is still reasonable.  Ford has worked very hard to make their entire truck line ride smoother.

2010 Ford F-150 XLT Supercab.

4.6 V8 SOHC engine, 292 horsepower, 320 torque, 14 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, 6-speed automatic transmission, part time 4WD, front and rear stabilizer bars, double wishbone front suspension, electronic hi-lo gear selector, mechanical center differential, 17-inch painted alloy wheels, full size steel spare wheel, P235/75R17 all terrain tires, chrome bumpers.

Tilt-adjustable steering wheel with cruise controls, power steering, 40/20/40 split bench front seats, split folding rear seat, driver lumbar support, cloth upholstery, power mirrors and locks, keyless entry, front and rear 12-volt power outlets, air conditioning, automatic headlights.

Safety features: stability control, traction control, ABS, trailer sway control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, perfect safety test scores from US government and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The F-150 has a very nice cabin: spacious front seat, adequate rear seat, simple design, easy to use controls, high-quality materials.  It tows up to 11200 pounds (that is not a typo) and carries up to 1490 pounds of cargo.  The F-150 is a serious, powerful, full-size truck that is made for heavy-duty use, but still handles easily enough for almost any driver.

The engine provides plenty of power and torque for all uses.  The F-150 is very quiet while cruising at highway speeds, and the ride is very tame for a full sized truck.  The handling is impressive for its weight, with a bit of body roll and steering lag, but really not much of either for a full sized truck.

Feel free to browse our extensive database of cars and trucks, not only in the New York area, but nationally as well.  We recommend contacting at least three dealers or even more to get the best prices.

The Ford Taurus debuted in the US in 1986.  While it turned out to be a lynchpin in the modernization of US cars, it didn’t start out all that well.  Partially because the Taurus had so many new electrical options and features, the first few years were plagued by electrical system overloads and constant repair bills for many buyers. Within a few years, those problems were fixed, and the Taurus has been a very successful car for Ford ever since.

The Taurus is now in its sixth generation.  Despite the model being discontinued for the 2007 model year, the Taurus is as popular as it ever was.  It has evolved from a midsize sedan to a full-sized sedan, and is still full of the conveniences Taurus buyers have come to expect.

The 2012 Ford Taurus SEL is the second of four trim levels.  It has a 3.5 liter, DOHC V6 engine that produces 263 horsepower.  It has 18-inch alloy wheels, P235/55R18 all season tires, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  It gets 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, and goes from zero to sixty in 7.8 seconds.

The Taurus SEL comes with a leather-wrapped, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the transmission, audio, and cruise controls.  It also has keyless entry, full-power accessories, front bucket seats, a 6-way driver’s seat with lumbar and height adjustments, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, premium cloth upholstery, power steering, 12-volt outlets in the front and rear seats, 2-zone climate controls split between the driver and front passenger, leather and chrome trim on the shift knob, simulated wood trim on the dash, a rear defogger, automatic headlights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The Taurus also comes with antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, a post-collision safety system, and integrated blind spot mirrors.  The Taurus received 4 stars out of 5 for frontal impact protection from the US Government, and a perfect 5 stars for side impact.  It tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it got perfect scores of good in front impact, side impact, and roof strength.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback.

There are three things you will notice about the interior of the 2012 Ford Taurus SEL: it’s attractive, it’s big, and it’s comfortable.  The design is modern and bordering on entry-level luxury.  The sheer volume of controls and gauges can be overwhelming to some, but they look impressive.  There is plenty of headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats, which is rare in any market segment.   The seats are very comfortable and supportive, and adjustable enough to make it easy for anyone to find their “sweet spot” where they can melt into the cushions.  There is also a lot of cargo space, with a trunk that measures 20.1 cubic feet.

The handling is decent, but the fact that the Taurus is a full-sized sedan presents the usual bulky feel of the steering, and also causes a bit of body roll.  As often happens in big cars, though, the trade-off is a very, very smooth ride.  The engine is not a world-beater like the  one in the super-Taurus known as the SHO, but it has plenty of power for good acceleration and smooth driving at highway speeds.   The cabin is quiet and serene.

