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:

• 

  Nice Ride for an older vehicle - 1996 Mercury Cougar
  By Reverend - December 9 - 11:33 pm

  I got the vehicle in 2005 with approximately 18,000 miles on the odometer. It belonged to an elderly lady who was in a nursing home and she had it garaged for almost 4 years (the inspection sticker was going on 5 years old). It needed a battery and the tires replaced, which I did immediately. Living in New England I only use the car during inclement weather conditions and during the winter with snow tires it gets me everywhere. As a third vehicle, it seldom gets usage, but I do ensure it is used at least 50 miles weekly. It drives like a tank, but due to its age (1996 )most vehicles that size were tanks. It has been very dependable and has not required any work. It isnt fuel efficient.

• 

  Beauty is only skin deep - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Shawn M - October 31 - 10:00 am

  This car looks great and handles great. It lacks power and acceleration especially with the auto trans. The gas mileage is horrible at about 14.2mpg in the city. Ive had various mechanical problems including fuel pump, brake pads wearing out every 12k miles, faulty tires and more. The service is terrible and takes FOREVER. I would not recommend the 2000 Cougar to anyone unless all you want is to look good.

• 

  The little things - 1997 Mercury Cougar
  By jimmyh911 - October 21 - 10:00 am

  This car ran beautifully up until its warranty was up. First to go was the radiator than a freeze plug. The crack manifold almost totalled the engine. (we recieved the recall too late.)The front end has had $3500 in repairs in the last 2 years. The doors sagged off the hinges ($450 repair) Through all of that, it rides beautifully, never breaks down, handles well, has a beautiful cockpit and speeds like bat out of he11. The cougar cleans up beautifully but still leaves others in its dust.

• 

  Its a Tank... - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By 2carguy - October 19 - 11:23 am

  Just you all know this car was pass on to me after my mom passed on last year. So far the cougar has been great to me. Although its a gas guzzler and thats do to it being we 2 tons. To me its a girls car but it was my moms so i drive it and plus it only has 33,000 on it. Pretty good for a 2001. The cougar is my second ride and so far its been fun. I see so many cougar lately on the road but i never see the one like mine. My cougar has added features that was being put on the 2002.

• 

  My Cougar - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Tiffer6139 - October 18 - 11:20 am

  I have had my 02 Cougar for a little over a year, I havent had any engine trouble no big problems. few problems with the rear visibility and huge blind spot also the arm rest isnt there and no mirror on the passenger Visor... other than that good mpg. all in all good Car

• 

  Wifes Car! - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By Tony & Lana C - October 10 - 1:20 pm

  We have had this car since 2001 and it has had no problems. Minor things that regular maint takes care of. It is not for a person over 56" to drive and dont think of putting avg size people in the back seats. Other than that we love the V-6 and the power it gives on the highway. Id buy another one.

• 

  Oh my Kitty - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Cougar owner - September 18 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Cougar in April 2000. Most problems related to service but I did take the car back about 4 times the first two weeks for radio problems. A few months afterward, I took it back because of bubbles that caused paint chips. The car has had several recalls that I knew nothing about until a year later. The most recent problem was the RPM revs in neutral. Passengers are not crazy about the back seat, so this car is for the selfish...few riders and no little kids! The car seat does not fit properly in the back. I like the looks, but I am not completely satisfied. I wont be buying another Cougar...neither will I buy another Mercury.

• 

  A decent buy - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Byronape - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car with 125k miles on it for about $2000 under book. The interior has held up well, but the paint has lost some of itt luster. The engine is still reasonably strong, and the steering has held up well. A bit heavy in the corners, but not too bad. If you are intrested in this kind of thing, there are a few places to find aftermarket parts for this car. A web search should bring several up. All in all, my time with this car has been well spent with only a single and inexpensive problem that had me driving a Geo Metro (I still have nightmares from that thing) for a week. I am not sorry I bought the car at all.

• 

  I Love My Cougar!!!!! - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By fsugirl - September 15 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Cougar for nearly 4 years now and I have never had a problem. I brought it in for a couple of recalls and I just had my brakes done at 35000 miles, which is all fairly normal, other than that I have had no problems with it. She drives great, looks great, and Im sad that they discontinued it.

• 

  Why Chose the X-R7 - 1996 Mercury Cougar
  By daskew - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I bought our XR-7 V6 model as a used vehicle. It is my experience that the for a V6 it is kinda suggish when taking off. I think that the XR-7 has a very comfortable ride, expecially on long trips. I feel that the fuel economy is very poor for this particular model. Get yourself in the frame of mind that this is not a sport coupe. Like most American made cars it feels like it was made on an assembly line. The air vents are placed in such a manner that the rear passengers have a good wait to cool off. The tires should have come in a low profile. The car is made up of a lot of parts, that over time begin to loosen.