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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  it will do - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By chef chris - August 11 - 2:00 am

  bought 98 gs, with 50000 on it, for a steal of a deal. have put 5 thousand on it in a half year, and have not been dissapointed. I had to settle for this as opposed to an sho, but its doin ok. After some practice, the trany is fine, but it must been driven smothly, no sudden acceleration, or it freaks out, but the duratec is a great engine. I look foward to seeing the duratec in a more stylish vehicle such as the new mazda 6, which is a duratec block with mazda designed heads that incoperate valve timing like hondas v-tec. all in all i love it.

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  History - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By josiebaby - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The only major problem I had was a dead battery which of course happened while shopping in a mall. Making con tact with the road service that comes with the warranty proved a little frustrating, due to fact that the person on the other end did not speak english very well. Other than that the service to the vehicle was excellent

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  Great Car - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By Phillip - August 3 - 1:03 pm

  I purchased My 2000 Sable GS Base Model in Feb. 2005 and have not had to do any repairs on it except replace a battery that looked like it had been in there for about 50K. I have never done a tune-up and sometimes push the car to the limit. It has been through a lot and still seems to keep going. Its a car that will never let you down for anything. It has so far, been one of the best cars I have purchased. If you want a reliable, comfortable, no road noise, great sound system, firmed seat car, this is the one to go for. Buy it!

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  A Great Value, comfort and Fun to Drive - 2004 Mercury Sable
  By karman - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Lets talk quality, After a full year this car has only seen the inside of the shop for oil change/tire rotation. Its the only new car I have ever bought that needed no trip back to fix build problems. As to price, we feel we got a lot of car, equipment, and value for our money. We are very satisfied, and to put this in context, this car replaced a Lincoln LS, which may have beenour favorite car of all time. Make no mistake, this is NOT an LS, but this is still enough car to keep us satisfied, with a lot of cash left over!

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  great buy new, even better used! - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By dan m - July 13 - 1:36 pm

  A steal at the used price level. Second one I bought at $12K with 8K miles fully loaded. Last one I kept for 4 years (cost $3k/yr) plus gas, oil and tires. Smooth quite commute ride. I HIGHLY recommend for that use.

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  Marked improvement - 2009 Mercury Sable
  By TFR - June 25 - 6:20 am

  Had a 2005 Montego, almost every change I would have made plus was done with 2009 Sable: bigger engine, better sound system, better trans, antenna off the body, Huge tech advances, rides better, so far two minor complaints gas mileage s/b still be better for a six cylinder and the wiper control a little awkward on the left side of the column, (will get used to it) otherwise great car. If Ford came out with this car two years ago it would have helped their current sad situation.

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  Quite Surprised - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By Surprised - June 16 - 7:36 pm

  This car has been a wonderful surprise. Very low maintenance and quite dependable. Currently has 136,000 and the engine, just today, had its first tuneup, original plugs still in there. Other than needs for inspection, no other major problems. Just invested $800.00 in it to replace a broken coil spring and strut on one side only. Will drive it until its gone. Hope the next vehicle I purchase is as great.

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  Buy a foreign car - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By met - June 6 - 10:40 am

  Purchased my Sable with about 75,000 miles in 04. Check engine light came on the first week I owned it. Had to replace the oxygen sensors. During the first year, the back spring broke and punctured the rear tire while I was driving. (They had a recall to put a guard on the tire because the front springs were having this problem, but no reimbursement for the back.) In the past few months, Ive replaced the alternator, entire engine and now the transmission is leaking fluid. My dad had to replace the engine in his Mercury Grand Marquis around the 140,000 mark as well. The back suspension has always been creaking - sounds like the back end is going to fall off when you have people in it.

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  Nice Car - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By REK - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I use my car for field service work, so I am in it all day. It is comfortable, gets as good mileage as my old Contour 4 cyl, and feels solid and is squeek free at 20k miles. I have had no problems with mine at all. A friend who has a 2000 Sable had the vibration problem some have mentioned, but he said the problem disappeared when he got new tires.

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  Classy car - 2004 Mercury Sable
  By Sablelover - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love it!Bought it a week ago and am enjoying showing it off. It drives beautifully. Very luxurious feel about it.Leather interior, moonroof, Mach sound system, automatic climate control,heated mirrors, side airbags,ABS,etc. The staff at King LinconMercurySuzuki in Gaithersburg,MD are top notch. Went back just to pick up my license tags today and they still treated me great.