Overview & Reviews

The Mercury Sable has always been a kindred spirit to folks like Clint Howard, Kevin Dillon or any Baldwin not named Alec -- celebrities with even more famous siblings. People who will always be greeted with, "Hey, aren't you so-and-so's brother?" or "Your nose is much bigger than your sister's." Along the same lines, it's just about impossible to talk about the Mercury Sable midsize sedan without mentioning the Ford Taurus, its nearly identical sibling that for about half its life was the number-one car sold in the United States.

The Sable came out in 1986 at the same time as its Blue Oval-wearing stablemate, sporting the same revolutionary "jelly bean" shape and thoroughly competent driving experience -- plus it offered nifty full-width front fascia lighting. Yet the Ford got all the headlines, all the accolades and most of the sales. It should have been enough to send the Sable on a one-way trip to Billy-Carter-ville.

Alas, the Sable survived in the shadow of its more popular fraternal twin in complete anonymity as it aged ungracefully amid a family sedan segment that was rapidly getting better. Although discontinued after the 2005 model year, the Sable name was resurrected in 2008, replacing the Montego moniker. Sadly for the Sable, the discontinued Taurus was revived as well, further sealing the Sable's fate, as 2009 would be the last year for the model. Two years later, the Mercury brand itself would go extinct.

Most Recent Mercury Sable
The fifth and last generation of the Mercury Sable was produced (in a fashion) from 2005 through 2009. This car actually debuted as the Montego, reviving an ancient Mercury moniker. But the company evidently felt there was too much heritage in the Sable name and thus renamed the Montego "Sable" for '08. If you're looking at a used Montego, note that it was powered by a comparatively wheezy 203-horsepower V6. A more potent, 263-hp V6, as well as a styling refresh, was part of the Sable's rebirth. In standard form, both were offered with front-wheel drive, but buyers could opt for all-wheel-drive versions as well.

In keeping with its more upscale reputation, the base trim levels were well equipped with 17-inch wheels, full power accessories, power front seats, a CD player with auxiliary input, and the creature comforts you'd expect from other sedans in this segment. Stepping up to the Premier trim level added 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, heated mirrors and front seats, dual-zone climate control and an upgraded stereo with a CD changer and satellite radio. Options included a sunroof, a navigation system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and, on '08 and later Sables, the Sync system (standard on the Premier), which allowed voice activation of cell phones and entertainment systems.

Despite being overshadowed by its more popular Ford cousins, the Sable still managed to make its mark with top safety scores, plenty of space for passengers and cargo, a smooth ride and above-average fuel economy for the segment. The Mercury Sable's drawbacks included a non-telescoping steering wheel, a mushy brake pedal and a less-than-engaging driving experience. However, these negatives don't weigh it down enough to take it out of the running when compared to competing full-size sedans. Savvy used car shoppers considering the Taurus will likely note lower pricing with a comparable Sable.

Past Mercury Sable Models
The fourth-generation Mercury Sable generation ran from 2000-'05. Although the basic body shell was carried over from the previous Sable, this edition did away with the ugly "wonderful world of ovals" design scheme, resulting in a more subdued look and improved ergonomics.

The Sable was available in sedan and wagon body styles. Depending on the year, trim levels included GS, GS Plus, LS and LS Premium. Standard equipment was generous on the lower levels, with the LS models providing upscale items like power-adjustable pedals, a power driver seat, automatic climate control and leather upholstery. A rear-facing third-row seat was standard on the LS wagon. The GS came standard with a rather antiquated 3.0-liter V6 (157 hp). Standard on the LS Premium and optional on the LS was a 3.0-liter V6 that boasted twin overhead cams and 24 valves that pushed output to 200 hp while achieving practically identical fuel economy.

Although this generation of Sable and its Taurus clone were respectable entries in the midsize sedan segment when they debuted, they were quickly outpaced and found themselves languishing as unwanted fleet and rental cars. Although they provide comfortable transportation at a low price, other used midsize sedans are more modern, competent choices.

The third-generation Mercury Sable sold from 1996-2000 featured one of the most controversial redesigns in automotive history. It shared the same oval-themed design as its Taurus sibling, but added further bizarre details that created a look that could be described as either "snakelike" or "fishy." Inside, the strange dashboard design drew more mixed reviews, featuring audio and climate controls bunched together in a single oval pod. Some saw it as a blast of fresh air; others as an ergonomic annoyance.

There were two engines available. The GS trim level came with a 3.0-liter "Vulcan" V6 that produced 145 hp, while the LS came with a 200-hp "Duratec" V6. When it arrived on the scene, we were impressed with this all-new Mercury Sable, even if its styling left us a little befuddled and/or nauseous. We thought it was better than most American sedans, while noting that Honda, Toyota and later Oldsmobile offered more compelling choices.

The second-generation Sable ran from 1992-'95 and could perhaps be considered the pinnacle for this car. An evolution of the original, its lower-profile nose and slightly crisper lines tastefully updated the car, while hardware improvements included new safety features such as antilock brakes and a passenger side airbag. Sable sedans and wagons came with either a 3.0-liter V6 or 3.8-liter V6. Horsepower was the same at 140, but the larger engine provided more torque. A four-speed automatic was the only available transmission.

