Face-Off Lite: 2008 Chrysler 300C AWD vs. 2008 Mercury Sable AWD

Recently I was scheduled back-to-back in a new Mercury Sable AWD — in the new Premier trim level — and a Chrysler 300C AWD. Besides a big difference in price and engine sizes, the two large family sedans serve pretty much the same purposes, and I thought it might be interesting to see how they match up.

Looks

I was pleasantly surprised with how good-looking the Sable was. Everyone knows the 300C, and you see plenty of them around these days. The Merlot Clearcoat Metallic on the Sable was quite handsome, and I thought the taillights were actually cool with slivers of silver accents cutting through the clear plastic. The 300C’s Dark Titanium Metallic was a little dreary for winter but still looks imposing with the high beltline and small windows.

Winner: Tie

Interior

Both cars got some changes this year in the interior department, but only the Sable got a true upgrade with significant changes to the dashboard, seating materials and controls. The 300C added some extra padding to the doors and new gauges. However, the two are so close on the quality level that it might just be personal taste on which one wins out. For me, I liked the Sable Premier’s silver touches. The fake wood … not so much.

Interior space was roomy in both, with backseat room aplenty. The driver’s seat in the 300C had better legroom, but the seat itself was more comfortable in the Sable. Trunk room also goes to the Sable.

Winner: Sable, barely

Driving Experience

If this were a straight V-6 comparison, the Sable would win outright. Of course, the 300C has the Hemi and even with the added weight of the all-wheel-drive system the thing is a blast to drive. The 300C is roughly 300 pounds heavier then the Sable, which is actually longer overall, and you can definitely feel all that weight when driving. 

The all-wheel-drive system did make the 300C’s somewhat vague steering a bit better, but the Sable was much easier to navigate in parking lots and other tight spots. You could also judge where your corners were more easily in the Mercury. Ford’s 3.5 liter V-6 puts out 263 hp — 13 more than the V-6 in the 300 — with a six-speed automatic transmission that’s plenty powerful even for such a large car. I also found the ride in the Mercury to be a bit smoother on bumpy roads.

Winner: 300C (that darn Hemi)

Value

Here things get a bit uneven, so I’m going to refer to the pricing of the V-6 AWD Chrysler. Why? The sticker on the Hemi loaded with options topped $45,000. The Sable Premier priced at $32,660 with heated leather seats, 18-inch wheels, the Sync hands-free system, stability control and a navigation system. The Sable came with standard side airbags, which are a $1,000 option on either Chrysler. The 300 also scored the lowest side crash-test rating from IIHS without the optional airbags, and even the $45,000 test vehicle didn’t have them at that price. The Sable is one of IIHS’ Top Safety Picks. 

A comparatively optioned V-6 300 AWD with heated leather seats and the MyGig navigation system came to $36,810 — still without the $1,000 side airbags. Interestingly enough, both V-6s have $2,000 cash back currently available ($3,000 for the Hemi).

Gas mileage also went to the Sable, even with the V-6 300: 17/24 mpg vs. 15/22 mpg city/highway. Check out a side-by-side comparison here.

Winner: Sable

Overall Winner: Sable

I was totally surprised at how competent a vehicle the Sable was, and at the same time pretty let down by the few improvements made in the Chrysler. Besides giving me a fun-filled week of Hemi-powered commutes, the 300C left me cold. That’s not to say there aren’t better vehicles out there than the Mercury Sable, but with its considerable size, interior space, power, AWD availability and price, I’m baffled as to what those cars may be.