For the first time since the 1980s, and let's face it, 1991 was the '80s, Ford will stash a four-cylinder engine in the Taurus sedan. With the four pot underhood, the Taurus will get 32 mpg on the highway.

Gas mileage has also improved across the rest of the 2013 Taurus line, with the base car and the SHO model certified at 25 mpg or better on the highway.

Ford says the four-cylinder Taurus gets a higher combined fuel-economy rating than the Mercedes-Benz E350 diesel, the Porsche Panamera S hybrid and the V6-powered variants of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, all while providing similar power to that available in those cars. The 2.0-liter will make about 240 hp in the application.

In an effort to conserve fuel in all Taurus models, Ford added technologies such as a low-tension front-end serpentine belt, smart battery management, deceleration fuel shutoff, variable-displacemen​t air-conditioning compressor, reduced-friction lubricants and electronic power steering. The company also takes a page from the Focus hybrid and uses grille shutters to allow the proper amount of air into the radiator while keeping the aero optimized for fuel efficiency.

The 2013 Ford Taurus will arrive in dealerships later this summer.

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