The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Initially a front-wheel drive mid-size car, it has since evolved into a full-size car available in front- or all-wheel drive. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the Ford lineup. Only the Ranger, Mustang, and F-150 have been in production longer.

Throughout its production run, it had a Mercury branded version entitled the Sable, as well as a performance variant, the Ford Taurus SHO. It is currently sold alongside a crossover SUV variant, the Ford Taurus X. The original Taurus was a milestone design for Ford and the entire American automotive industry, as well as a very influential vehicle that brought many new features and innovations to the marketplace. Since its launch in 1986, the Taurus has been a strong seller. Ford has sold over 6.7 million Tauruses worldwide as of 2007, making it the fifth bestselling North American nameplate in Ford's history; only the F-150, Escort, Model T, and Mustang have sold more units. Between 1992 and 1996, the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, eventually losing the title to the Toyota Camry in 1997 The Taurus was briefly discontinued in 2006, with production initially ending on October 27, 2006, with 2007 being the last model year. However, Ford revived the Taurus name a few months later by renaming two new models that were intended to be facelifted versions of the Ford Five Hundred and Ford Freestyle "Taurus" and "Taurus X", respectively, and have announced that a new Taurus is in development for a 2010 release.