I vividly remember the debut of the 1986 Ford Taurus. It was late summer, around my 18th birthday, just before the Taurus hit dealerships. Downtown at the civic center, they had put the new sedan and wagon on display. My parents and I were there for some event, the details of which escape me now, but the Taurus? That I remember. The sedan caught my eye, sure, but I quickly wrote it off as just a larger Tempo. Perhaps I was too hasty, but then I saw it – the wagon. It was captivating.
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Sleek lines of a Ford Taurus Station Wagon, showcasing its revolutionary aerodynamic design from the late 1980s.
The Taurus wagon completely redefined my perception of what a station wagon could be. This was a wagon? My neighbor’s was a rusty, beat-up thing.
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Classic Ford Ranch Wagon exemplifying the traditional, boxier station wagon design prevalent before the Taurus.
And this was a wagon. My dad’s friend had one, and I spent a lot of time in the rear-facing back seat. Those see-through roof panels made it incredibly hot.
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Vintage Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon, known for its raised roof and skylights, representing an earlier era of wagon design.
And especially this was a wagon, in all its oversized, almost comical proportions. My earliest wagon memory is of one of these. It was 1972, and new neighbors arrived in one with their three kids in the back. It seemed twice the size of Dad’s ’71 Impala, even though they shared the same body from the front doors forward.
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Large GM station wagon, a Pontiac Safari, illustrating the full-size, wood-paneled style common in the late 70s and 80s.
Could these extravagant GM wagons have been a turning point, much like the ’59 Cadillac with its outrageous fins, prompting a shift in the entire automotive industry? I know fuel efficiency played a significant role in the downsizing of wagons.
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Pontiac 6000 wagon, a mid-size wagon showing the boxy styling trend of the mid-1980s before the Taurus.
Midsize wagons had always existed, but they were becoming smaller, approaching what used to be considered compact size. And the boxy, squared-off design was definitely in vogue in the mid-1980s.
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Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country wagon, another example of the square-edged wagon design with simulated wood trim popular in the 80s.
It’s not that these wagons were unattractive. However, there was a certain station wagon formula – often involving fake wood paneling down the sides – and almost every wagon followed it. Overused formulas become clichés. I dislike clichés, and consequently, I rarely paid wagons any attention.
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Front profile of a Ford Taurus Wagon highlighting its aerodynamic sloping hood and integrated headlight design.
But there I stood, an 18-year-old, completely taken aback by the sleek shape before me. The sloping hood, the large composite headlights, the flowing roofline, the integrated bumpers, the European-inspired flat-top wheel arches – it was unlike anything I had seen on an American wagon before. The Ford Taurus Station Wagon was a revelation.
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Side view of the Ford Taurus Wagon emphasizing the smooth, continuous lines from front to rear and the aerodynamic profile.
Even the rear end was appealing. “Holy crap,” my teenage self thought, “this wagon is actually sexy! And I really want to drive it!” It was my first experience of wagon desire. This Ford Taurus wagon sparked something new in automotive design and in my own car preferences.
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Rear view of a Ford Taurus Wagon showcasing the integrated taillights and rounded, aerodynamic rear design.
It wouldn’t be the last time I felt that way about a wagon, thanks to the Taurus’s profound influence on American car design. More and more wagons would become desirable in the following years. It’s remarkable how well the Taurus wagon’s design holds up even after decades. When this 1990 Taurus was new, a 24-year-old wagon in a suburban parking lot would have been as out of place as a Frank Sinatra fan at a Mötley Crüe concert. But this aging Taurus blends in. Only its front end looks somewhat dated in today’s world of tall, aggressive grilles.
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Close-up of the front fender and wheel of a Ford Taurus Wagon revealing the paint fade and minor body damage due to age and use.
However, time hasn’t been kind to this particular Taurus. This dent is just a minor issue compared to the car’s other body problems.
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Detailed shot of rust and corrosion on the lower body panel of a Ford Taurus Wagon indicating typical wear and tear in rust-prone areas.
Oh, the rust. The dealer sticker on the rear bumper indicates this car was originally sold in a region known for rust, so it’s actually quite impressive it isn’t even rustier.
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Interior view of the Ford Taurus Wagon showing the dashboard, steering wheel, and front seats, illustrating the wear and accumulated dirt from years of use.
The interior has held up reasonably well, but clearly shows the accumulated grime of decades of use.
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Close-up of the worn and slightly damaged fabric on the front seat of a Ford Taurus Wagon highlighting the interior aging.
I still admire this Taurus wagon. I’d probably be intensely envious if I found one in better cosmetic condition. Good examples still exist, as evidenced by an eBay find we featured last year. The Ford Taurus station wagon remains a significant vehicle in automotive history, not just for its practicality, but for its groundbreaking design that changed perceptions of wagons forever.
