Overview & Reviews

Depending on how old you are, you probably have different recollections of the Mercury Cougar: Baby boomers will likely remember the original V8-powered pony car and its evolutionary change into a big, personal luxury coupe. Car enthusiasts of a younger vintage are probably more familiar with the Cougar as a small, spry front-wheel-drive sport coupe. About the only common link between all Cougars is their Ford genetics.

Debuting in 1967, the first Mercury Cougar was closely related to the second-generation Mustang. Mercury's version was marketed as being more plush and European. Coupe and convertible versions were offered, and this was the first time that "XR-7" appeared as an option package. From a performance standpoint, these early Cougars were highly regarded, especially as they could be equipped with a variety of powerful V8 engines.

By the mid-1970s, however, the focus on performance had diminished. The Mercury Cougar of this era was more of a personal luxury car. Mercury even experimented with sedan and station wagon variants. The Cougar finally settled into its role as a luxurious coupe at the dawn of the 1980s. As a close relative of the Thunderbird (atop Ford's new "Fox" chassis), the Cougar remained rear-wheel drive and could be V6- or V8-powered.

With consumer tastes shifting away from this type of vehicle in the 1990s, Mercury cut all previous ties for the Cougar's final iteration. As a smaller front-wheel-drive coupe with a focus on style, this Cougar was meant to draw in young buyers who otherwise perceived the Mercury brand as being old and out of touch. However, this approach didn't quite work as well as Mercury had hoped. Faced with disappointing Cougar sales, Mercury finally pulled the plug on one of its most popular and well-known nameplates in 2002.

Most recent Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar spanning from 1999 to 2002 was based on the Ford Contour (and the associated Mercury Mystique), a small sedan with European breeding. Mercury hoped these underpinnings would give the Cougar a sparkling on-road personality while the coupe's sharp "New Edge" styling did the rest, yet this generation of Cougar never met with much success. Some say the car's branding as a Mercury ruined its chances with the younger consumers the company was after, though our experience with the car gives us a few theories of our own.

The Cougar had the makings of a credible entry-level sport coupe thanks to its accurate handling, head-turning exterior styling and an available 2.5-liter V6 with a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic. It also had a generally well-laid-out and comfortable interior (rear seats excepted), a surprisingly utilitarian hatchback body style and a price that was considerably less than other competing models of the time.

On the other hand, the car was merely adequate in a lot of ways. Steering feel was heavy, and acceleration was nothing special, even with the 170-horsepower V6 (the standard four-cylinder put out a meager 125 hp). Outward visibility was also poor. In a comparison test of six sport coupes we conducted in 2001, the Mercury Cougar finished last.

Needless to say, this wasn't one of our favorite sport coupes. Shoppers still interested in a used Cougar from this vintage, however, can pretty much look at any year, as Mercury didn't make any significant changes during the model's four-year run. Slightly altered front styling went into the '01 model, when the instruments and steering wheel were also revised. For the Cougar's final year, Mercury released the 35th Anniversary Package with chrome wheels, hood scoop and an in-dash CD changer. There were also a few special appearance packages, such as the C2, the Zn ("Zinc Yellow") and the XR.

Past Mercury Cougar models

The last and best of the traditional Mercury Cougars came along in 1989. Along with the still-related Thunderbird, the Cougar was redesigned atop a new chassis with an independent rear suspension, and to everyone's surprise, gave up its V8. Instead, this Mercury Cougar used a pushrod 3.8-liter V6 with 140 hp (supercharged to 210 hp in upscale XR-7 trim).

The 1991 model year saw the demise of the five-speed manual transmission and the dropping of the supercharged V6 in favor of Ford's classic 4.9-liter pushrod V8, rated at 200 hp. A better 205-hp 4.6-liter SOHC V8 replaced it in 1994, when the body got a styling refresh and the motorized seatbelts were traded for dual airbags. More styling changes came in 1996, and the interior was made over for the Cougar's last year in 1997.

