Mercury Grand Marquis Interior Review
Sit down in the Grand Marquis and you'll be treated to huge, thick seats as comfortable as an old pair of shoes. The Grand Marquis retains that big-car feel many of us grew up with. The interior is spacious, with plenty of room for long legs, broad shoulders and gangly arms, and it will comfortably seat six adults. The Grand Marquis provides more front and rear headroom than a Buick LeSabre.
Despite the car's size, there's enough fore-aft seat adjustment to accommodate the petite. This is true even without the adjustable pedals, and with them, small drivers should find an even greater range of comfort.
Like many bench seats, the units in the Grand Marquis are made for cruising cross-country, and won't hold you in place in sharp corners. One minor annoyance: The hump running down the center of the floor for the driveshaft reduces foot space for anyone sitting in the center. It is the single largest drawback in the Grand Marquis' rear-drive design.
Rear-seat roominess and comfort are at the top of the class. Trunk capacity is rated at nearly 21 cubic feet. Fit and finish inside the car are superb, and the choice of materials is excellent.
All controls and instruments are arrayed in a logical, intuitive, and spacious manner; nothing seems out of place.
Mercury Grand Marquis Road Test
The Grand Marquis' 4.6-liter single overhead-cam V8 is one of the best engines Ford has ever built in terms of quality and durability. It is smooth and quiet, yet delivers strong acceleration with plenty of power for quick passing. It features a coil-on-plug ignition system that is simple and reliable. Thanks largely to its strong V8, Grand Marquis is rated to tow 2000 pounds.
The transmission delivers smooth, precise, quick shifts. Like many transmissions on the market today, it requires no maintenance for the life of the car.
Grand Marquis offers a smooth, quiet ride. It is stable at high speeds and in crosswinds. Better yet, with the suspension alterations made in 1999, this is the best-handling big Mercury we've ever driven. Mercury engineers refined the Grand Marquis in 1999 to produce a car that rides and handles better than its predecessor. The rear trailing arms were redesigned and relocated to provide better control of vertical wheel motions. A three-piece Watt's link was added; it provides more precise lateral location than would be possible with the single-piece Panhard rod or track bar usually used in live-axle setups.
The car does float over undulating pavement, though not at uncomfortable levels. The steering is a bit light at higher speeds, but the power assist makes it easy to maneuver the big car in crowded parking lots.
Braking performance is surprisingly good for such a large car. The brakes were enlarged and upgraded for 1999 as well, with larger, thicker rotors and dual-piston calipers on the front discs. Those changes improved braking performance and reduced the chance of brake fade when descending steep mountain grades. Steel 16-inch wheels are standard, while aluminum alloy wheels are optional. Standard tires are P225/60R-16 all-season Michelins.
We found our Grand Marquis to be a pleasure to drive on a winding road. The rear air suspension and 16-inch alloy wheels with Goodyear high-performance tires contributed to this feeling.
Mercury Grand Marquis Lineup
Grand Marquis comes in GS, LS and LSE trim levels.
GS ($23,645) has a 220-horsepower, 4.6-liter V8 engine, automatic transmission, seating for six and many comfort features. The GS Convenience version ($24,065) adds power adjustable pedals for the driver and remote keyless entry.
LS Premium ($27,120) adds automatic climate control, HomeLink garage door opener, rear reading lights, automatic-dimming mirrors, body side moldings, dual front seats with 8-way power for the driver and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. LS Ultimate ($28,300) comes with a rear air suspension, electronic instrumentation, an upgraded audio system, and controls for speed, audio, and climate on the steering wheel.
LSE ($28,625) has a different rear axle, a more powerful 235-horsepower engine, dual exhaust, sports suspension settings, including the rear air suspension, leather seats and special wheels and tires.
Options include leather seats ($995), a single CD player ($140), and a six-CD changer ($140). (Packages and pricing varies for buyers in California and Hawaii.)