Overview & Reviews

For years, the Mercury Grand Marquis stood as an example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The big Mercury, a slightly fancier twin of the Ford Crown Victoria, exhibited old-school automotive design with its stout but heavy body-on-frame construction, solid rear axle and softly tuned suspension calibrations. Its more modern American and Japanese peers, by comparison, featured lighter unibody architecture and fully independent suspensions.

The ride and handling performance suffered somewhat as a result, as the Grand Marquis just wasn't nearly as athletic as more modern rivals. But folks prized this Mercury for its roomy cabin, plush, quiet ride and bulletproof construction, not its ability to tear through a winding road at breakneck speed. It's no wonder that for decades its plainer Ford relative was the favorite of cab companies, police departments and fleet operators everywhere.

For the full-size sedan shopper who just wants a big, comfortable V8-equipped sedan and nothing more, a used Mercury Grand Marquis offers compelling value. Just keep in mind that it's affordable for a reason. Premium features like navigation, high-powered audio and Bluetooth are nowhere to be found, and competing large sedans are much more modern in their mechanical makeup and overall design.

Most Recent Mercury Grand Marquis
The most recent Mercury Grand Marquis generation began in 1998. Concurrent with the brand's demise, production ended after 2011. This full-size six-passenger sedan was generally available in two trim levels -- GS and LS. Going with an LS will typically get you more features.

Despite its 2-ton curb weight, the Grand Marquis was reasonably quick off the line thanks to a 4.6-liter V8 engine. Output varied somewhat during the car's run; models from 2003 and later typically had 224 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic was the only transmission available. Marquis models fitted with the optional Handling package (it was discontinued after 2007) received a power increase to 235 hp.

The Marquis received a variety of updates throughout the years. The biggest changes took place for '03, when the Grand Marquis received an all-new chassis with a redesigned front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, all of which improved crash performance and handling. Antilock brakes were made standard that year, and front side airbags became available. Stability control was never offered, however. In general, we recommend shopping for one of these 2003-and-newer models.

For 2003 and '04, Mercury also offered the performance-minded Marauder, a name that harkened back to the 1960s. This blacked-out Grand Marquis featured a firmer suspension, big wheels, bucket seats and a four-cam, 302-hp V8.

On the road, the Mercury Grand Marquis delivered a soft, forgiving ride, but as expected, the handling was mushy. Ultimately, there was just no getting around this big sedan's decades-old design, substantial weight and large dimensions. Inside, the dated design and spotty materials quality were immediately apparent. The vehicle's chief strengths were its solid value for the money and the roomy, comfortable accommodations for five or six. A huge 21-cubic-foot trunk that could easily swallow a week's worth of luggage for a small family was another perk.

Past Mercury Grand Marquis Models
As for older Grand Marquis that followed the end of the previous model's long (1979-'91) run, the '92 Mercury Grand Marquis debuted with a restyled body and a new-generation, overhead-cam 4.6-liter V8 rated at 190 or 210 hp (with dual exhaust). We found that engine much smoother and more powerful than the ancient overhead-valve V8s it replaced. Minor improvements carried through to 1995, when a subtle face-lift yielded a new grille, lights, bumpers, trunk lid and dash. Not much changed after that until the next big update three years later.

User Reviews:

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  The name says it all GRAND MARQUIS - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Laura - May 21 - 11:50 pm

  This car is absolutely fabulous it rides awsome smooth as silk and quiet as they come its like riding on a cloud compared to my 01 Avalon which i traded in on this this Mercury is the best i love it the engine has great pick up it can it to 85 in about 8.5 seconds when you really floor it and i like the way when you floor it pushes you back in the seat and speaking about seats the are extra large and as comfortable as a pillow on this car is great on long trips and i love the overhead console and lights in the back seat they come in handy when you have passengers who like to read on long trips at night and i love that beautiful wood grain and chrome door handles they look great....

