The Fight For Number One! - Road Test
The Camry is plush, smooth, and well bred. Its MacPherson-strut-front/multilink-rear suspension, isolated with bushed subframes, does an excellent job of keeping bumps from intruding into the passenger compartment or upsetting the car's dynamic balance. Yet the Camry lacks the nimble, sporty feel and at-the-limit stability of the Accord. (A larger tire/wheel package would help.) The steering, too, is lighter and more detached, lacking the reassuring connectedness of the Honda, though the Toyota's accuracy and on-center stability are unerring.
The Taurus simply can't match the degree of driving refinement of either of the other two cars. Ford's MacPherson-strut-front/multilink-rear setup is tuned soft for a comfortable ride, but doesn't handle bumps with the same immutable control, feeling more disjointed and reactive. On curvy roads, the Taurus feels heavy and less confidence inspiring, and its steering has a very light, detached feeling that lacks the precision of the others. All our testers found the Taurus also wanting in terms of isolation, as engine and road noise intrude noticeably into the cabin.
All three of our test cars were equipped with ABS-standard on the Accord and Camry and part of an optional $2610 preferred-equipment package on the Taurus. The Japanese-branded models also include disc brakes at all four wheels, while the Ford uses discs up front and drums at the rear. That didn't make a notable difference in our 60-0-mph emergency braking tests, however, where all three cars' performances were within two feet of each other (133 for the Taurus and 131 for both the Accord and Camry).
ConclusionThe Taurus LX's strength is its roomy interior (except for rear headroom), long list of standards, and powerful Duratec V-6. It complements these assets with the lowest suggested retail of the three: $21,610. While the Taurus' standard-equipment list lacks ABS, rear disc brakes, and cruise control (included on the other two cars), it's the only one of this trio to include such extras as aluminum alloy wheels and a power driver's seat. Loaded with such options as leather bucket seats, a CD changer, and a comprehensive preferred-equipment package, the test price of our Ford totaled $25,555. Where the Taurus slips below the par of this group is in driveability characteristics: Its less refined suspension tuning, lower level of noise isolation, and lack of steering precision hampered it in the voting.
The Accord is the most fun to drive of this threesome, thanks to its nimble, agile feel, stable at-the-limit handling, confident steering, and well-controlled ride. Overall, it's a very civil, well-tutored vehicle that's easy to live with and difficult to fault. What counted against it were its relatively modest interior dimensions and a lack of power. The LX bases for $22,500. With destination charges and our test car's sole option, floormats, the as-tested price rang in at $22,960.
The new Camry isn't a dramatic leap up from the previous version, but considering that the '96 model was already viewed by many as the gold standard in this class, even incremental improvements make this car a solid package. It delivers the most power; quickest acceleration; quietest, plushest ride; pampering interior comfort; and extras, such as an integrated child seat and traction control, that aren't offered on the others. In addition, the base price of the LE is $840 less than the '96 model, even though ABS (formerly an $1100 option) is now standard. This brings the Camry's base sticker in at $22,168, more than $300 less than the Accord's and only about $600 more than the Taurus'-a more-than-acceptable premium for what the Camry offers. With alloy wheels, a premium sound system, leather seats, a power moonroof, traction control, and shipping charges, the total sticker of our loaded test Camry rang up at $26,638.
Regardless of which of these three cars ends up as the number-one sales champ, in our book the new Camry is the best of the best sellers.
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