2008 Ford Taurus X - Microsoft Active SYNC - Oereview - Car Audio and Electronics Magazine

The full-sized '08 Ford Taurus X boasts three rows of seats, a 3.5L V-6 engine with six-speed automatic transmission, safety equipment such as AdvanceTrac electronic stability control and, the reason we're primarily interested in this crossover, Ford Sync, a voice-activated communications and entertainment system. But before we get into Sync, let's go over the Taurus X's other features.

Starting with the exterior, you'll see that the Taurus X took some cues from the Ford Edge, with step-up headlamps and a three-bar chrome grille. In the rear, the taillights also recall Edge styling. Throw in the restyled hood, newly shaped front fenders and front/rear fascia as well as the dual chrome-tipped exhaust and you have a new sportier look. If you opt for the Eddie Bauer-branded Taurus X, you'll also get two-tone paint, aluminum wheels and wiper-activated headlamps.

Safety First
Ford invested heavily in the Taurus X's safety features including the AdvanceTrac system, which uses a sensor to detect and measure oversteer and yaw. When it senses wheel slip or traction loss, it takes the necessary measures (e.g., reducing engine torque or applying brakes) to keep you on your intended course.

Other safety features include anti-lock brakes, reinforcements in the foot wells, pressurized crash sensors in the redesigned doors, as well as plenty of air bags-dual-stage driver and passenger air bags, side-deployed driver and passenger air bags, and Safety Canopy side curtain air bags for all three rows. These elements combined help the Taurus X achieve five-star crash test ratings from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" from the IIHS.

SYNC
Available to specific Ford family vehicles, Sync works as a media gateway between the vehicle's entertainmentsystem and personal media devices and/or cell phones. On the safety front, it is also acts as a human to electronic interface. This enables users to operate most functions of the vehicle's source unit and guest electronics via an advanced voice recognition system fluent in English, French and Spanish. It's a friendly solution for connected drivers, helping to keep their attention to the road ahead.

Sync is simple to set up. Music media devices simply "plug in" to the system through a USB 2.0 port or 3.5mm auxiliary input jack in the vehicle. Devices using the USB port can typically be read, sorted and controlled by the Sync system granted they use MP3, AAC, WMA and WAV formats. This enables users to operate an iPod, Zune or even media saved on a flash drive using voice commands. It will also charge any battery-operated portable devices plugged into the USB port. Users operating their devices through the 3.5mm input will not be privy to voice command operation and will have to monitor their player separately.