The Ford Taurus was never produced as a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. It has primarily been front-wheel drive, with some all-wheel-drive variants appearing in later generations; Ford’s traditional RWD sedan in the same era was the Crown Victoria.
Drivetrain history of the Taurus
The following overview tracks the Taurus drivetrain configuration across its generations, highlighting front-wheel drive as the baseline and noting where all-wheel drive appeared.
- 1986–1991: first-generation Taurus (front-wheel drive)
- 1992–1995: second-generation Taurus (front-wheel drive; SHO variants followed the same layout)
- 1996–1999: third-generation Taurus (front-wheel drive)
- 2000–2009: fourth-generation Taurus (front-wheel drive)
- 2010–2019: fifth-generation Taurus (front-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive on certain trims; the high-performance SHO version used AWD)
In practice, Ford positioned the Taurus as a front-driven family sedan for most of its life, reserving rear-wheel drive for closely related full-size sedans like the Crown Victoria, which was built on a different RWD platform. All-wheel-drive options did appear on the Taurus in the modern era, but a true RWD Taurus never existed in production.
Why this distinction matters
Drivetrain configuration affects handling, traction, and market positioning. Ford kept the Taurus largely FWD to maximize packaging efficiency and fuel economy, while AWD variants offered improved traction for customers in regions with inclement weather or rural driving.
Summary
The Ford Taurus has never been a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. It is predominantly front-wheel drive, with all-wheel-drive variants available on select modern trims. The true RWD Ford sedan from Ford in the modern lineup was the Crown Victoria, not the Taurus.