This guide is a compiled list of the top-performing 2008-model year large cars in J.D. Power and Associates’ key automotive research studies. The studies include the 2007 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), the 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, and the 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS). All models are listed alphabetically by manufacturer.
Dodge Charger: Introduced for the 2007 model year, the Dodge Charger was the first model to suggest the old “muscle car” look, paving the way for the Challenger that arrives during 2008. Offered in three trim levels with three engine possibilities, the rear-drive sedan ranked among the top three large cars in the 2007 APEAL study, which measures owners’ delight with their vehicle’s performance and design. For 2008, Chargers gained interior revisions including a new instrument panel and soft-touch surfaces. A new “Fuel Saver Mode” display shows when the R/T’s 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine is operating on only half of its cylinders, courtesy of the Multi-displacement System. Sirius Backseat TV is newly available, and a tire-pressure monitor is standard.
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Ford Crown Victoria: Ford’s traditional rear-drive sedan ranked highest in segment in the 2007 VDS, due to the low number of problems original owners reported after three years. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the Ford Crown Victoria earned 5-star ratings all around, for both frontal and side impacts. Trouble is, Ford snatched the Crown Victoria away from retail sale after the 2007 model year, so finding one isn’t that easy. For 2008, the Crown Vic is marketed only to fleets such as taxis and police cars. Fortunately for those who like a traditional RWD V-8 sedan, the similar Mercury Grand Marquis remains available.
Get more information on the 2008 Ford Crown Victoria
Ford Taurus: Dropped after the 2006 model year, the long-lived Ford Taurus was revived for 2008, as a new nameplate for the sedan that had been called the Five Hundred. Whatever the name, this sedan is among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 IQS—a direct result of high quality in design, and low defects and malfunctions during the first 90 days of ownership. With front-wheel drive, the Taurus earns an EPA fuel-economy estimate of 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway. All-wheel drive drops that estimate to 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway. In NHTSA crash tests, the Taurus earned 5-star ratings all around, for both frontal and side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates it as “Good” for frontal, side, and rear impacts. Ford claimed more than 500 engineering improvements as the Five Hundred morphed into the 2008 Taurus, with its V-6 engine gaining 60 horsepower. Ford’s new Sync voice-activated control is available.
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Hyundai Azera: A brand-new flagship debuted for 2006, replacing the previous XG. The Hyundai Azera earned the highest ranking in its segment in the 2007 APEAL study, which measures owners’ overall delight with their vehicle’s performance and design. Hyundai dropped the mid-range SE model after 2007, leaving a GLS sedan with a 3.3-liter V-6 engine and a top-line Limited with a 263-hp, 3.8-liter V-6 engine. Suspension enhancements for 2008 aim to improve ride/handling. A new LG navigation system is available. Azeras come with six air bags and an anti-skid system. For 2009, a new Genesis sedan will become the top Hyundai model.
Get more information on the 2008 Hyundai Azera
Mercury Grand Marquis: Even though Ford has dropped its Crown Victoria from retail sale, the Mercury Grand Marquis hangs on to attract shoppers who lean toward a traditional rear-drive sedan with V-8 power. Grand Marquis ranked among the top three models in the 2007 VDS, due to the low number of problems original owners reported after three years. In NHTSA crash tests, the Grand Marquis earned 5-star ratings all around, for both frontal and side impacts. Little has changed for 2008. GS and LS models are offered, with three new option packages available. The 4.6-liter V-8 engine is E85-compatible.
Get more information on the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Sable: Just as Ford transformed its Five Hundred into a revival of the Taurus brand for 2008, its Mercury division issued a revived Sable that was actually a renamed Montego. Like Taurus, this sedan ranked among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 IQS, which considers its quality of design, as well as the number of defects and malfunctions during the first 90 days of ownership. With front-wheel drive, the Sable earns an EPA fuel-economy estimate of 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway. All-wheel drive drops that estimate to 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway. In NHTSA crash tests, the Sable earned 5-star ratings all around, for both frontal and side impacts. The IIHS rates it as “Good” for frontal, side, and rear impacts. Ford’s new Sync voice-activation system is available, but the Montego’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) has been replaced by a conventional automatic for the Sable.
Get more information on the 2008 Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon: Serving as Toyota’s flagship, the Avalon earned a top-three ranking among large cars in the 2007 APEAL study, which measures owners’ delight with their vehicle’s performance and design. Avalon also ranked among the top three in its segment in the 2007 IQS, which considers its design quality, along with the number of defects and malfunctions during the first 90 days of ownership. Reasonably frugal for a larger sedan, the 2008 Avalon earned an EPA fuel-economy rating of 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway. In NHTSA crash testing, the Avalon got twin 5-star ratings for both frontal and side impacts. A new 6-speed automatic transmission goes into 2008 models, which come in four trim levels and have been facelifted slightly.