All in all, the Taurus SEL is a reasonably-priced car that is large enough for a family of five, and comfortable enough for both commuting and long trips.  While it is no longer unique because the rest of the market has caught up with it, the Taurus is still a car that will keep its fans happy while maybe making a few more in the meantime.

The verdict: heartily recommended for those who remember when cars used to be big.

Options, other trims, and miscellaneous caveats.

There are three other trim levels, but only two count. The last trim level is the Taurus SHO, which is a high-performance car that will get its own, separate review.  The base trim is the Taurus SE.  It has the same stats and features as the SEL, but it doesn’t get a leather-wrapped steering wheel, satellite radio, premium cloth upholstery, the 2-zone climate control, or the paddle shifters.  It also gets 18-inch wheels instead of 19-inch wheels.

The third trim, one above the SEL, is the Limited.  It gets everything on the SEL, plus a rear camera and rear parking sensors, and 8-way power front bucket seats with power lumbar support and driver memory function, a stereo that is upgraded to 7 speakers and a 6-CD changer, perforated leather upholstery, and a wood-trimmed steering wheel.

The options for the SEL include the following: rear camera, rear parking sensors, leather trim, Multi-contour seats with active motion (this means massage), and remote start.

The SHO, which is really its own vehicle, is the high-performance version of the Taurus.  Its main claims to fame are the sport-tuned suspension and a twin-turbocharged, Eco-boost version of the 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 365 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque, and a zero to sixty time of 5.8 seconds.  You can read more about that in the other review.

The Ford Sync system is available in all trims.  It links into the audio system and cell phones and puts them under voice control.

Really, there is something for everyone here.  Bite off all that you can chew.  The base trim still has plenty of features and benefits, while the SHO will make many muscle car enthusiasts happy.  That doesn’t mean you have to be a muscle car enthusiast to enjoy the SHO, though.  Sporty handling and a bit of zip under the hood speak a universal language that most drivers have no trouble understanding.

Click here to view  Ford Edges for sale in Chicago:

Here’s a Ford Edge available for sale now:

2010 Ford Edge SEL, black. Mileage: 49,347. Some highlights: front bucket seats, tilt-telescope steering wheel, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, power windows and locks, reclining rear seat, 4-speaker stereo system with AM/FM radio, CD player, MP3 decoder.

Safety features: traction control, electronic stability control to help prevent rollovers, antilock brakes, side front airbags, side curtain airbags.

The Ford Edge is a midsize, crossover SUV designed for passenger comfort. It accelerates well, has solid, consistent handling, and one of the best rides in its class. The 2010 Ford Edge got one of the highest safety ratings of the year from both the government and the IIHS.

The interior has a clean, uncluttered design, and there are 69 cubic feet of cargo space if you fold the rear seat. There is plenty of room for 5 people, and even the tallest of passengers can fit in the front or rear seats comfortably. The seats themselves are plush and well-supported.

The 2010 Ford Edge has proven to be one of the safest and most reliable midsize crossover SUV’s on the road. See the dealer for more information on this and other vehicles they have in stock.

All you have to do is fill in the form and the dealer will contact you. We recommend browsing and contacting as many dealers as possible to ensure success. Our network of dealers is extensive and helps you find a great selection and the cheapest prices, whatever you are looking for.

The Ford Crown Victoria is the most popular car that you can’t buy.  Since the 2008 model year started, it has been available only for fleet sales.  That mostly means rental companies, taxis, and police.  Even though it is in its last year of production in 2011, it was at #63 on the list of the best-selling vehicles in the US for the first half of 2011.  You won’t see them in a showroom but you will see them on a used lot from time to time.

