Skip to main content

2004
Mercury Sable

Starts at:
$21,355
Shop options
New 2004 Mercury Sable
See ratings
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Shop Cars.com
Browse cars & save your favorites
Dealers near you
Find & contact a dealership near you
Listings near 43272
Change location See all listings

Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr Sdn GS
    Starts at
    $21,355
    19 City / 26 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Wgn GS
    Starts at
    $22,355
    18 City / 25 Hwy
    MPG
    8
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Sdn LS Premium
    Starts at
    $23,655
    20 City / 27 Hwy
    MPG
    6
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr Wgn LS Premium
    Starts at
    $24,855
    19 City / 26 Hwy
    MPG
    6
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable 2004 Mercury Sable

Notable features

Choice of two V-6 engines
Two trim levels
Sedan and wagon body styles
Seven-passenger seating option in wagon

The good & the bad

The good

Crash-test rating
Quietness
Highway stability
Driving ease
Automatic-transmission operation

The bad

Ride comfort on rough surfaces
Visibility
Resale value

Expert 2004 Mercury Sable review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By Cars.com editors
Full article
our expert's take

Vehicle Overview
Little changed in 2003 on Mercury’s midsize front-wheel-drive Sable sedan and wagon. The sedan models get a revised rear fascia and taillights for 2004, while a fresh grille and fascia with new fog lamps go on the LS Premium. New six-spoke aluminum wheels are standard on the LS Premium, which also gets a new steering wheel with lighted speed controls.

The Sable and its close cousin, the Ford Taurus, were last restyled for 2000. Ford’s version is by far the stronger seller. The base V-6 engine in the GS version generates 155 horsepower, but the Duratec dual-overhead-cam engine in LS Premium models makes 200 hp.

Exterior
Except for the four doors, all of the Sable’s exterior panels were new for 2000. Even though it is closely related to the Taurus, the Sable exhibits a more conservative and traditional appearance that is led by its chrome-plated vertical-bar grille. With a wheelbase of 108.5 inches and an overall length just below 200 inches, the Sable is one of the longest midsize cars on the U.S. market. All Sables ride on 16-inch all-season tires.

Interior
Either five or six people fit inside the sedan models. Five-passenger sedans have a floor-mounted gearshift and a front console. Six-passenger models have a flip-fold center seat and may be configured for a front center armrest with cup and coin holders.

Standard GS equipment includes a cassette player, air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and power mirrors, locks and windows. The LS Premium gets automatic air conditioning, heated mirrors and a six-way power driver’s seat. Options include an 80-watt Mach audio system with a six-CD changer. The Sable’s trunk volume is 16 cubic feet, and the 60/40-split rear seatback folds for additional cargo space.

Under the Hood
Sable buyers have a choice of two 3.0-liter V-6 engines. The base GS engine is a 155-hp version with overhead valves. A more powerful dual-overhead-cam V-6 is installed in the LS Premium sedan and produces 200 hp. Both engines mate with a four-speed-automatic transmission. Mercury also offers a version of the 155-hp V-6 that runs on a mixture of E-85 ethanol and gasoline, or either substance alone.

Safety
The front airbags deploy at one of two inflation levels based on crash severity and whether or not the seat belts are buckled. Side-impact airbags for the front occupants are optional. Antilock brakes combined with all-speed traction control are a no-charge option. Front seat belt pretensioners and retractors remove slack in crashes.

Sable Wagon
Mercury’s midsize wagon differs little from the sedan in performance and interior fixtures. Cargo capacity totals 81.3 cubic feet when the second-row seat is folded. A rear-facing third-row seat is optional.

Driving Impressions
The Sable sedan might not generate much driving excitement, but it has a lot to offer. This car appeals to consumers because of its practical virtues, which include strong V-6 performance, ample load capacity and a generally comfortable ride — and you get all this in a reasonably refined package.

The Sable has a very quiet engine. It is stable on the highway and easy to drive. Its acceleration is smooth and refined. The automatic transmission is effective, downshifting promptly for passing or merging, and it yields close-to-gentle upshifts. The Sable’s ride comfort is pleasing most of the time, but it can hit some bumps and holes rather hard. Over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t the best, and the mirrors could be larger.

2004 Mercury Sable review: Our expert's take

Vehicle Overview
Little changed in 2003 on Mercury’s midsize front-wheel-drive Sable sedan and wagon. The sedan models get a revised rear fascia and taillights for 2004, while a fresh grille and fascia with new fog lamps go on the LS Premium. New six-spoke aluminum wheels are standard on the LS Premium, which also gets a new steering wheel with lighted speed controls.

The Sable and its close cousin, the Ford Taurus, were last restyled for 2000. Ford’s version is by far the stronger seller. The base V-6 engine in the GS version generates 155 horsepower, but the Duratec dual-overhead-cam engine in LS Premium models makes 200 hp.

