Mercury Grand Marquis Review

2009 Mercury Grand Marquis LS Sedan

Amidst a quasi-renaissance of large, rear-drive V8-powered sedans, the Mercury Grand Marquis is, for its fans anyway, an example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The big Mercury, a slightly fancier twin of the Ford Crown Victoria, exhibits old-school automotive design with its stout but heavy body-on-frame construction, solid rear axle and softly tuned suspension calibrations. Its American and Japanese peers, by comparison, feature lighter unibody architecture and fully independent suspensions.

The ride and handling envelope suffers somewhat as a result because while the Mercury Grand Marquis handles respectably for a large car, it's not as athletic as more modern rivals. But folks prize 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 relative has been the favorite of cab companies, police departments and fleet operators everywhere.

The Grand Marquis name dates back to the mid-'70s, when it signified the top trim level of the Mercury Marquis. The Marquis shared its basic platform with the full-size Ford LTD, which was later renamed the Crown Victoria. Unlike today's version, which is identical in nearly every way to the Crown Vic, the older Grand Marquis looked more like a Lincoln and had a more luxurious cabin.

In essence, the Mercury Grand Marquis bridged the gap between the workaday Ford and expensive Lincoln sedans. With hidden headlights and chrome trim that accented the massive, stately body, the Grand Marquis floated down the road propelled by V8 engines ranging up to 460 cubic inches (7.5 liters) in displacement.

A serious downsizing took place in 1979 that saw weight drop by 700 pounds, the wheelbase shrink by 7 inches and the big V8s replaced by a 302-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) mill. The boxy-looking Grand Marquis continued like this until a major revamp for '92, which is covered in more detail below.

As far as the modern-day Grand Marquis, the car's most recent updating happened in 2003, when Mercury fitted it with an all-new frame, a redesigned front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, all of which improved the big Merc's crash performance and handling. That year also saw the brief return of the 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-horsepower V8.

For the full-size sedan shopper who just wants a big, comfortable V8-equipped sedan and nothing more, the current Mercury Grand Marquis offers compelling value: Prices start in the mid-$20Ks and fully loaded examples can be had for around $30K. 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.

Current Mercury Grand Marquis

The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size, six-passenger sedan available in base GS and upscale LS trim levels. The GS gives you A/C, full power accessories and a CD player. The LS model has a few extra features such as leather seating and alloy wheels. The LS also allows access to some options not available on the GS.

Despite its 2-ton curb weight, the Grand Marquis feels reasonably quick off the line thanks to a 4.6-liter V8 engine that delivers 224 hp and 272 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic is the only transmission available. Traction control is standard, but stability control is not available.

Inside, the dated design and spotty materials quality are immediately apparent. The vehicle's strengths are its solid value for the money and the roomy, comfortable accommodations for five or six. This includes a huge 21-cubic-foot trunk that'll easily swallow a week's worth of luggage for four adults or a family.

In reviews, we've found that the Mercury Grand Marquis delivers a soft, forgiving ride quality. As one might expect, handling is mushy. Ultimately, there's just no getting around this big sedan's decades-old design, substantial weight and large dimensions.

If you're looking for a used current-generation Grand Marquis, there haven't been many significant changes since its debut. One exception was the handling package, which was discontinued for 2008. Only available on the LS, the handling package upped the V8's output to 239 horses and 287 lb-ft and notably improved handling, as the name would suggest. With the demise of this package, the base engine became the Grand Marquis' sole power plant.

Past Mercury Grand Marquis Models

Though it's received a variety of updates throughout the years, the Grand Marquis is still basically the same car as it was back in 1992, the point of the last major redesign.

The current body style dates back to 1998, and there were only detail changes until 2001 when available adjustable pedals debuted and engine output increased to 220 hp and 235 hp (with dual exhaust).

For 2003 the Grand Marquis received an all-new chassis under that now-familiar body shell. The suspension remained largely the same, but the frame was beefed up for greater rigidity and more responsive rack-and-pinion steering was fitted for the first time. Antilock brakes were made standard that year, and front side airbags were available on the LS. The V8 was revised to deliver a bit more power, and the rear suspension was tweaked to improve handling. The performance-minded Marauder with its 302-hp V8 and bucket seats debuted that year but would die a few years later, as the general public just wasn't receptive to a hot-rod Mercury.

Following 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 the new 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.

SELECT A SPECIFIC MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.