Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Ford Taurus VS 2015 Honda Accord Near Scottsdale, AZ

The Taurus offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

To help make backing safer, the Taurus Limited/SHO’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Taurus Limited/SHO’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Taurus SEL/Limited/SHO has standard SYNC ®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Taurus and the Accord Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Taurus is safer than the Honda Accord Sedan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Taurus is safer than the Honda Accord Sedan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taurus’ warranty.

The Taurus has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Taurus has a standard 600-amp battery. The Accord Sedan’s 550-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The Taurus has more powerful engines than the Accord Sedan:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Taurus V6 is faster than the Accord Sedan Sport 2.4 DOHC 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

The Taurus has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord Sedan (19 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Taurus has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Taurus’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord Sedan:

The Taurus SHO’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Accord Sedan are solid, not vented.

The Taurus stops much shorter than the Accord Sedan:

For better traction, the Taurus has larger standard tires than the Accord Sedan (235/60R17 vs. 205/65R16). The Taurus Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accord Sedan (255/45R19 vs. 235/45R18).

The Taurus SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord Sedan LX’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Taurus SE has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Accord Sedan LX. The Taurus’ optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Accord Sedan Sport.

The Taurus SHO’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taurus’ wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the Accord Sedan (112.9 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Taurus is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Accord Sedan.

The Taurus SHO AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the Accord Sedan EX-L pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Taurus SHO AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Accord Sedan EX-L (26.8 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

The front grille of the Taurus (except SHO) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Taurus SHO AWD is quieter than the Accord Sedan EX-L (73 vs. 81 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the Taurus is rated a Large car by the EPA, while the Accord Sedan is rated a Mid-size.

The Taurus has .7 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Accord Sedan.

The Taurus has a much larger trunk than the Accord Sedan (20.1 vs. 15.8 cubic feet).

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Taurus’ trunk lid uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Accord Sedan’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Taurus’ standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The Taurus Limited/SHO’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Taurus and the Accord Sedan have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Taurus is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accord Sedan prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Taurus’ exterior keypad. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system.

The Taurus Limited/SHO’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Accord Sedan’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Taurus Limited/SHO detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the Taurus Limited/SHO to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Taurus offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord Sedan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Taurus and the Accord Sedan offer available heated front seats. The Taurus Limited/SHO also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Accord Sedan.

The Taurus Limited/SHO’s standard air conditioned front seats cool the driver and front passenger and help take the sting out of hot leather in Summer. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer air conditioned front seats.

On extremely cold Winter days, the Taurus Limited/SHO’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Taurus Limited/SHO’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Taurus owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Taurus with a number “3” insurance rate while the Accord Sedan is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Taurus is less expensive to operate than the Accord Sedan because it costs $81 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Taurus than the Accord Sedan, including $194 less for a starter, $37 less for a fuel pump and $51 less for front struts.