Depends what you want out of the car... I've got a 98 Taurus LX 3L Vulcan (wife's car) and a 98 Contour SE 2.5L Duratec MTX for myself. They're completely different machines. Which one is better for you? Well, if you're looking to carry five or six people and are looking for more comfort and a smoother ride, the Taurus is the way to go, no question.... it's a bigger car, so I don't worry as much about her getting into an accident, and it even gets a hair better gas milage on the highway although 2 or 3 mpg less around town. It's a comfy cruiser for long highway trips. The wife loves it. If you're only going to carry 1 or 2 people and you'd rather have the handling, braking, and acceleration, then the Contour has a big advantage.... it's great for tearing up and down the hills and twisties around here. That's not to say that either car is all that bad at doing what the other car's better at... The steering, handling, and braking on her Taurus are a lot better than you would expect on a family car that size. And the Contour isn't an uncomfortable ride (although it's just not going to carry as many people as the Taurus will), it's got a big trunk, and the crash safety record is decent. So I guess it's a matter of priorities... both are nice cars for what they're intended to do. My wife would tell you take the Taurus, I'd tell you to take the Contour, and we'd both be right. Given that both cars have comparable miles and are in comparable condition, the answer to the question depends on your priorities... What are you going to use the car for? How are you going to drive it? Is performance or comfort more important to you? Also, you mentioned that your Mom wants to do this becase there's enough equity in the Contour that she can use it as a trade on a newer car- doing her a favor may be a priority, too.
