When Mercury handed over the keys to the metallic "Dark Toreador Red" 2010 Grand Marquis, we weren't really sure what to expect. The layout is definitely a throwback to the cars most of us grew up with: Full size, V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive sedans with seating capacity for six adults. The question that perplexed us was whether the Grand Marquis is "old school" or retro cool? For the most part, it turned out to be neither. Read on and you'll find out why.

Grand Entrance
Click open the door and slide behind the steering wheel and you'll soon discover you haven't been transported back in time. Instead, the Grand Marquis LS is truly an upscale modern sedan filled with leather seating surfaces and burl wood-grain trim panels. The steering wheel is leatherwrapped with a tilt feature, while the front outboard seats are full-featured with 6-way power, power recline and power lumbar controls. The optional wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel includes redundant sound system and climate system controls.

Front seat heat and power adjustable pedals, both of which our test car came equipped with, are optional. Dual center arm rests fold out of the seat (or fold up to provide for six-passenger room). Carpeted floor mats and dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors (driver and passenger) are standard. Air conditioning is based upon an automatic electronic temperature control system that maintains the desired temperature. Side mirrors are heated and all Grand Marquis models are equipped with Mercury's SecuriCode™ keyless-entry keypad system on the driver-side door.

There's more, too: The Grand Marquis includes an easy-to-use electronic message center that displays outside temperature, average fuel economy, tire pressure, driving times and so on. As for the sound system, it's situated top center of the instrument panel and can be specified as an AM/FM/CD arrangement (standard) or optionally upgraded to the dual media model to play both CDs and cassettes. Open a back door and you'll be met by an equally appealing and spacious leather trimmed rear seat. Fold down the center armrest and you'll find a pair of built-in cupholders and reading lamps for back seat passengers.

The reality is, plenty of limousine services across the country use the Grand Marquis LS as is, sans the stretch. For smaller groups, it provides a roomy, well appointed (dare we say, opulent) interior, an understated exterior and a full size 20.6 cubic-foot luggage compartment that can swallow almost any amount of baggage. Our Grand Marquis had the dealer-available cargo trunk organizer with a removable, adjustable dividers that create handy storage compartments to help keep items in place within the trunk. The reality is, what works for a limo service can also work for you too.

Stellar Construction and Safety
Another big point to consider (and one we're sure the limo operators haven't missed) is the actual construction of the Grand Marquis. Much like a pickup truck, it's manufactured in the traditional body-on-frame configuration rather than unit construction. At first glance, it's no big deal, but the body-on-frame construction tends to better provide for a robust platform. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the full size Grand Marquis has garnered the highest 5-Star rating in all five categories for seven consecutive years: driver frontal impact, frontpassenger frontal impact, front-seat side impact, rear seat side impact, and rollover resistance. The Grand Marquis has also received a 5-star frontal crash test rating for 15 consecutive years, 1996 to present. Factor in the standard front seat-side airbags, traction control, as well as ABS brakes, and you end up with a vehicle that provides reputable peace of mind while on the road.

Power and Performance
Powering the LS is a 4.6-liter, single overhead cam V8 producing 224 horsepower at 4800 rpm and 275 foot pounds of torque at 4000 rpm. One facet folks will appreciate is the standard flex fuel feature the engine is equipped with. This simply means the 2010 Grand Marquis can operate on regular unleaded gasoline or E85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) or a combination of both. Backing the SOHC V8 is a four-speed overdrive automatic transmission coupled with a 2.73:1 ratio rear axle. Expect government gasoline fuel economy ratings to be in the 24 miles per gallon highway range with unleaded gasoline. With the standard 19-gallon fuel tank, you can see the Grand Marquis can cover considerable distances between gas stops.

The Grand Marquis' suspension system is based upon an independent front, rear air suspension package. Front shock absorbers are nitrogen gas-filled while oversized stabilizer bars are used on both front and rear. Even though the rear axle is a conventional "live" setup, we found the ride and handling to be compliant and, for a big sedan such as this, very controlled. A feature many folks will appreciate with the rear air suspension is the fact it can level the car with a full complement of passengers along with a heavy load in the luggage compartment.

On the road, we found the big Mercury to be rather poised. It's certainly no sports car, but it's definitely comfortable and reassuring. Wind noise is minimal, even at higher speeds. Road noise is negligible as well. So far so good, but where the Grand Marquis really shines is on the open highway. With four adults and a couple of youngsters in the car, there was still plenty of elbow room. And there's most certainly room in the trunk for everyone's luggage. Best of all, though, the big Merc is capable of traversing great chunks of Interstate without stopping too often or packing any additional fanfare. That might not make it incredibly flashy to some but, to us at least, reliable, safe, comfortable transportation is really where it's at. And that's exactly what the 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis LS provides. And it provides it in spades. We should have known what to expect. This is, after all, the quintessential family sedan.