By Steven D. Gatt, Automotive Editor
The Sable wagon is a very utilitarian vehicle, it is the next best thing to a sport utility vehicle or minivan. It can do most anything either a minivan or SUV can do and only the Honda Accord wagon competes head-on with the Sable.
Unlike the sedans, the Sable and Taurus wagons have few styling differences. Both the Sable and Taurus feature identical tail light treatment and interior appointments are nearly identical with appropriate logo changes. The difference is in the headlight treatment: the headlights and frontal area on the Sable are more upright and traditional looking with chrome enhancements while the Taurus features four sloped back headlamps.
Spend a little time inside a Sable and you'll find some of the best feeling materials on a non-luxury vehicle. The seat fabric is very plush, velour-like, and the dash and console areas are soft to the touch. Interior space is very generous. Rear seat legroom would be acceptable to full-size adults and head room is uncompromised, unlike the sedans' highly sloped roof line. The rear cargo area is large and getting long or wide packages in shouldn't be a problem. The rear hatch lifts up; the glass also opens independently.
The standard equipment list is lengthy at the GS level: power windows and mirrors along with an automatic transmission to name only a few. Standard safety equipment includes height adjustable seatbelts, dual front airbags and anti-lock brakes.
Innovative features are abundant in the Sable most notable are the interior ergonomics including the flip-fold console and the integrated controls pod. The oval theme is found everywhere on the Sable just look at the exterior styling and you can see it. The unique control center for the radio and heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls is also oval shaped. These controls are right at your finger tips when using the center armrest and require almost no time to learn making it unnecessary to take your eyes off the road.
The flip-fold console allows three different positions. The first position is the standard split bench with center armrest dividing the passengers. The second position is the armrest up allowing for three across full bench seating. The third position is were the seat cushion pulls up and out transforming into two cupholders, change holder and cellular phone storage area. The pictures shown here describe it best.
The exterior styling looks pretty good for a wagon. The Sable/Taurus wagons were not afterthoughts; from the beginning of the redesign a wagon was always planned. This forethought has lead to excellent visibility: there is no wagon blind spot.
Handling is excellent, the steering is quick and light. The 3.0L, V6 engine is good on the freeway but when you really wanted that extra punch of power it wasn't there. The transmission only kicked down one gear instead of two. It made the car feel underpowered at times. For normal driving the engine is fine but this was the base engine. You can upgrade and I would recommend doing so.
While well built and thoughtfully designed the Sable wagon has some minor faults. For instance, the armrest, elbow pad on the door is too hard and wind noise from the roof rack is excessive. The problem that sticks out most in my mind is the lack of a rear window washer/wiper system as standard equipment. The wagon I drove did not have one, visibility became poor many times while driving. The last problem is personal: I never really got over the fact that I was driving a wagon.
The rear seat seatbacks are very upright, a bit uncomfortable, but they fold down for even more storage space. The rear cargo area has a lockable storage area or an optional rearward facing seat. The Sable I tested had seating available for six but, you can get up to eight people with the rear seat.
Mercury has a one price plan for Sable, the base price for the wagon and the sedan are the same price. This is to encourage more buyers to opt for the Sable wagon instead of a competitors minivan. The base price for the evaluated GS wagon is $19,495. It featured, as optional equipment, the preferred equipment package 451A at a cost of $1,450. The package includes: speed control, floor mats, micronair filter, AM/FM stereo cassette, power door locks, power driver seat, aluminum wheels. The total price is discounted $600, for purchasing the option package, adding in destination of $550, brings the total price as tested to $20,895.
The largest fault I can find with the Sable wagon is the lack of a standard rear window wiper/washer system. With seating for up to eight people and the ability to carry tons of groceries, the Sable wagon is the best alternative to a minivan or SUV.