The 2010 Crown Victoria is a full-sized sedan.  It has a 4.6 liter V8 engine that produces 224 horsepower.  It has 17-inch painted alloy wheels, rear-wheel drive, and a 4-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The Crown Vic comes with a leather-covered, tilt-only steering wheel, 50/50 split bench front seats with 6-way power driver adjustment including height and lumbar, cloth upholstery, full-power accessories, cruise control, keyless entry, climate control, speed-proportional power steering, simulated wood trim on the dash, a chrome grille, a rear defogger, and automatic headlights.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, and a CD player.

The Crown Vic also comes with antilock brakes, side front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and a post-collision safety system.  It received perfect ratings of 5 stars all around in the older, less-stringent government tests.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it their highest score of “good” for front-impact, but only their second lowest score of “marginal” for side impacts.  We believe the lack of electronic stability control and traction control had a lot to do with this grade.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is very plain.  Think of the last taxi you were in.  It does have a lot of cabin space, though.  There is plenty of room for adults as tall as 6 feet 6 inches in both the front and rear seats.  The trunk gives a massive 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

The drive and ride are industrial with no frills.  This car is made to last and last and last and last.  Basically, everything is defaulted to “solid,” whether it is the steering, the handling, or the ride.  The engine is good enough for decent acceleration and very nice cruising in a straight line.

If you buy the police interceptor version of this car, you get everything very heavy-duty.  Though Ford doesn’t go out of their way to publicize this, the engine is a 4.6 liter, modular V8, and the gear ratio is designed to limit speeds to about 130 mph.

The verdict: if you find one of these used, it could be a great bargain.  We think it would be a lot of fun to have the police interceptor model with privacy glass.  Drivers usually give them a wide berth.

The Ford Ranger is a compact pickup.  It has been around in the US since 1983.  Ford made mostly F-series pickups, but noticed the popularity of the Toyota and Datsun (they would eventually become Nissan) compact pickups.  Toyota and Datsun pickups were ubiquitous in the US during the 70′s and 80′s.

Ford, as did GM and Dodge, decided that the compact trucks were a threat to their dominance in the market, and started making the Ranger.  The Ranger would go on to be the best-selling compact pickup in the US from 1989-2004.

The 2010 Ford Ranger XLT is the higher of three trim levels available to the general public, with another sub-trim for commercial fleets only.  It has a 2.3 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 143 horsepower and 154 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 15-inch steel wheels, rear-wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.  It has a 6.1 foot bed, has a maximum payload of 1160 pounds, and can tow up to 1580 pounds.

The XLT comes with a leather-covered, tilt-only steering wheel that houses the cruise control, a 40/60 split bench front seat with cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, a 12-volt power outlet in the cabin, air conditioning, and foglights.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The Ford Ranger also comes with side front airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control.  The Ranger has only been tested for front impacts, where it got 4 stars out of five from the US government and the second-best score of acceptable from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

If you are nostalgic for those days in the late 80′s and early 90′s, when the Ranger was the most popular compact pickup in the US, you will be very happy with the 2010 Ranger.  It’s not really retro, though: it just hasn’t been changed or updated very much since 1998.  It is still classified as being in its second generation.

So, basically, except for the electronic stability control and traction control, you can pretty much throw twelve years of technological advancement out the window when buying a Ranger.  That has some predictable results.  The interior is a bit plain, bordering on dull and the seats are a bit stiff.  On the good side, there is plenty of cabin space.

The handling is like a truck from the 90′s, with minimal acceleration and too much body roll for its size.  It just feels heavy to drive, and the steering response is tepid at best.  The ride is too stiff for many, especially those used to modern vehicles.

The satellite radio is a nice touch, though.

The verdict: Ford still sells plenty of these.  We just haven’t figured out how or why.

MSRP:  $40,310

The Ford Mustang defined an entire genre of cars: the pony car.  Pony cars, like muscle cars, are having a bit of a renaissance in the US.  The “Big Three” have all rushed to make sure their variants and reissues of old pony and muscle cars are even better than they used to be.

That is a very important part of the pony and muscle car revival.  Older drivers find themselves yearning for a more simple past, when the US was in love with its automobiles.  Usually, retro versions of any product never quite capture the essence of the original.  The Mustang, whether it is any of the lower trims, the Boss 302, or the Shelby GT, strikes a great balance between what used to be and the technology that can make it even better.

