I had a 1997 or 1998 Taurus with the 3.0L Vulcan as a loaner for about a month while my 1995 Ford Contour V6/5speed was waiting on new rear brake calipers, which were backordered (and apparently made in Germany). I brought it in because the parking brake was sticking in freezing weather, for which Ford issued a TSB; the TSB said nothing about replacing rear calipers, but they wanted to replace them anyway.
The Taurus wasn't a bad car, but I couldn't wait to get my Contour back.
The Taurus has a soft suspension, the engine was down 30HP from my Contour, it's a heavier car, rear drum brakes not discs, and the transmission really acted stupid sometimes, in addition to taking what I thought to be an excessively long time to engage after putting it in drive. (I had to force myself to wait a couple of seconds before applying the gas; otherwise I would cause it to chirp the tires).
In all fairness, I don't know if the transmission goofyness I noticed might just have been an issue with that loaner car. Might have been low on fluid or something; I didn't check.
It is available with a more powerful engine, and some people like soft suspensions. Just not me.