|
Writer's Notes
Test Vehicle: 2003 Ford Crown Victoria LX
Base Price: $27,780 (including destination charge)
The Good - Roomy interior, huge trunk, rear-drive with a V8 engine, sturdy construction, good crash-test scores
The Bad - Lacks space efficiency, old-tech design and engineering, government issue flavoring, lacks cutting-edge safety systems, high price tag
The Ugly - Grandpa's dream-car styling, Chrysler preparing all-new Hemi-powered 2004 sedans with rear-drive and V8 engines.
The Bottom Line - The Crown Victoria is a dinosaur in need of replacement, not re-engineering.
Options on Test Vehicle: Performance and Handling Package ($615 - includes sport-tuned suspension, touring tires, rear air suspension, dual exhaust, 16-inch alloy wheels), Driver and Front Passenger Side Airbags ($255), Electronic Instrumentation ($235), Trunk Organizer ($190), Traction Control ($175), CD Changer (165)
Price of Test Vehicle: $29,415 (including destination charge)
Engine Size and Type: 4.6-liter V8
Engine Horsepower: 239 @ 4,900 rpm (224 @ 4,800 rpm is standard)
Engine Torque: 287 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 rpm (272 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm is standard)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 18 / 26 mpg
NHTSA Crash Test Score (front - driver): 5 Stars (2002 model)
NHTSA Crash Test Score (front - passenger): 5 Stars (2002 model)
NHTSA Crash Test Score (side - front occupant): 4 Stars (2002 model without side airbags)
NHTSA Crash Test Score (side - rear occupant): 4 Stars (2002 model without side airbags)
IIHS Crash Test Score (offset): Not Tested
Predicted Reliability: Above Average
Comments or suggestions about this review? Send an e-mail to: editor@autobytel.com
Autobytel Inc. operates the popular automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, and Autosite.com. | | xxx | |
ROCHESTER, NY - Soft summer twilight falls over the verdant, rolling hills of north-central New York State, and we're rocketing down the Thruway in a Deep Wedgewood Blue 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, looking for all the world like a cop in a big, fat, sloppy hurry to the motorists we overtake. A massive traffic snarl at U.S. Customs where Ontario's 405 highway crosses over the Niagara River has made us two hours late for an appointment in Rochester. As darkness falls, bugs splatter in earnest on the windshield while we slice through the humid haze to our rendezvous point.
What's fun in this is how rapidly motorists signal and dive out of the left lane as we approach from behind. We aren't traveling at an obscene rate of speed, but it is evident that we're in a rush compared to most of the traffic lazing along on eastbound Interstate 90. On the road (and sitting in traffic) for nearly 9 hours, we're still comfortable in the Crown Vic's cloth-upholstered, power adjustable driver's seat, but it'll be nice to get out and stretch soon.
Looking like the fuzz is perhaps the most entertaining aspect of piloting a Ford Crown Victoria. Seriously, tint the windows and get one of those handy spotlights installed on the A-pillar, and few people would be the wiser. Otherwise, what we have here is a traditional body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered, all-American sedan that neither excels nor disappoints.
Most consumers of the Crown Victoria desire its sturdy construction, traditional drivetrain, roomy interior and gargantuan trunk, whether they're fleet buyers for the Michigan State Police or retirees wintering in Sarasota, Fla. These are four great reasons to choose the big Ford over the more mainstream family-style sedans on the market, such as the Buick LeSabre, the Chrysler Concorde, the Nissan Altima, or the Toyota Camry.
For 2003, Ford has re-engineered the Crown Victoria's frame, front suspension, and steering in an effort to improve vehicle stability, responsiveness and ride quality. Hydroformed front rails and redesigned cross members help contribute to a 20 percent increase in torsional rigidity. This translates to an improved ride and better handling. With our test car's optional Handling and Performance Package, the ride was actually taut, and the Vic felt almost nimble in turns. Included in the Handling and Performance Package are a sport-tuned suspension, rear air suspension, a more responsive 3.27 axle ratio, and a dual exhaust system that helps boost the standard-issue 4.6-liter V8's power from 224 horses to 239. We would expect regular Crown Victorias to ride more softly than did our mildly hot-rodded tester.
Also improving responsiveness for 2003 is a new variable-assist, speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering system. Last year's old-tech recirculating ball setup has been excised, and the result is better road feel, crisper response and more heft to the helm. The Crown Victoria tracks straight and true down the highway, requiring little correction in direction from the driver.
