2008 Mercury Sable Review

PROS
Copious passenger and cargo room, Smooth engine, Contemporary interior design

CONS
Modest fuel economy with all wheel drive, Engine growls when cold

Sad to say, traditional American family sedans are a dying breed. There was a time in the 1950s and '60s when American sedans ruled the road. Chevy Bel Aire, Dodge Coronet, Ford Galaxy were among the most popular vehicles on the road. They had ample passenger and cargo room for growing baby-boomer families, rode like luxury sedans, and didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Today that traditional sedan is considered a dinosaur. Sports sedans with skimpy back seats and rock-hard handling are all the rage. That's fine if you're a DINK, but what about traditional families? They are forced into minivans or, worse yet, large gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles. That's not right. Thankfully there are a few options for the sedan-inclined buyer. Vehicles like the Mercury Sable, clone Ford Taurus, Dodge Charger, Buick Lucerne, and Toyota Avalon. They are traditional full-size American sedans built for the American family and darn proud of it.

The original Sable started out life as a midsize car and only grew to full-size proportions when Mercury introduced a new model called Montego in 2005. Montego was the Mercury version of the Ford Five Hundred. Both were front- or all-wheel drive sedans with V6 engines. These new vehicles competed with vehicles like the Buick LeSabre, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Toyota Avalon as the largest sedan offerings on the market.

Sales of Montego and Five Hundred weren't stellar, so Mercury and Ford restyled, reengineered, and renamed the vehicles for 2008. Montego returned to the familiar Sable nameplate and Five Hundred became the Taurus. Though dimensionally similar to the models they replaced, there was one big change. The engine was significantly larger and more powerful.

The '08 Sable comes in two models: Base and Premier. Both use a 263-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. It replaces a 203-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. Also dropped for 2008 is a continuously variable automatic transmission, making the six-speed automatic the sole offering. Other improvements for 2008 include restyled front and rear appearances, modest interior upgrades, and the addition of Ford's SYNC voice-activated control for navigation, cell-phone, and audio.

Standard safety features include antilock brakes, traction control, and front, front-side, and curtain-side airbags. Stability control is optional on the Premier, and a rear-obstacle-detection system is available on both models.

Base models come standard with air conditioning, tilt leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, six-way power driver seat with lumbar adjustment, center console, fold-flat two-way power passenger seat, split-folding rear seat, power mirrors, windows, and door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, automatic day/night rearview mirror, illuminated visor mirrors, rear defogger, theft-deterrent system, fog lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Premier models add dual-zone auto climate control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, eight-way power driver seat, four-way power passenger seat, memory system, heated mirrors, AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD/MP3 changer, iPod adapter, SYNC, universal garage door opener, automatic headlights, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Key options include navigation system, power sunroof, remote engine start, wood interior trim, and rear sunshade. Available on the Premier only is a DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system. Base models start at $23,780, while the Premier lists for $27,570. All-wheel-drive adds $1850. All models have a destination charge of $750 and are built in Chicago, Illinois.

Get Up and Go
The 3.5-liter V6 feels significantly stronger than the engine it replaces. Foot to the floor, Sable sedan will accelerate from 0-60 mph in about seven seconds. That's one second quicker than last year and well within the norm for large sedans. Overall, Sable's a tic slower than Toyota Avalon or Buick Lucerne V8, but the engine cruises effortlessly and has good passing power.

The six-speed automatic seems more happily mated to the 3.5-liver V6 than the old 3.0-liter six. Upshifts are smooth at both part and wide-open throttle. Single-gear downshifts happen without hesitation or notice, but double-gear downshifts, the kind you need when pulling out to pass on a two-lane highway, require a healthy stab at the gas pedal.

If you are shopping for a large car with all-wheel drive for less than $30,000 your choices consist of Sable and chassis mate Ford Taurus. Of course there's a fuel economy penalty with the AWD system, but for those who want the added on-road security the availability is a huge plus.

The all-wheel-drive Sable is EPA rated at 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Front-drive models get ratings of 18/28. Those numbers fall squarely between Toyota Avalon at 19/28 and Buick Lucerne V8 at 16/25. In routine urban commuting expect to average about 18 mpg. If your commute includes a fair amount of highway driving you might be able to average 20 mpg. Mercury says Sable's V6 will run fine on regular-grade fuel.

On the Road
Kudos to Mercury engineers for not succumbing to the "sport ride" scourge. Sable rides comfortably on rough roads and simply floats on smooth roads. In addition, Sable has more ride control than Toyota Avalon. In fact, the suspension seems firmer than last year because there's little bouncing or bounding over expansion joints.

On the flip side, Sable doesn't feel very athletic. There's too much body lean in fast turns and the tires are tuned for ride comfort rather than road holding. Still, Sable doesn't feel as lethargic as some competitors when the road grows twisty. The steering is slightly soupy at low speeds, but very accurate once up to speed. Brakes are fine, if unexceptional.

Sable seems a trifle quieter than Ford Taurus, but it's still not as quiet as the Buick Lucerne or Toyota Avalon. There is modest wind rush at highway speeds, tire noise is nicely quelled, and the engine is nearly silent when cruising. Until warm, the engine emits a coarse growl.

Behind the Wheel
The interior is little changed from the previous Montego. That's a good thing, because it was already smartly designed and well appointed. It's not posh by any stretch, but materials are appropriate for the class and price.

Audio controls are conveniently placed at the top of the center console. Climate controls are a simple and straightforward. Ancillary switches for the windows and locks are handily placed on the driver's armrest. The steering wheel sports cruise control buttons and auxiliary audio controls. The SYNC voice command system helps driver's control the navigation system, audio system, personal audio players, and cell phone. It's not as easy to use as pushing a button or turning a knob, but it can be operated without diverting attention from the road.

Front seats are supportive, if a little short on side bolstering. Head and leg room are plentiful. The seat cushion is higher than in most sedans and that makes for a great, command-of-the-road view.

Rear-seat passengers are treated to ample head and leg room. The seat is flat but wide enough for three-across seating. There's a modest center hump on the floor, though. Doors are large and open wide for easy ingress and egress.

Sable sports a huge trunk that has a large opening with expensive-looking hinges that don't eat into cargo space. The rear seats fold to expand cargo area, and even the front-passenger seat folds flat to allow trunk-closed storage for items up to nine feet long. Up front, there's a large center bin and glove box and an additional storage area at the top of the dashboard.

Bottom Line
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Mercury Sable and twin Ford Taurus are among the best vehicles I have ever driven. Not for their on-road prowess or blistering acceleration, but because they more than fulfill their mission as traditional American family sedans. It's hard to find a car that stays on plan better than the Sable. It's roomy, fuel efficient, smooth riding, has excellent safety ratings, and most of all, is affordable.

What's more impressive is what Sable doesn't offer. There's no Sport model and the technology it has serves to make the vehicle safer, not more complicated. There are a few competitors that have more flavor, higher prices, and more compromises. So, if Sable doesn't appeal to your emotions, it should appeal to your common sense.