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  One my best buys ever! - 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Bill from Westlake - May 9 - 10:00 am

  This was my first Ford product purchase and I could not be happier. I have 136000 miles on the car and have had literally no problems. I still have the original exhaust system on the car. I have taken care of the the car exactly by the book with 3000 mile oil changes and regular maintenance per owners manual. I love it. I am considering a new Grand Marquis but hate to part with this one.

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  Great Car for the price. - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Broadus - May 7 - 8:16 pm

  Ive owned many cars. The Mecury Grand Marquis is a great car for the price. Although not a car for everyone, for long distance driving its comfort, speed and handling suits me.

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  Disapointed - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Jim D - May 6 - 12:53 pm

  We have a 2003 Crown Victoria that we have loved. We just bought a 2008 Grand Marquis with the new 17 inch wheels and I hate it. The car seems to have a mind of its own when you are on the open highway. This is where the 2003 Crown Vic. is the most fun to drive but the 2008 Grand Marquis wants to drift all over the road. I think the problem may be that the front end is set up for the old 16 inch wheels and with the 17 inch wheels you are getting a wider bite of the road which causes it to want to drift. The high beams are also pretty useless. They do a great job of illuminating signs and trees but dont put much good adding light to the roadway. This may also be a 16" vs 17" setup issue.

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  My 3rd Grand Marquis! - 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Rob Hepler - April 28 - 4:57 am

  For the money, its difficult to beat. Very reliable, comfortable, handles well, not bad on gas, and repairs/parts are affordable. I highly recommend them.

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  2008 Mercury Grand Marquis LS - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Tom Stipp - April 26 - 10:03 pm

  Having owned and driven many late model cars, my 2008 Grand Marquis is one of the very best.Fuel mileage in the upper 20s hwy, extremely comfortable and roomy, excellent reliability, award winning safety record many years in a row. The so called experts would have you believe the body style is outdated and recommends buying one of the newer more up to date not so safe and not very comfortable boxie vehicles on the market they say is more stylish. Had you rather be in a not so safe stylish one or one that has won safety records years in a row if involved in a serious crash which could happen to anyone at anytime? I will stick to my Merc, its a great car.

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  Cant see - 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By mpeeb24 - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Great Car, but I cant see where Im going at night. The headlight beams are so scattered that they dont reach very far down the road. My old truck with sealed beams has better lights! Otherwise, the car runs and drives great. Having been a Japanese car mechanic for 20 years, I can honestly say that the overall fit and finish, mechanical quality and performance of this car is more than a match even for more expensive imports. My family needed a bigger car, and all it took was one test drive to sell me on this one.

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  Best bargain out there. - 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By al - April 24 - 12:00 am

  The 19 mpg is a city rating. On the highway at 80 mph I get 25-28 mpg. Some friends make 30 mpg or better. It has sufficient power to smoke the tires from a start and more than enough acceleration all the way past 100 mph. When I bought the car I was planning to put in a tuner kit to add 100 HP, but decided I did not want more horsepower as it had enough for anything but the drag strip. It has room inside. The steering is effortless, the brakes are good. I feel safe if and when a foreign car were to destroy itself against my big Mercury and the insurance claims prove it. It is a great car for a little price tag. Yes, buy a used one, they are reliable.

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  This is a Sedan - 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By mongo - April 22 - 5:20 pm

  I have had this model for 15 months and it is still in the "teething" stage because of the low miles. So far, there have not been any major problems with this unit and rather enjoy the road-boat. I can zip-zip thru traffic, room permitting, as if I were in a coupe and not a full-sized sedan. The style is quite nice but rather chintzy on the inside and outside trim. The trunk space is partially taken up by a full-sized spare and think a smaller spare would be adequate. The gas mpg is rather low but will wait for the engine other components to "seat-in" and then see what the mpg will be with more miles on this car.

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  Disappointed - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By NoMoMercs - April 21 - 2:00 am

  My Mercurys digital dash has not worked properly since day one and I have owned it for about 6 mos. now. Dealer cant seem to find the problem. Engine has used oil since day one, and according to Ford 1 quart within 1,000 miles is within acceptable useage range. Not in my book when I paid over $30,000.00 for it!