2008 Mercury Sable: Road Test
2008 Mercury Sable ▼
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- MSRP: $23,935 -$29,575
- Invoice: $22,096 -$27,172
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Related to Mercury Montego/Sable
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Our road test for the 2008 Mercury Sable includes a full evaluation of the 2008 Mercury Sable from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2008 Mercury Sable, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2008 Mercury Sable help you decide if a 2008 Mercury Sable is right for you.
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ACCELERATION
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 6.4 |
New 3.5 V6 gives stronger, more-relaxed overall performance than Montego's 3.0. We timed an AWD model at 7.1 seconds 0-60 mph. The automatic transmission works smoothly, but shifts too much on light throttle at medium speeds and is reluctant to downshift for highway passing sprints. Some of our testers bemoan the lack of a manual shift gate.
FUEL ECONOMY
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4.3 |
In Consumer Guide testing, AWD models averaged 20.3-21.8 mpg with slightly more highway driving than city use. A similar Taurus averaged 18.5 mpg in mostly city driving. Sable uses regular-grade gas.
RIDE QUALITY
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 6 | 6.6 |
Comfortably firm. The AWD Premier has 18-inch tires and is less composed over bumps than the base model, which has 17s.
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 5.6 |
Feels stable and well planted in fast, wide turns--especially with AWD--but this car's hefty size and weight allow moderate body lean in tight corners. Available AWD is a safety plus for bad weather. Ditto optional antiskid system, though this feature should be standard. Braking is good for the class but unexceptional by absolute standards.
QUIETNESS
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 6.8 |
Refined for a mainstream family car, with modest wind rush at highway speeds. Audible tire thrum is noticeable on coarse pavement. The V6 emits a classy-sounding growl at full throttle and is remarkably hushed otherwise.
CONTROLS
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 6.3 |
Little changed from the Montego, with clear, legible gauges. Sable's main problem is too many buttons on the audio and climate panels that mount too low for easiest use. The optional navigation system suffers from a slightly undersized dashboard screen and programming that's not always self-evident; it controls most audio functions, but doesn't complicate them.
DETAILS
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 6.2 |
Sable's cabin makes good use of textured, soft-touch materials. They don't look luxurious but are price appropriate.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 7.9 |
Higher seating than in most cars aids comfort and ease of entry and exit. It also combines with a low dashtop and large windows for a take-charge driving feel and fine outward vision. The seats are comfortably supportive, but lanky drivers may wish for more rearward and downward seat travel. Available power-adjustable pedals are a boon for shorter drivers.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 7 |
Sable's bench seat is nothing special for shape or padding, and it slightly squeezes three adults. For two adults, headroom is generous, as is legroom. Entry and exit are no strain.
CARGO ROOM
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4.9 |
Big, flat-floor trunk packs a lot of gear, helped by a boxy shape, large opening, and compact strut-type trunklid hinges. Two useful standards: a 60/40 folding rear seat--though its pass-through narrows at the bottom--and a fold-flat front-passenger seat that allows carrying nine-foot-long objects with trunklid closed. Cabin storage is somewhat limited to a smallish glovebox, center console, and dashtop bin.
VALUE WITHIN CLASS
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 7.2 |
Like the Taurus versus Five Hundred at Ford, Sable versus Montego at Mercury offers stronger performance with greater refinement, all for only a few dollars more. Add in the spacious interior, jumbo trunk, and stellar crash-test ratings inherited from Montego, and you have a solid Recommended family sedan that deserves a place on your shopping list.
Total Score
| Base | AWD Premier w/navigation | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | 68 | 69.2 |
Total Score: 70
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