Exterior
Except for the four doors, all of the Sable’s exterior panels were new for 2000. Even though it is closely related to the Taurus, the Sable exhibits a more conservative and traditional appearance that is led by its chrome-plated vertical-bar grille. With a wheelbase of 108.5 inches and an overall length just below 200 inches, the Sable is one of the longest midsize cars on the U.S. market. All Sables ride on 16-inch all-season tires.

Interior
Either five or six people fit inside the sedan models. Five-passenger sedans have a floor-mounted gearshift and a front console. Six-passenger models have a flip-fold center seat and may be configured for a front center armrest with cup and coin holders.

Standard GS equipment includes a cassette player, air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and power mirrors, locks and windows. The LS Premium gets automatic air conditioning, heated mirrors and a six-way power driver’s seat. Options include an 80-watt Mach audio system with a six-CD changer. The Sable’s trunk volume is 16 cubic feet, and the 60/40-split rear seatback folds for additional cargo space.

Under the Hood
Sable buyers have a choice of two 3.0-liter V-6 engines. The base GS engine is a 155-hp version with overhead valves. A more powerful dual-overhead-cam V-6 is installed in the LS Premium sedan and produces 200 hp. Both engines mate with a four-speed-automatic transmission. Mercury also offers a version of the 155-hp V-6 that runs on a mixture of E-85 ethanol and gasoline, or either substance alone.

Safety
The front airbags deploy at one of two inflation levels based on crash severity and whether or not the seat belts are buckled. Side-impact airbags for the front occupants are optional. Antilock brakes combined with all-speed traction control are a no-charge option. Front seat belt pretensioners and retractors remove slack in crashes.

Sable Wagon
Mercury’s midsize wagon differs little from the sedan in performance and interior fixtures. Cargo capacity totals 81.3 cubic feet when the second-row seat is folded. A rear-facing third-row seat is optional.

Driving Impressions
The Sable sedan might not generate much driving excitement, but it has a lot to offer. This car appeals to consumers because of its practical virtues, which include strong V-6 performance, ample load capacity and a generally comfortable ride — and you get all this in a reasonably refined package.

The Sable has a very quiet engine. It is stable on the highway and easy to drive. Its acceleration is smooth and refined. The automatic transmission is effective, downshifting promptly for passing or merging, and it yields close-to-gentle upshifts. The Sable’s ride comfort is pleasing most of the time, but it can hit some bumps and holes rather hard. Over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t the best, and the mirrors could be larger.

Available cars near you

Safety review

Based on the 2004 Mercury Sable base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
4/5
Frontal passenger
5/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
4/5
Side driver
3/5
Side rear passenger
3/5

Factory warranties

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
3 years / 36,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
3 years / 36,000 miles

Consumer reviews

4.7 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.6
Interior 4.6
Performance 4.6
Value 4.7
Exterior 4.4
Reliability 4.6

Most recent

  • Long live the Mercury Sable

    My 2004 Mercury Sable gs was bought by my grandma back in 2004 and was passed down to me once I got my license. I will say that it is a very stereotypical grandma car but other than that it’s amazing. It handles great and gets great gas mileage, except for when driving at highway speed the wind does blow the car around the lane. The leather seats are very comfy and the heater heats up fast in the winter and the stereo good quality. For having 139,000+ miles on it, it keeps chugging on. There is no rust at all and it has really taken a beating in the past 7 years that the car has been in my parents possession. Overall the car is amazing and will drive it till it dies, and I don’t think it’ll die any time soon.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    10 people out of 10 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • i love station wagons.

    love station wagons!! the later sables are better than the earlier sables. love how the grill goes up with the hood itself. always try to find them on cars.com and auto trader.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • The LS Premium is a great riding and reliable car.

    The 200 HP engine in the LS Premium gives this car pick up and go. The Leather interior is very comfortable and the MACH sound system is top notch; the heated mirrors were very much appreciated in the winter time. I was a second owner at 10,000 miles and kept this car for 13 years to 152,000 miles. All of the accessories/options still worked. It was a pleasure to pass it on to a new owner and I am sure it will last many more thousands of miles.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Very low cost of ownership

    The car meets all the needs of any middle class owner interested is economy, reliability, functionality, and a product that will do the job when required of it.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Comfortable, Sporty, Reliable Sedan

    I have the 04 LS Prem Sedan edition and I love the interior especially. The leather seats, sunroof, and wood trim make it comfortable and stylish with enough storage room. The V6 engine is fairly responsive, but push it too hard and a cylinder will blow. Great handling, parts aren't too expensive (although some are discontinued), and makes a good impression for the price.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 3.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • 2004 Mercury Sable LS Premium

