Mercury Grand Marquis Interior Review
Sit in the Grand Marquis and you'll be treated to huge, thick seats that are as comfortable as an old pair of shoes. 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.
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 headroom than a Buick LeSabre does.
Despite the car's size, there's enough fore-aft seat adjustment to accommodate the petite. This is true even without the adjustable pedals. With the optional power-adjustable pedals, smaller drivers can 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, substantially more than the Buick LeSabre, Chrysler Concorde or Toyota Avalon.
Mercury Grand Marquis Road Test
The Grand Marquis' 4.6-liter single overhead-cam V8 is smooth and quiet, yet delivers strong acceleration with plenty of power for quick passing. It's one of the best engines Ford has ever built in terms of quality and durability, and features a coil-on-plug ignition system that is simple and reliable.
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 frame, suspension and steering alterations, this is the best-handling big Mercury we've ever driven. Mercury engineers have produced a car that rides and handles much better than its predecessor. 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.
Technical stuff: For 2003, the rear trailing arms were redesigned and relocated to provide better control of vertical wheel motions. A three-piece Watts 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.
Braking performance is surprisingly good for such a large car. The brakes were enlarged and upgraded recently, 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 2003 Grand Marquis Ultimate a pleasure to drive on a winding road. The rear air suspension and 16-inch alloy wheels with Goodyear high-performance tires contributed a fair measure of stability.
With its strong V8, rear-wheel drive, and body-on-frame construction, the Grand Marquis is rated to tow 2000 pounds.
Mercury Grand Marquis Lineup
The 2003 Grand Marquis comes in three trim levels: GS, LS, and the new LSE.
GS ($24,070) has a 220-horsepower, 4.6-liter V8 engine, automatic transmission, seating for six and all of the normal and standard comfort features. The GS Convenience version ($24,020) adds power adjustable pedals for the driver and remote keyless entry.
LS Premium ($27,800) 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 ($28,980) comes with a rear air suspension, electronic instrumentation, an upgraded audio system, and controls for speed, audio, and climate on the steering wheel.
LSE ($29,305) has a different rear axle, a more powerful 235-horsepower engine, dual exhaust, sports suspension tuning, including the rear air suspension, leather seats and special wheels and tires.
To get sportier than this, you have to make the leap to the Marauder ($33,790) high-performance version with its 300 horsepower engine, extra gauges, custom interior and loud dual exhausts.
Options include leather seats ($995), a single CD player ($140), and a six-CD changer ($140). Packages and pricing varies, but dealers are dealing on the Grand Marquis.