1996 Ford Crown Victoria Review
1996 Ford Crown Victoria Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What’s new
A new steering wheel and gas cap are standard, and some equipment has been dropped from the roster, including the JBL sound system and trailer towing package.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria LX 4dr Sedan and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$220/mo for Crown Victoria LX
Crown Victoria LX
vs
$213/mo
Avg. Large Car
Vehicle overview
The bean counters in Dearborn are ecstatic this year. Not only are Crown Victoria sales consistently surpassing those of its main competitor, the Chevrolet Caprice, but General Motors announced in May that the Caprice would be going out of production after an abbreviated 1996 production run. That means Ford can expect sales of the Crown Victoria to increase next year, helped along by orders for police cars and taxi cabs that would otherwise have gone to the Caprice.
Why is the Crown Vic surviving in a market segment that has dwindled to nearly nothing during the past decade? With base prices starting at just $20,000, the Crown Victoria represents exceptional value in an era when run-of-the-mill compact sedans routinely reach that same price. The Crown Vic is big, powerful, and attractive; just the thing for families who shun minivans and sport utilities.
Last year, the Crown Victoria got a facelift, sporting new tail lights and a revised grille. Newly styled wheels also debuted, and the instrument panel was updated with better controls and switches. For 1996, Ford introduces an alternative fuel model of the Crown Vic. Running on natural gas stored in tanks in the trunk and under the body, the modified 4.6-liter V8 pumps out 178 horsepower. Alternative fuel Crown Victorias will be base models equipped with the police package frame, brakes and suspension. Ford expects the car to be labeled an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle.
Improvements this year include a new steering wheel featuring horn activation from any place on the center hub pad, improved transmission performance, better variable-assist power steering and a new gas cap. Gone from the Crown Victoria is a trunk cargo net, trailer towing package, JBL sound system and locking lug nuts for the alloy wheels.
Think about this: the Crown Vic costs just over $26,000 fully loaded with electric everything and a leather interior. In contrast, a similarly equipped Toyota Avalon runs more than $30,000, and the much smaller Toyota Camry XLE costs $25,000; despite a wimpy (in comparison) V6, tight seating for five, and a comparatively minuscule trunk. Sporting a big car floaty ride and twitchy chassis dynamics at speed, the Crown Victoria is nonetheless comfortable. It actually feels smaller when underway than the exterior girth would have you expect. Still, we think the soon-to-be-extinct GM full sizers are more accommodating, and the Chevrolet Impala SS is easily the better driver. Until the Impala SS is no longer available at the local Chevy dealer, the Crown Victoria finishes second best in the full-sized sedan class.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1996 Ford Crown Victoria.
5 star(76%)
4 star(24%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
33 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Car!
youngelvis, 08/28/2014
1996 Ford Crown Victoria LX 4dr Sedan
I bought my Crown Victoria LX with 84000 on it. Has ALL the options, including Memory Seat! Digital Dash, Premium Sound System, Air Suspension and Digital Climate Controls!
What an amazing Car! Now has almost 300K on it! Original Engine, Transmission! I've only had to change the A/C Compressor and Water Pump!
Have gone through almost FOUR Sets of Tires!
Driven on 19 Hour One Day Trips … with this Car!
My Drummer calls it the "Flying Couch"! What a comfortable, yet quiet car. Gets almost 24 MPG. Tows amazingly well! Trailer and Boat!
4 out of 5 stars
Get up and go the cheap way
Marsha Colucci, 10/25/2015
1996 Ford Crown Victoria S 4dr Sedan
I can drive from south Lawton, Oklahoma to Mobile, Alabama on $50.00 for gas. This car does not use any oil. I had to do little work to this car. I have bought 2 batteries, upper ball joints on front (both), shocks all around, belt, and gas cap. I bought this car in 2005. It had 23000 miles and looked new. It needs a paint job as the paint is fading but I have never had a car as good as … this one. I have several people tell me if and when I want to get rid of it to let them know. They are amazed of the gas mileage. I have traveled with other people, they were in their car, I was in mine, they had to stop for gas and every third stop I would fill up only using half a tank. They were amazed. That was from south of Lawton, Oklahoma to Mobile, Alabama. Great Car!!!!!!!!!!!!
3.88 out of 5 stars
excellent value
johnwaynedog, 12/09/2011
1995 Ford Crown Victoria 4dr Sedan
I'm 31 Very happy with my CV. Bought it a year ago with less than 80K, I now have over 110K. Set of bakes all around and minor issues. Around 30 mpg at 75-80 mph. Drove from Chicago to Ct back to Chicago then down to Houston and off to San Fransisco and back to Houston. Awesome gas milage, great storage,
super reliable, and comfortable for excessive highway driving.
I've owned tauras, … plymouth, camaro, buick, sable, Olds, riviera, lincoln, yukon, f350, olds, subaru and this. No other car would I trust to do that voyage I did.
Great value for a V8 Rear wheel drive. Gonna rock it till the wheels fall off or I hit mega millions.
5 out of 5 stars
Police Package
jeffery, 04/23/2009
1995 Ford Crown Victoria 4dr Sedan
This is the first car that i have ever owned and it has been nothing but good to me it was an old detective's car out of texas and for a huge car it is excelent on gas and the normal wear and tear is cheap compared to other domestic cars i would definitely buy another one.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria, so we've included reviews for other years of the Crown Victoria since its last redesign.
1996 Crown Victoria Highlights
S
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 18 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $226/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 20.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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