    This is a gorgeous mid-sized car which I rate a nine out of ten both in and out.. It is a one owner no accident car that has always been garaged and it is an eye catcher with just 35,000 miles. The next buyer is urged not to to look at the age of the car; but instead at it's expected life over time while experiencing minimal maintenance costs. The designer at the Mercury Division of Ford Motor Co. showed foresight by including options that only appeared on later more luxury Mercury models. My recommendation is; 'buy it' you'll love it!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • good power,solid body & lots of options

    i purchase sable ls premium with 134000 miles and all it needed was a tune- up , quiet ride, great sound system, brakes (four way dics brakes ) amd good leather seats !
    • Purchased a New car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 4.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Reliable, cheap and powerful, but poor brakes

    I bought my 2004 Sable used in 2008 for only $7800 and it has been reliable and cheap to operate. The DOHC V6 is powerful and sporty, but I've had trouble with poor brake life and what I feel is poor braking performance. I've had to get new brakes (including pads, rotor turned, etc.) four times in four years. Believe it or not, this is the first car in 15 years that I've owned that needed new brakes. So, it's frustrating. Other than that, the car is a GREAT value. I get about 20 MPG in the city and 25 MPG when I commute on the freeway. I've seen 29 or 30 MPG on long trips.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 4.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • trouble-free car

    I had my 2004 Sable for 4 years and the only repair I had was a starter and one set of brakes. I never had any trouble with it other than that one time so I was very pleased with it.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Luxury and Reliablility

    I bought my 2004 mercury sable ls premium edition 4 years ago and have 59k miles on it. I do a lot of driving on the highway and horrible roads and it handles both just fine. It is one of the most reliable cars I have owned. I still have my 2003 taurus which is the same thing and it has 90k and never quits. I prefer the exterior of the sable over the taurus because of the higher front end and the design is better. The only thing I dont like is the shape, how the trunk angles down which looks weird and cuts into trunk space. The driver door has a keypad tucked under the handle and it allows you to enter in a code of your choice and whenever you enter it, the car will unlock. This has been very useful to me. You can leave your keys in the car and lock it, or lock it while its warming up in the morning, and I have accidentally locked my keys in there a couple times and I wasnt even at my house. I was very relieved to remember I had a keypad and sure enough, I got in. The inside of the car is amazing! Black leather is very comfortable and shows little signs of wear. The wood trim gives it a more luxurious feel to it. The inside feels like you are driving a luxury car. I absolutley can not live without the premium sound system for put in it. It is 5 times stronger than the basic and has more speakers and it sounds amazing. It handles really well and the 3.0 DOHC engine has amazing torque. The automatic rearview mirror is a nice thing to have too. Since everything is automatic, you never have to worry or adjust anything. Its great! The interior is very roomy and has plenty of leg room. Both the driver and passenger seats are adjustable and the pedals are adjustable too. Its a good car for winter. Its heavy and handles great. It also has heated outside mirrors so you will always be able to see. One of my favorite features is the computer it has. There is a screen in the guage cluster that shows a compass, outside temperature, miles, Avg mpg, and it calculates your average mpg and how much fuel you have left and showes you how many miles you have until you run out of gas and it is extremely accurate. It has abs brakes and traction control. I have used this for back and fourth driving to school, transporting, fun, and even off roading. Overall, I would give it 5 stars and I know I can depend on it. I would willingly recommend this car to anybody.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • I loved this car

    The only reason I know longer have my 04 Sable is because it was a total loss from an accident. I had this car for 4.5 yrs, drove 20k/ yrly and NEVER had a problem. It is extremely reliable. I was spoiled with all the electronic features. I was tempted to purchase the same vehicle.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 3.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Best car anyone could buy!!!

    I purchased my new 2004 Sable GS a few days ago, and absolutely love the car! It has higher mileage, since I bought used, but it runs like it just came off of the showroom floor! The steering (handling) is great! My father and my friend have owned nothing but Ford Tauruses and say that the Sable if just alike! So, with that being said, I truly trust the name and the vehicle! The stereo is very nice and I love the sleek look of the steering wheel! I am 27 years old, and I wouldn't drive any type of sports car over this one. Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!! Also like the spoke styled hub caps, they look very nice on the car...very classy! Buy one, you won't regret it!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2004 Mercury Sable?

The 2004 Mercury Sable is available in 2 trim levels:

  • GS (2 styles)
  • LS Premium (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2004 Mercury Sable?

The 2004 Mercury Sable offers up to 19 MPG in city driving and 26 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

Is the 2004 Mercury Sable reliable?

The 2004 Mercury Sable has an average reliability rating of 4.6 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2004 Mercury Sable owners.

Is the 2004 Mercury Sable a good Sedan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2004 Mercury Sable. 100.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.7 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.6
  • Interior: 4.6
  • Performance: 4.6
  • Value: 4.7
  • Exterior: 4.4
  • Reliability: 4.6
Your list was successfully saved.
 
 
 
 
Save list Compare
[{"cat":"sedan_fullsize","stock_type":"used","bodystyle":"Sedan","page_type":"research/make-model-year","oem_page":false,"search_fuel_types":["Flex Fuel Capability","Gasoline Fuel"]}]