2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

The 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis carries forward with few changes. This rear-wheel drive large car comes in GS and LS trims. All come with a 224-hp 4.6-liter V8 engine and 4-speed automatic transmission. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, and front side airbags. LS versions have power-adjustable pedals. Note that the similar Ford Crown Victoria is no longer available at retail, but it is sold to fleet customers.

Competition

Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Large Cars comprise the biggest passenger sedans and wagons. Large inside and out, they offer lots of metal for the money and are dominated by domestic brands.

Our Best Buys include Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, and Toyota Avalon. Our Recommended picks are the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable.

New for 2008 is the Pontiac G8.

The Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable replace the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego, and both models have more power and have been restyled for 2008.

News

Ford Motor says Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria will phase out in 2010-2012 time frame, thus finally retiring their vintage-1979 basic design. However, sources say the company is spending some $200 million for '09-model chassis upgrades and cosmetic tweaks--which seems odd for death-row models at a company so strapped for cash.

But Ford knows its recovery depends on coming up with hit products, so it's not skimping on replacement models. Among these, sources say, are new large rear-drive sedans based on either a modified Mustang platform or an architecture sourced from Ford Australia. The latter seems to have the inside track as more cost-effective, but whatever emerges would be built in North America, not Down Under. Timing is unclear, but we'd look for a model-year 2010 debut.

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2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Road Test

Pros	Cons

Passenger and cargo room	Fuel economy

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

LS	Class Average
5	6.3

Generally smooth and strong around town, but the transmission's tardy downshifts make for lazy merging and passing response in a broad 40-60-mph range. Available traction control is a must for snowy climates.

Fuel Economy

LS	Class Average
4	4.2

In Consumer Guide testing, we averaged 17 mpg. Grand Marquis uses regular-grade gas.

Ride Quality

LS	Class Average
7	6.7

The soft suspension is absorbent and fairly controlled, though undulations induce some float.

Steering/Handling/Braking

LS	Class Average
4	5.7

The ride-biased base suspension suffers marked body lean and mediocre tire grip in fast cornering. The available load-leveling rear suspension helps a bit. Exterior bulk is a pain in tight parking spots.

Quietness

LS	Class Average
7	6.7

Good isolation from road and mechanical noise. Wind rush is well-muted too, though one test car suffered from wind whistle around the side windows.

Controls

LS	Class Average
5	6.4

The climate and audio systems are a bit far from the driver; upper-range models help with available steering-wheel controls.

Details

LS	Class Average
5	6.3

Numerous hard-plastic surfaces give the cabin a budget-grade feel. The available leather upholstery doesn't do much to improve the overall ambiance.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

LS	Class Average
7	8

Traditional big-car feel, with adult-size room and easy access, but the middle rider must straddle the bulky driveline hump. The bench seat's flat cushion means virtually no lateral support in turns.

Room/Comfort (rear)

LS	Class Average
6	7

Spacious, but too soft for best long-distance comfort. The bench is wide enough for three adults, but the floor hump intrudes here, too.

Cargo Room

LS	Class Average
5	4.8

Grand Marquis's roomy trunk concentrates space in a deep center well, so some bulky items are a tough fit. The available drop-in trunk organizer helps with smaller cargo. The spare tire mounts are way up above the rear axle, which can cause back strain.

Value within Class

LS	Class Average
3	7.2

Grand Marquis is a nice enough big sedan, but it suffers from a basic design that dates back to the 1980s. We prefer the Toyota Avalon, Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger, and Mercury's own Sable as more-modern, more-satisfying choices in this class.

Total Score

LS	Class Average
58	69.3

Scores for all Large Cars

Low Score		58
Average Score		69
High Score		77

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2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 04/02/2008

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

GS 4-door sedan	$25,435	$23,980	$875

LS 4-door sedan	$28,325	$26,639	$875

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Powertrain

Flex-fuel 4.6-liter V8 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, tire-pressure monitor.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front split bench seat, 8-way power driver seat w/power lumbar adjustment, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, keypad entry, AM/FM/CD player, variable-intermittent wipers, rear defogger, illuminated visor mirrors, automatic parking brake release, automatic headlights, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, cornering lights, 225/60TR16 whitewall tires, wheel covers.

LS adds to GS:

Powertrain

Traction control.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Automatic climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, 8-way power passenger seat, power-adjustable pedals, heated power mirrors, universal garage door opener, trip computer, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, outside-temperature indicator.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Fog lights, alloy wheels.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Comfort Appearance Pkg.
GS	$1,500	$1,305
Leather upholstery, alloy wheels.

Confidence Pkg.
GS	$350	$305
Traction control, heated power mirrors, fog lights.

Palm Beach Edition
LS	$1,195	$1,040
Front side airbags, badging, unique interior and exterior trim, chrome alloy wheels.

Travel Pkg.
LS	$305	$265
AM/FM/cassette/CD player, full-size spare tire.

Powertrain
Traction control
GS	$180	$156


Safety
Front side airbags
LS	$395	$344


Comfort and Convenience Features
Heated front seats
LS	$295	$257
Requires front side airbags.

Power sunroof
LS	$1,025	$892


AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer
LS	$695	$605


Wood/leather-wrapped steering wheel
LS	$300	$261
Includes radio controls. Requires Travel Pkg. or AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer. NA w/Palm Beach Edition.

Heated power mirrors
GS	$45	$39


Trunk organizer
LS	$200	$174


Smoker's Pkg.
GS, LS	$10	$8
Ash tray, lighter.

Appearance and Miscellaneous
Laminated side-window glass
LS	$295	$257


Alarm
GS, LS	$145	$126


2-tone paint
GS, LS	$295	$257
NA w/Palm Beach Edition.

Load-leveling suspension
GS, LS	$300	$201
GS requires Comfort Appearance Pkg.

Chrome alloy wheels
LS	$695	$605

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2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Mercury Grand Marquis 4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	114.6

Overall Length, in.	211.1

Overall Width, in.	78.3

Overall Height, in.	58.3

Curb Weight, lbs.	4135

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	20.6

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	19.0

Seating Capacity	6

Front Head Room, in.	39.5

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	41.6

Rear Head Room, in.	37.8

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	38.0

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	sohc V8

Size, liters/cu. in.	4.6 /281

Horsepower @ rpm.	224 @ 4800

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	272 @ 4000

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

4-speed automatic	15/23

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Mercury Grand Marquis 4-door sedan

Front Impact, Driver	5

Front Impact, Passenger	5

Rollover Resistance	5

Side Impact, Driver	5

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	5

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	5/60,000	--

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	5/unlimited	--

Free roadside assistance	5/60,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: Canada

Drivewheels: rear-wheel drive

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Also in the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Review:

Mercury Grand Marquis

Mercury Grand Marquis Road Test

Mercury Grand Marquis Prices & Equipment

Mercury Grand Marquis Specs & Safety

Mercury Grand Marquis Photos