The basics stayed consistent throughout this Cougar's model cycle. A 200-inch-long body, roughly 3,600 pounds of weight and numb steering kept it from being truly sporty, but rear-wheel drive and the all-independent suspension gave it respectable handling and a rather serene ride. Acceleration was fine with any engine besides the basic V6, though gas mileage was pretty dismal regardless. Interiors are attractive (despite Ford's old hard-to-use radio) and four adults will fit, though the Cougar's interior space and comfort are more in line with that of a midsize car than its size and weight suggest.

There are definitely smaller, lighter, faster, more efficient ways to cruise the streets in two-door style, but if rear-drive, a V8, a decent-size backseat and a low price are of top importance (and muscle cars aren't your thing), this generation of the Mercury Cougar is probably a pretty good pick.

User Reviews:

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  Milage of a GeoMetro - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By Newbie - July 29 - 9:56 am

  I get the Gas milage of a metro but the look of a cougar. I get a amazing 38MPG on the highway and 35 in town. You cant beat it. Stock as a rock with a homebuilt cold air intake. Using a K&N filter off of a V8 Mustang. Works awesome. I only have 80K and it runs great. Absolutely no complaints about the dravability.

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  Smooth & sweet - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By 12 paws - July 19 - 5:30 pm

  Ive had this car since 2005. Im very happy with this ride. Traded a Buick Riveria (very sweet) in to get this Cougar. Shes got the looks and power. Ready for new struts now,comfort is a must!!!

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  97 Cougar - 1997 Mercury Cougar
  By jcp - July 13 - 10:00 am

  I have had no problems with the car. The V8 accelerates well and smoothes out on the highway. The car has a stiffer sport suspension option that handles nice. Leather is a good fit for the interior. The exterior is a plus with the pearl paint finish.

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  gotta try it - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By 5yr Cougarowner - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Cougar for 5 years now and I have no major complaints. I have had the alternator replaced and some computer problems with the dash, but overall I have been pleased and feel I have gotten my monies worth out of it despite some problems that needed to be fixed.

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  I Love It! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Lynn - July 3 - 2:56 am

  I purchased my car out of the showroom. I have not had any problems with it at all. It still looks great, love the leather interior and the style and 6 CD changer. It gives good mileage, is comfortable, handles well and has good pickup. Ive had my car now for 6 years and aside from regular oil changes and taking good care of it, I have no complaints.

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  Cougars go Roar - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By My First Car - June 30 - 2:30 pm

  I got this car used on October 20 of this year. I havent had many problems with it, other than my heater core on it is broken and it sometimes leaks transmission fluid. But other than that I love this car. The engine is so much fun to listen to. Its pretty fast for a 2.5 V6. Everything works fine in the car. It has a pretty decent sound system, but Im looking to put some 12s in it. The only problem is that I drive long distances sometimes and I worry about my engine over-heating with my transmission fluid leaking, but other than that Im very happy with the performance and stability of this car. And Im glad its what I got for my first car.

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  My Cougar - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By cougowner - June 22 - 10:23 pm

  I bought this Cougar as a first car in 2006 and so far it has been a pretty grear car. It is an absolute blast to drive! It could use a smoother ride and a new cup holder! I have recently had some odd issues with my electrical (Gauges act weird when started and mirrors and courtesy light just stopped working.) So far nothing major has gone wrong with it though (crossed fingers!)

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  I love my car! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Amanda - June 19 - 1:20 pm

  I have not had my Cougar very long only about a year and I love it, despite the moon roof and the 6 disc cd player dont work, but minor things can be fixed! Otherwise this is a great car! I have a 5 speed and its super fun to drive. They are hot sleek cars that people look at when you drive by! Having the V6 really helps with the outter look! Very sporty reliable car!

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  fun little car - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Mr. Fields - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I owned the car for 5 years till somebody lost the load they were hauling on the highway. It was a total loss. The car ran beautifully at all times. And obviously a safe car for the road. I walked away without a scratch from the accident. I would recommend owning this car for almost anyone that enjoys a small sporty car without the sports car insurance rates. The seats were always comfortable and held up to the wear of 20k miles a year.

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  I love my cougar - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By StaindLibra - June 7 - 10:00 am

  i bought this car used and still it drives perfectly new! I love it!