FORD TAURUS vs ITS MOST DIRECT RIVALS - SPECS, PRICE, SALES TOTALS

For me, spending a few days with a 2010 Ford Taurus is akin to spending a few days camping. Follow? It's so pleasant, so unusual, so outside my own norm. Yet, it's not something I'd want to do all the time. I like my bed a little more comfortable, my food more perfectly timed, and the shower a lot less public. And I like my cars a mite smaller than the gargantuan Taurus, the insulation quite a bit thinner, the image a little less aged.

Even so, camping is a wonderfully exotic experience. Camping opens up your mind to new possibilities, fills your nostrils with fresher air, and greets you with spectacular sunsets every morning. With the 2010 Taurus, Ford has proven that the sum can be much more than the parts. Style can alter badge-based preliminary impressions no small amount. Almost overnight, Ford has made the Taurus seem like an ideal alternative to luxo versions of the Japanese midsizers; a spacious option for anyone considering small and sporty German sedans; and a more visually striking substitute to typical large sedans.

Yes, it is those large sedans that we'll look at today. GoodCarBadCar.net has already run a traditional 3 To Beat on the Taurus, but the five cars you see below are likely the 2010 Taurus's most direct rivals.

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BUICK LACROSSE: We all have that one friend who, later on in life, decided to dress a lot sharper and adjust their taste buds to allow sushi entrance. In the full-size sedan class, the Buick LaCrosse is that friend. In base form with the generic wheels and lo-po engine, the LaCrosse is far from glamorous. Add some swank, drop in a 3.6L engine, and the LaCrosse is the the prototypical cross-town Taurus rival from General Motors.

TOYOTA AVALON: Often labelled as the Japanese Buick, Toyota's land yacht is a surprisingly quick mover and a Lexus in all but name. Silence, serenity.... and sleepiness. On GoodCarBadCar.net's excite-o-meter, the Avalon doesn't even register on the scales. You could call the Avalon's styling blaa, but it's actually a little blahquey. Then again, there is that whole "Serenity Now" thing.

NISSAN MAXIMA: Though the Maxima has all but lost its foundational performance credentials, at its core it's still the sporty car in this quintet. But if sporty is your mission and Nissan's calling your name, why not step on over to the Infiniti side of the dealership and check out a G37. If full-size dimensions intrigue you, others on this list perform more than adequately and do so with a lot more class.

CHRYSLER 300: Growing long in the tooth, Chrysler's gigantic 300 remains the art-deco limo. Multiple engine choices, a wide span of trim options, and typical Chrysler LLC incentives make the 300 hard to ignore. Its on-the-road-feel will remind you of nothing else on this list, not least because of its rear-wheel drive platform. For a while there the 300 was the obvious choice. Now Chrysler's Detroit rivals have decided to reignite efforts in this long-standing American segment.

CHEVROLET IMPALA: Every vehicular category needs something like the Impala: an automobile adequate enough for those who need a certain type of car but don't savour the extras of the alternatives. Want to save money? Choose the Impala. Want the best full-size American (or Japanese?) sedan? Don't choose the Impala. When the going gets tough and the destination is sought after more longingly, the other cars here tend to feel somewhat smaller than they actually are. Simultaneously, the Impala feels larger with each mile; constantly forcing its owner to consider the possibility that the other cars may be worth the extra cost.

SPECS (U.S. models, click for larger view)

OCTOBER 2009 SALES (USA)

Ford Taurus: 6,076

Buick LaCrosse: 3,228

Toyota Avalon: 2,539

Nissan Maxima: 4,593

Chrysler 300: 2,914

Chevrolet Impala: 12,721