Like any task that uses technology, the success of a night time driving portion of a road trip is based on the tools you have at hand. In this case we have a 2010 Ford Taurus with some really cool little features that take night time driving from a combination of yawns and cursing at the guy behind you with his brights on to a more relaxing task.
First there’s the headlights. The headlights on the 2010 Taurus blow the lumens off even the higher output bulbs I have in my 2000 Cavalier and those found in my wife’s Equinox. I’m not sure why they are so good but suffice to say the standard setting is better than the brights on my daily driver.
Speaking of headlights, the headlights from tailgating cars can make nighttime driving an incredibly stressful experience, but the driver’s side mirror and rearview mirror have a green coating that dulls the bright lights coming behind while still allowing you to see what’s behind you. The Taurus we have is equipped with Blind Spot detection so it’s also a breeze to see if you have someone in your blindspot.
Another nice touch is the interior lighting which illuminates the floor and cupholder areas in an array of colors that you can choose. This makes it easy for passengers to find things without turning on the bright map lights. Also, being able to add red, green, pink and other colors to the interior with the push of a button is fun.
Finally, the ability to use sync for making a phone call, changing your music and more without taking your hands off the wheel is great. We’ll be delving into Sync more later this week as we test out the GPS functions, but when you’re driving in the Black Hills, in the rain, at night anything that allows you to control your surroundings without the need to take your hands off the wheel is a welcome piece of technology.