Gone is the heavy-handed oval theme of previous Taurus/Sable dashboards. Now large, legible gauges are set into a two-shade panel, the upper panel toned darker to reduce glare and the lower panel keyed to the inside door covering. Audio and climate controls are mounted in the center of the dash which, while aesthetically an improvement, still presents an intimidating array of small, similarly shaped push-buttons with tiny labels. At first glimpse, this layout may impress you with its high-tech appearance, but it can be a challenge to find and hit the right button while battling prime-drive-time traffic.

Sable can be ordered in either five or six-passenger configurations, pretty much regardless of trim. Technically, the GS is a six passenger, while the LS and LS Premium upgrade to front bucket seats. But just $105 adds bucket seats, a console, and a floor shifter to the GS; while a no-cost option on LS Premium provides a front bench seat with a neat mini-console that flips out when the center is unoccupied.

If you specify both a five-passenger layout and Sable's premium audio, then the six-disc CD changer goes in the floor console, a vastly more convenient location than the trunk. The floor console also provides an dedicated air conditioning outlet for rear-seat passengers. The twin front bucket seats deliver surprisingly good lateral support without incurring a penalty in seating comfort, even for larger drivers. The cushions and seatbacks are on the firm side, which might initially seems a shortcoming; but firmer seats, if well-designed, usually feel more comfortable and reduce fatigue on long drives. This is certainly the case in the Sable.

The Sable's rear seating for three is spacious and comfortable, with the two outboard positions having a semi-bucket form. In our LS Premium, a pull-down center elbow rest presented us with two cupholders. And if you ski, or carry ladders everywhere you go, the positively enormous split-seat pass-through into the trunk will make your life immeasurably easier.

Other nice touches in the LS Premium include dual vanity mirrors with a rheostat for raising or lowering their illumination. Also, the sunroof opens with one touch.

In the area of safety, the Sable has earned NHTSA's top five-star frontal crash-test rating. It is equipped with dual-stage airbags, which sense the intensity of the impact and deploy at one of two different speeds. In lesser impacts, gentler deployment reduces the risk of injury by the bags themselves. Head-and-chest side airbags are available as an option. Seatbelt pretensioners are standard, as is a system which releases small amounts of seatbelt tension to reduce injury.