Sable received a moderate re-styling in 2000, which also resulted in some functional improvements, including a higher tail and larger trunk, headlights that were 25 percent more powerful, and better shrouding of the windshield wipers for reduced noise. The 2001 model is virtually identical.Looks are of course subjective, but we like what we see. This latest Sable is not as daringly innovative as the ground-breaking design that introduced the nameplate back in '86. Since then, the Sable and its Ford-badged sibling, the Taurus, seem to have slowly swapped places, so that the Sable is now the conservative older sister and the Taurus the adventurous sprite. But the old girl is still pretty easy on the eyes, if now in a buttoned-down, business-suit sort of way.
Like the very best automotive designs, Sable comfortably blends beauty and function. Its total passenger space, at 102.5 cubic feet, is only 6 percent short of the full-size Grand Marquis'. Subjectively, the Sable's interior feels huge, even for a mid-size.