The first-generation Mercury Sable ran from 1986-'91. Compared to the boxy architecture of its competition, the "jellybean" (and aerodynamically efficient) look of the Sable and its Ford Taurus sibling were a breath of fresh air. Plus, the Sable had a front fascia featuring an illuminated "grille" that connected the headlamps with uninterrupted light -- pretty cool in a futuristic sort of way. A 90-hp inline-4 (with either a manual or automatic transmission) and a 3.0-liter, 140-hp V6 (automatic only) were initially offered, but the former engine sold so poorly that it was dropped for 1987. A 3.8-liter V6 became available in 1988 that also produced 140 hp, but pumped out 55 more lb-ft of torque.

User Reviews:

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  Dollar to Death - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By dr j - January 24 - 10:00 am

  The QC at ford stinks. The wagon has only 64000 on it and a landry list of reparis. Starting with half shafts, then warped rotors, then the 3rd brake lite flew off, then the vacumn system failed (this means your car will start but not move, fun). Also before the vacumn failed the Service light came on and the yo-yos at the dealership couldnt find the problem. Now the RF window is poping out. What a hunk of junk, my real feelings are R rated!

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  not great - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By jwdantq - January 22 - 11:50 am

  Needed brakes at 41k, door moldings are held on by double sticky back tape, car never has gotten gas mileage that was suggested by sticker, car is very noisy, would not buy another one. Have owned Ford products for over 20 years and I am going to switch to Japanese or Korean, maybe even German.

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  Comfortable ride - 1997 Mercury Sable
  By Jimster - January 17 - 6:56 am

  I bought this car because we needed a cheap car to make it the end of the year. I have neever been a fan of Sables(mostly because of how they looked). After test driving the Sable, I changed my mind. It was very comfortable and easy to drive. It had about 137,000 miles already on it when I purchased it and is still going strong almost a year later.

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  A Great Car - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By jendretzky88 - January 15 - 1:13 pm

  Purchased in 2000 w/15,000 miles. Currently has 186,000 miles and still going strong. The parts are cheap and just about anyone can work on it. I do regular maintenance but outside of that I have replaced a coolant tube($100)and tie rods($200) at about 100,000 miles. My rear springs broke at 175,000 miles($600). The under carriage plate was loose at 150,00 and 180,000 miles, but my mechanic just tightened it and its fine. I really cant complain about her. She has had some work done to her but it beats buying a new car and it wasnt a big head ache. It has been a great reliable car. My problem now is that I dont trust to buy a new car and it will be as reliable.

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  A Great Car - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By pete - January 3 - 2:03 am

  My 2007 Motego was a very good car. The Sable is even better. Better ride, much better performance. Ive driven it 4,500 miles in all kinds of conditions including mountain driving. It performed very well under all conditions. Highway mileage equals or exceeds 28MPG and around town ranges from 17 to 20MPG. The first 1,000 miles I did experience a little delay in downshifting but now it does fine. I would definitely recommend this car to all types of drivers. Its quick enough, has an excellent ride and is quiet. What more can you ask for?

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  Going Strong - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By trigubo - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had my doubts when I bought my Sable. But with the 200 HP 24 V Duratec, this car is a monster when I need it to be. Aside from some repairs at about 30K miles that the warranty covered anyway, the Sable has held up pretty well and its still going strong.

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  My Mercury Sable Experience - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By Machoii - November 23 - 6:43 pm

  This car has performed beautifully. No major repairs. Required 2 minor repairs during entire ownership, both under warranty. I am not happy with the leather interior, in that one small section on each door had to be replaced, having loosened and came off. Had to have front-end alignment package installed before being aligned. This equipment should be standard.

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  Down from an Olds 88 - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By Taffy2 - November 23 - 2:00 am

  I had hoped that buying the top of the line would get me some extras...not so! With all the indicator lights in the cockpit, the designers forgot about putting a light in the glove compartment. I am very disapointed in the hesitation when you press on the accelerator to go. There were cosmetic blemnishes in the paint that should have been seen by the dealer.

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  Great car - 2005 Mercury Sable
  By Soli - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Had a 1996 Mercury Sable with the Vulcan engine and liked the car. Had no trouble with it for over 100,000 miles. Traded for a 2003 Mercury Sable with the Duratech multi-valve 200 HP engine (son not on insurance anymore), and love the additional power. Leather seats and all the bells and whistles. Great car and fun to drive. Have had 0 problems with it. Would recommend highly for a family sedan. Camry too spartan inside and much more money. Avalon compares favoribly but much much more expensive. A definite best buy.

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  A good buy! - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By Selfer - November 4 - 2:00 am

  We like this car a lot. It is our 3rd Mercury and 6th Ford product. It rides smoothly and has some nice extra touches. I find, with all Mercurys and too many cars these days, that the standard passenger seating is uncomfortable. I do not like to ride with my legs stretched out and the floors are too shallow to do otherwise. Bend your knees and they are up under your chin, it seems. Also, we drove the car out of the dealership and it shimmied. Seems it came from the factory with a bad caliper. Is there no Quality Control anymore? But Mercury fixed it and the Sable rides well now.