Background: The mid-size Mercury Sable, corporate twin of the Ford Taurus, includes more standard equipment for the 1998 model year. The front-wheel drive's new marketing strategy replaces a variety of preferred equipment packages with more standard equipment. Both Sable and Taurus, originally introduced in the 1986 model year, get freshened up this season as oppose to a major redesign. When Sable and Taurus underwent their massive $3 billion redesign in the 1996 model year, Ford Motor Co. created quite a stir. A much more aerodynamic, elliptical exterior replaced a more tradition look. Some journalists dubbed it the "melted chocolate" effect. Even though the redesign appeard smaller, interior and exterior dimensions actually increased. Taurus continues as the most popular car at Ford Motor Co. and Sable represents Mercury Division's top-selling automobile. Ford assembles both Taurus and Sable in Chicago at the company's plant on Torrence Ave. on Chicago's far south side which opened in 1924. In addition Ford has a second Taurus/Sable assembly plant in Atlanta, Ga. .
Trim levels: Sable four-door sedans offer two trim levels: GS and upscale LS. In addition, Sable is also available as a station wagon, but only in the upscale LS trim level. We test drove an upscale LS sedan.
Engine: Standard in both trim levels is a 145 horsepower, 3.0-liter Vulcan V-6. A 200 horsepower Duratec 3.0-liter double overhead cam V-6 is optional. Sable offers no V-8 engine, but Taurus does. The Taurus SHO edition features a 235 horsepower V-8 powertrain. Our LS edition included the larger V-6, which this year includes
Safety features: Dual air bags, five-mile per hour bumpers, child safety rear-door locks and reinforced side-door guard beams are standard. Anti-lock brakes are optional.
Standard equipment: Sable comes with many popular features standard. Air conditioning, four-speed automatic transmission, cruise control, variable assist power steering, power widows/mirrors/door locks, rear window defroster, tilt steering wheel and intermittent wipers are included in the price of admission.
Optional equipment: Both LS sedans and wagons offer a premium option package including the larger V-6 engine, automatic air conditioning, illuminated sun visor mirrors, remote keyless entry and theft-deterrent system. Options ordered separately include a power moonroof ($740) and leather upholstery (895), six-disc compact disc changer ($350) and heated mirrors ($35).
Price: Our dark green test Sable LS included the premium option package with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $20,445. With leather upholstery, and $550 destination charge, the bottom line reached $23,370. Sable GS sedans start at $19,445 while SL wagons begin at $20,445.
Seating comfort: Six-passenger seating with cloth upholstery is standard fare in Sable GS. Our upscale LS included two front bucket seats (seating for five) and leather appointments. Six passenger seating is optional in LS trim levels. Back seat rests have a 60/40 split, handy for transporting snow skis, in addition to a fold-down arm rest. Front and side road perception is good but Sable's sloped trunklid provides a challenge. When peering into the rear-view mirror, the back end is no where in sight, which makes backing up or parallel parking a bit more tricky. Headroom, good in front, is tight in back for passengers taller than six feet. Sable's interior volume increased during the 1996 model year redesign.
Interior: When seated in Sable, the oval-shaped, black center dashboard pod takes center stage visually. The area is home to buttons and rocker switches controlling radio, cassette player and climate functions and rear window defogger. Also featured is a stand alone digital clock separate from the radio frequency display for quicker time reference. While artistically pleasing, hunting for push-button fan directions or small temperature and fan speed rocker buttons at night takes too much effort. Buttons are spread too far apart. In front of the floor-mounted automatic transmission is a retractable ashtray and lighter/power source. Five passenger seating includes dual inline cup holders and a flip-top storage bin/arm rest between the bucket seats. The driver's door includes large power window buttons controlling all four windows, power lock and outside power mirror operations. Remote trunk release is found left of the steering column, below the headlight dial. Windshield wipers operate from the turn signal stalk. Interior ceiling handles, useful when exiting and entering, are found above passenger and back doors. The steering wheel is home to all cruise control functions. New this year is wood-grain dashboard trim.
Exterior: Sable's chrome front grille and taillamps get freshened in 1998. The new vertical-bar grille represents the first significant change in Sable's exterior appearance since the 1996 model year redesign. Sable's more squared rear window distinguishes itself from Ford Taurus' more over-shaped back glass. The power antenna retracts from the back left fender. Exterior color choices include: Light Prairie Tan, Toreador Red, Dark Green Satin, Light Denim Blue, Deep Navy Blue, Pacific Green, Silver Frost, black and Vibrant White.
Trunk: Sable's long, relatively deep trunk accommodates 16 cubic feet of cargo volume. A temporary spare tire houses in a well under the flat floor. Full-size spares are a $125 option.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 108.5 inches Overall length: 199.7 inches Overall height: 55.4 inches Overall width: 73 inches Curb weight: 3,299 pounds
Fuel economy: Sable's more potent, 200 horsepower engine averages 18 miles per gallon city and 27 mpg highway. Both engines prioritize performance over economy. We averaged slightly better than 20 miles per gallon in combined driving. Both sedans and wagons hold 12.8 gallons of unleaded fuel. The passenger-side fuel door does not lock, but the cap is tethered to the body.
Final thoughts: Since the redesign, Ford has offered generous rebates to keep sales volume strong. This year's standard equipment increase keeps prices competitive with other family-oriented mid-size sedans including Chevrolet's Malibu, Nissan's Altima, Toyota's Camry and Honda's Accord. Sable's very roomy interior is one of the most expansive in its class. Limited backseat headroom is one of the few drawbacks. Sable's 200 horsepower V-6 engine packs more punch than Camry's 194 horsepower V-6. Both Camry and Accord offer four and six-cylinder powertrains while Sable promotes six-cylinder engines exclusively. Chevrolet's Malibu includes a four-cylinder, 150-horsepower engine, but no six-cylinder choice. Handling and cornering is better than average. Sable, Taurus and Malibu offer automatic transmission exclusively. Accord and Camry include manual transmission in certain trim levels. |
