Ford Taurus Gas Mileage

Any Ford Taurus owners out there? Can you give me an idea on real-world mileage that a 1996-2006 Taurus with the 3.0L V6 would get? Mainly highway miles. The gov rated it at 17/25 mpg but I have a hard time believing it isn't a little better when my 4.6L 5300LB F-150 (Taurus=3400LB) gets about 16/17 split. I drive easy...

Thanks
Taurus MPG

I have a '96 flex fuel that get 31 MPG when on a long trip. This is an average from Dead Moines to Montrose, Colorado. BTW, the mileage increases by about 3 MPG once we're shed of the 10% ethanol blend.

Actually, after the head gasket recall on the 3.8's, why anyone would buy a Taurus NOT equipped with the 3.0 is baffling to me.

My mom used to have a '96 with the 3.0 Vulcan. An excellent car that I tried to buy from her, but when she bought a new car they gave her too much money on trade in, so away it went.
Doing highway miles, she consistenty got 30-32 mpg.

The '96 and later cars that the OP is talking about did not come with the 3.8 engine.

I've owned 4 Taurus's and Sables in that age range. The 1996 to 2001s with the 3.0 V6 get about 24 MPG on the highway at 70MPH. If you live in an area that has lower highway speed limits it jumps to about 27-28 if you stay in the 55-60 mph range. That little V6 isn't very powerful and you can literally feel the AC compressor kicking in and using it does make a differance in mileage at highway speeds.

I believe in 2002 Ford put taller gears in the Taurus (in that time frame sometime). The 2005 Taurus we owned average 24 MPG with every tank of fuel with mixed driving and would get about 28 MPG at sustained highway driving at 70 MPH, at 55-60 MPH it would break 30 MPG. The engine had a differant intake manifold and seemed a bit more powerful even if the rated HP numders didn't show it.

Two things to note, some of the 3.0 2V (Vulcan)engines in the 1996 to 2002 still had head gasket problems. Not nearly as serious as the 3.8 engines and as long as you kept the coolant serviced it wasn't much of an issue at all. In 2003 Ford finally put decent headgaskets in them again.

The other issue is the tansmission. The AX4N transmission is bullet proof as long as you change the fluid once in the while (Ford recomends every 30K). Ford put this transmission in the SHO behind the V8 its a good solid transmission with a little maintenance and will last forever in behind the 3.0 Vulcan engine. The AX4S was only used behind the 3.0 Vulcan engine and is a POS. Ford put both transmissions behind the 3.0 2V engine and the only way to know which the car has is the door code or looking under the car (AX4N or AXOD (AXOD stands for AX4S in the time range) is stamped in big letters on the transmission pan).


http://www.aa1car.com/library/transmission_ford_ax4s.htm

Our 97 3.0 (youngest son still drives it) is consistantly 30 mpg at 70 mph.

dhermesc

Is that the same 3.0 that was put in some of the Rangers? I had a 2000 Ranger 4x4 with a 3.0 V6 and an automatic transmission. VERY underpowered in that application. I didn't have any gasket problems, but the heads had to be redone because of bad exhaust valve seats.

My wife and I have two identical 2005 Tauruses that we use as our commuter cars, her commute is all highway and country driving, mine is half country half city driving.

She averages 27 mpg with hers, I cannot seem to break 21 mpg with mine no matter what I do. I asked my mechanic why my mileage is so poor and he says its the operator with the lead foot!

I'm with Mrs. OH boy. 27MPG with a 2005 with a 20/80 city/rural mix.

Areo

I've got a 2000 Taurus with the 3.0, the best I've got is 19mpg local and 23mpg highway. I had a F150 that would get that good with the same driver. That being said, that is the only complaint on the car. It got 110,000 miles and no problems, gas milage ain't everything.

I have a '91 Taurus, 275000 miles, and still getting about 26-28 as a daily driver about 15 miles one way.3.o lt.

Millage is about right but they are a super dependable car. I have had 2 Sables and really did like them. Comfortable and safe, get around good in the snow. I would buy another and let my kid or wife drive it anytime.

My wife drives a 93 Sable, with the 3.0 engine,
and gets 24mpg in winter, 26 mpg in summer. On a
trip to Omaha, from LaCrosse WI area, going I90
West, I35 South, and I80 west we got 30 mpg, with
the cruse control set at 60. I don't like to
drive it, as I sit too low, rather drive a truck.