System
Drivers get a commanding view from the high-sitting driver's seat-the dash is low and the glass is large, so there is little to impede your view. But there's a dilemma. At the helm of the Sync system is the optional navigation system ($1,995), comprised of a double-DIN source unit with a 6.5-inch touchscreen. It's positioned mid level in the low-lying center stack, so it is easy for users to drape their arm over the shift lever and make selections. However, viewing the screen at this angle, particularly when tracking navigation, meant taking my eyes away from the road to view it. In fact, I noticed that I often lost track of traffic in my peripheral vision while looking at the screen. To make matters worse, the HVAC controls are mounted below this-not what I would call safe.
Aside from ergonomics, I'd have to comment also on the screen size on the source unit. It is among the smallest factory offerings and the graphics were below par. At least the buttons surrounding the monitor were clearly labeled and the touchscreen used large, fairly easy-to-read block-like icons.
Our Taurus X was also equipped with the optional ($995) Family Entertainment Center-a wide overhead console containing a 7-inch monitor, DVD player and media control center. I was pleased to see that the console could be controlled by the source unit up front. For anyone who has kids, they will like this feature. The slot, however, for the DVD player is located on the backside of the console, making it difficult to insert a disc from the front seats. A specific set of buttons on the console enables back seat users to select from any available sources-DVD and audio-and control the functions of each. The unit also comes with two headphones that can be turned on and off independently of each other by a pair of buttons on the console.
The Audiophile Sound System is a lesson in marketing hoopla. Thankfully, there's no line-item charge for the premium system on our Limited model-just the hidden penalty that's included in the package.
Mid- and high-frequency drivers sit behind the integrated door panel grilles in each of the four doors. Because of their low positioning, the soundscape was limited in both depth and height, directly affecting the imaging. Speaker response was lackluster at best, as I noted little detail from the splashy high frequencies and poor resolution with the mids. On the other end of the spectrum, the bass rumbling from behind a panel toward the rear hatch was hard to detect from the front seats. It seems as if poor speaker placement was to blame, resulting in some notable cancellation. Sit in the second or third rows, however, and the bass was better preserved.
The Audiophile Sound System was like most OE baseline audio offerings. If you are not purchasing a Limited Edition Taurus X, I strongly suggest you forgo the added expense. In fact, the only electronic device offered in the Taurus X worth paying for is the Sync. But with some aftermarket source units now offering similar functionality, it may be worth taking your entertainment dollars elsewhere.-Casey Thorson