#Ford Taurus -- After an evening of barbecue and beer (oh, I love you, New Belgium La Folie of Fort Collins, Colorado), I'm late getting out of Atlanta, but otherwise well-rested, alert and stone cold sober.
I head west on Interstate 20 and cross into Alabama, and here the 2010 Ford Taurus Limited comes into its own. This is an excellent sedan for cruising, which is no surprise, I know, but the improvements over the 2004-2009 Five Hundred/Taurus iteration are apparent. The ride is comfortable yet controlled over seams and bumps (though Georgia and Alabama have some really pristine pavement on their interstates). Road noise is not intrusive at 70-75 mph and there's just a hint of wind ruffle around the window seals.
When I hit Jackson, Mississippi, I take exit 34 for one of the few detours I allow myself on this trip: Natchez Trace Parkway. This 444-mile two-lane starts in Franklin, Tennessee, and goes all the way to Natchez, MS. The speed limit is just 50 mph, but I've wanted to drive the Trace since my college years in Memphis.
I only drive 79 miles of the Natchez Trace, but it takes a while because of the speed limit and because I keep stopping at all the historical markers and monuments. The Trace parkway traces an old American Indian trail later used by European settlers, and if you're not all hurried like I am, you can hike sections of the original trail.
Alas, many of the markers authored by the National Park Service are a little low on historical content and perspective. (But if I'm going to complain, I should probably volunteer to rewrite them all myself.)
As for the drive itself, well, Natchez Trace isn't really about the drive. It's very, very green and lovely, but I think springtime when all the trees are blossoming would be a better time to make the trip. Also, the road is very, very straight, so forget about any kind of cornering g. I'd like to go back and drive the whole parkway someday, but if I had that much time, I'd rather drive on a more fun road.
The plus side of driving the Trace is the opportunity to get good fuel economy. Or at least it would be if I was an efficient driver. While my mileage ticks up here and on U.S. 84, this good behavior is ultimately cancelled out by less frugal driving on I-20 and I-49. I'm averaging 23.5 mpg against an anticipated 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway rating for the front-wheel-drive 2010 Taurus.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 932 miles
billt9 says:
07:26 PM, 06/23/09
i was hoping for at least 30 mpg from this handsome car.
slickersdrip says:
08:45 PM, 06/23/09
Considering that the Avalon gets 19/28 I definitely wasn't expecting at least 30 mpg.
carfreak8394 says:
09:20 PM, 06/23/09
I'll probably get bashed for this, but 18/28 seem like good EPA ratings for such a big car with a V6, considering the Mazda 6/Ford Fusion both get 17/25 with their optional V6 engines. By the way, Erin, you have one awesome job. (:
bc1960 says:
09:26 PM, 06/23/09
If you're driving 70-75, you're not going to get the rated mileage, let alone higher. The test cycle includes brief periods at speeds as high as 80 mph, but the average speed is still approximately 48 mph--highway does not equal interstate everywhere in the country, and the test incorporates highway congestion as well as open roads. Still, I think 30 or more would be achievable if one stayed below 70 and within 5 mph of the posted limits.
I've never been far enough west in the south or far enough south in the midwest to drive the Natchez Trace, but it sounds lovely. If its curves you're looking for, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a better bet, but that headed the wrong directions from Asheville for your purpose. Everyone should see the Linn Cove Viaduct on Grandfather Mountain--one quarter-smile of s-curves elevated in the treetops, made from precast concrete sections (only 2 the same size and shape and only 1 straight) and lowered into place by a crane backed up the parkway several miles from the nearest entrance, all to minimize damage to the mountain and cutting of trees. Then you have to get off the parkway and go back on US 221 to actually see the Viaduct. Beautiful in the fall with colored leaves all around, but still reasonably warm.
stephen987 says:
03:26 AM, 06/24/09
Erin, you should've waited till Alabama for the BBQ. Ollie's in Birmingham or Dreamland in Tuscaloosa can easily top any Atlanta pit.
eriches says:
04:35 AM, 06/24/09
@stephen987 -- :writing down your suggestions for my next trip:
mrryte says:
07:04 AM, 06/24/09
"I'll probably get bashed for this, but 18/28 seem like good EPA ratings for such a big car with a V6"
Why should anybody get on you for that? That IS good EPA ratings for a 4000lb+ sedan powered by a 263hp/249tq V6.
fuhteng says:
07:13 AM, 06/24/09
Aside from the rather large booty on the car, I think it is quite good looking, especially in that front shot towards the bridge.
steve_ says:
08:20 AM, 06/24/09
Fun series Erin. I grew up near Memphis and biked 150 miles of the Trace back in my 20's. I also got pulled over in the 60s for driving without a license on the Trace (I was 13 at the time).
What, no ribs from the Rendezvous?
bryan__t says:
08:59 AM, 06/24/09
I love that the governor's name is on the welcome sign. It's as if they expect you to think, "Hey, we're in Alabama now. I really wonder who the governor is? We'll look at that, it's Bob Riley!"
j84ustin says:
09:08 AM, 06/24/09
I drove the Natchez trace back in 2007 from top to bottom. It was beautiful.
chavis10 says:
11:22 AM, 06/24/09
Why are people expecting more than 30mpg out of this car when a 3100lbs Mazda3 with a 2.5L four banger only gets 29mpg EPA hwy? Also, 110mph driving will not help your overall mileage. Do you people read?
cheslin says:
11:58 AM, 06/24/09
I averaged 28.9 MPG in my 2008 MB E350 on a 350 mile slog yesterday, including rush hour traffic, city driving for 75 miles, and averaging about 75-80 on the freeway. AC cranked too as it's over 100 here in NorCal. It's rated at 17/24.
esoterica says:
08:14 PM, 06/24/09
Wow that car is not good looking from the back.