At the rear, new taillights are added to both models, but the Grand Marquis gets a full-width reflector and more chrome trim. Us youngsters aren't crazy about the styling of either vehicle, but to our eyes the Ford is the better looking of the two. Ford's Crown Victoria and Mercury's Grand Marquis are luxurious, traditionally stylish, accommodating, comfortable, spirited performers. They ride on proven platforms and are powered by an engine and transmission package that has been thoroughly tested by police, government and public transportation agencies during the course of the past six years. The harsh use that fleet versions of these bargain luxury sedans see on a daily basis has surely weeded out all the bugs by this time.
Value is the story here, as well.
Fully loaded these large sedans sticker for about the same amount of money as a well-equipped Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima or Volkswagen Passat. Once the most popular models sold in America, big cars like the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis have been replaced by minivans and SUVs in the American landscape. General Motors quit this market segment in 1996, and Chrysler Corporation hasn't fielded a truly large entry since the advent of the ridiculous K-Car. Each time we step behind the wheel of one of these uniquely American offerings we wonder why people stopped buying them. With the improvements made to the 1998 versions of Ford Motor Company's full-figured twins, the mystery only deepens.