Mercury Sable

The Montego was renamed Sable in 2008. The Montego/Sable and their twin, the Ford Five Hundred/Taurus) are a roomy sedan that emphasizes comfort and good ergonomics. It features an elevated seating position for good outward vision and cabin access. The rear seat is immense. Power comes from an underpowered and unpolished 3.0-liter V6 engine that is mated to either a six-speed automatic on FWD models or a continuously variable transmission on AWD models, which were somewhat sluggish at launch. It has a comfortable ride and handles with commendable agility considering its size. 2008 also brought a  a smoother, more powerful 3.5-liter V6. Handling is responsive and secure.

This generation added much needed safety equipment, including side airbags. The ride is firm, and cornering is sound -- but not agile. The interior is roomy, comfortable, and quiet with adequate storage. Control layout is improved over that of the previous version of the car and the rear seatback can be folded to increase cargo capacity. The wagon is one of the few inexpensive seven-passenger vehicles of its time. On the downside, the turning circle is wide and braking is unimpressive. This version of the car also lacks rear-seat head restraints.

This is a twin of the Ford Taurus. The early models offer good handling and comfortable seats. A significant redesign for 1996 brought it up-to-date, with crisper handling and a firmer ride. CR also found it roomy, comfortable, and quiet. The Sable was revamped for 2000, picking up fresh styling, side air bags and adjustable pedals. The best choice is one that's equipped with the 200-hp V6 rather than the stodgier 155-hp V6.