Additionally, Ford updated the Crown Victoria's short- and long-arm independent front suspension for 2003. A stouter steel upper control arm, a new aluminum lower control arm and steering knuckle, and revised suspension geometry translate to better connected front tires and improved cornering ability. Slight changes to the rear suspension's shock absorbers help to better control the solid rear axle's movement.
Combined, these updates make the Crown Vic an agreeable, if not exciting, mode of transportation. Despite continual improvement, this car is essentially more than a decade old, dating back to a 1992 ground-up redesign. It continues to sell today because Chrysler and General Motors abandoned the rear-drive, V8 marketplace in the 1990s, leaving Ford to fill the orders for thousands of police cars and taxicabs. This makes the Crown Victoria profitable, even if sales to everyday Joes account for a small percentage of the overall pie. It also provides Ford with an intense real-world research-and-development environment. Today's Crown Victoria is one tough car, expected to withstand years of hard-use mileage and indifferent maintenance. The Crown Vic benefits from 11 years of experience operating under some of the worst conditions possible.
But let's face facts: most everyday Joes want a Crown Victoria because they grew up with V8 engines driving the rear wheels. They want six-passenger seating and lots of trunk space, even if they don't necessarily need it. They want a simple, honest, American car.
That's what they get with the Crown Victoria. You're not going to find stability control systems, touch-screen navigation or voice-activated telematics inside this ride. The Crown Vic covers the basics in terms of safety technology: standard dual-stage front airbags, optional side airbags, available traction control system. Notably, power adjustable pedals come standard on the midrange LX and top-of-the-line LX Sport models. In an accident, the Crown Victoria fares well if NHTSA crash testing is any indicator. In 2002, the Crown Victoria garnered five-star driver and front passenger scores, and provided four-star side impact protection for front and rear occupants.
Three Crown Victoria models are available: Standard, LX and LX Sport. Standard models are well equipped, but most people want the LX with its upgraded cloth upholstery, power adjustable pedals, steering wheel controls for audio and automatic climate systems, illuminated entry lighting and automatic headlamps. Plus, the LX provides access to important options like leather seats, the Performance and Handling Package, digital gauges, a CD changer and a trunk storage unit.
For folks who want to convey a little attitude or who simply want more interior storage space, the LX Sport is available in four different monochromatic paint schemes. The LX Sport gets unique 17-inch alloy wheels, the Handling and Performance Package, and a five-passenger interior layout with front bucket seats and a large center storage console.
We didn't drive the LX Sport, though our chrome-encrusted LX was equipped with the Handling and Performance Package. Acceleration is brisk, but average in this day and age of 240-horse V6 Honda Accords and Nissan Altimas. Ride, handling and steering are all much improved thanks to the new frame, steering gear and front suspension. The standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist worked well, too, exhibiting fine pedal feel. All Crown Vics come standard with a four-speed automatic transmission, and aside from an occasional reluctance to downshift for bursts of passing or merging power, we had no complaints about the gearchanger.
Long road trips are easy to accomplish in the Crown Vic. The seats have been revised for a better appearance and improved comfort, and we can attest that over extended periods of time they do a fine job of supporting occupants. However, the luxury-grade upholstery in our test car had seemingly trapped the oils and scents of a rather odious driver that had come before us, and after sitting in the sun on a muggy day, our test LX smelled awful inside.
Both the front and the rear seats are wide and flat with lots of room for people. Still, the rear seat's legroom is not terribly impressive given the Crown Vic's exterior dimensions. Ford measures it to be 39.6 inches, but we report that the Dodge Intrepid (39.1 inches), Nissan Altima (36.4 inches) and Toyota Camry (37.8 inches) all feel more spacious. The trunk, however, is not deceptively large. It holds a whopping 20.6 cubic feet of cargo with the lid slammed shut. That's more than any other sedan on the market with the exception of the Lincoln Town Car.
General Motors quit making the Chevrolet Caprice and Impala SS in 1996. Ford has had this narrow but moneymaking niche all to itself since then, updating the Crown Victoria as necessary while taking care to preserve profits. But next year, the sun will set on Ford's big American sedan monopoly when Chrysler debuts new rear-drive, V8-powered replacements for the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler 300M and Dodge Intrepid. Knowing this, we can't help but believe that the legendary Crown Victoria is heading quickly into a soft summer twilight of its own.
--Story by Christian Wardlaw
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
Christian Wardlaw joined the Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, managing content development for AIC and the Autosite consumer website. Previously, Mr. Wardlaw served as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Mr. Wardlaw is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Mr. Wardlaw has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, Mr. Wardlaw holds a bachelor’s degree in English.
|