The Boss 302 is modeled after a Mustang variant of the same name that was made in 1969 and 1970.  It was in the height of the Mustang’s competition with the Chevy Camaro, and it had a 302 cubic inch engine.  That edition of the Boss 302 went from zero to sixty in what was then a quick time: 6.9 seconds.  As we’ll find out later, sometimes retro can be better than the original.

This year’s Boss 302 is a coupe.  It be considered to be the fifth trim level of the Mustang, or as a model in its own right.  It has a 5.0 liter V8 engine that produces 444 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque.  The intake system is tweaked to maximize horsepower, while the quad exhaust is tweaked to produce a low growl during heavy acceleration.

The Boss 302 also combines 19-inch black alloy racing wheels with high performance tires, rear-wheel drive, a 3.73 rear axle, a limited slip differential, and a 6-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.  Remember that “fast” zero to sixty time of 6.9 seconds from the 1970 model?  The 2012 version takes only 4.8 seconds, or roughly two thirds of the time the old model took.

The Boss 302 comes with a suede and alloy, tilt-only steering wheel that houses the cruise control.  It also has front sport seats, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, speed-proportional power steering, air conditioning, alloy trim on the dash, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, automatic headlights, foglights, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.

The Boss 302 also comes with dual front side airbags, upgraded Brembo antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control.  It also comes with Ford MyKey, which allows parents to give their teenagers a key with restricted speed and restricted audio system volume.  As of this writing, there are no test results from the US government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

The interior is decent, especially considering that most people don’t buy a Mustang for its interior.  The dash is somewhat retro, including hard plastic everywhere.  It’s good enough not to be a detriment and let you remember that you are in a Mustang.

There is plenty of space in the front seats.   There is ample head, leg, and shoulder room.  The rear seat, though, is another story altogether.  The legroom is listed at 29.8 inches and the headroom at 34.7.  That is simply not enough for anyone over five feet four inches tall.  The trunk is an average 13.4 cubic feet.

Besides the Mustang look, performance, handling, and ride are what attracts Mustang owners.  You will absolutely not be disappointed in any of these facets of the Boss 302.  First of all, you get a black key and a red key, besides the Ford MyKey.  The black key is the one you will ostensibly use when driving anywhere but a racetrack.  The red key, called the TracKey, is for taking to the racetrack only.

If you use the red key, it will give you a benefit called “launch control.”  It will also increase low end torque, make the gas pedal more responsive, and make the car decelerate faster when you let up on the gas.  You also get adjustable shocks that can be used for racing or standard applications.

For when you aren’t trying out the Boss 302 at the track, you will use the black key.  It still gives you raucous acceleration and a lot of growl while doing so.  Highway speeds are effortless, and when you aren’t accelerating, the lack of effort and the aerodynamic tweaks make the cabin pretty quiet.

The suspension is a firm racing suspension.  That means it will handle insane amounts of force in corners without faltering.  The steering is extremely responsive, and the result is extremely effective handling.  The ride isn’t all that much if you are looking for passenger comfort, but it is great if you are looking for excitement.

All in all, this is a great car for older drives seeking to recapture their youth or those from subsequent generations who want to know what all the fuss is about.

The verdict: you don’t need one.  You are already convinced one way or the other.

Options and special edition trim:

There is a lot of optional equipment for this car to make it as “tricked-up” as you want.  You can get the Ford Sync interface, which allows you to control most of the electronics by voice.  You can also add Recaro sport seats in the front, and a Torsen version of the limited slip differential.  There is an Electronics Package that has automatic climate control, a voice-activated navigation system with realtime traffic, and HD radio.  Xenon headlights, remote ignition, a back-up camera, and a glass roof are standalone options.  There is also a 10-speaker Bose system upgrade.

There is a special edition avaiable.  It is called the Laguna Seca.  Without going gearhead on anyone, let it suffice to say that the Laguna Seca is tweaked to be a racetrack-eating beast.