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:
Showing 271 through 280 of 442.00-
Never again - 2001 Mercury Cougar
By illstickwithmopar - June 6 - 10:00 amTrue this vehicle may be a blast to drive but the design quality of this car leaves tons to be desired. First off the fuel injectors are of poor quality having had one go out about a month after I had bought the car. The body molding especially on the front bumper was put together by 3yr olds, not to mention all the recalls that were involved. I would expect better quality and reliability from a new model.
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The Sports Ultimate Coupe - 2002 Mercury Cougar
By sunshinechili - May 30 - 2:00 amMy husband and I were at our lease-end of a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. We decided not to keep it, we were in the process of looking for a new car. We had our minds already set. Went Christmas shopping in a mall In Omaha. Seen the Sport Ultimate. The next day we test drove one and ended up purchasing one. I just love everything about it, the get-up and go. The color, the feature and the price was just right.
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I love my car - 1999 Mercury Cougar
By Devin Brooke - May 30 - 12:56 amI got my car last summer!! And i love it. I havent had any problems with it at all!! We had the air conditioner worked on but other than that its been great
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goodlilcar - 2000 Mercury Cougar
By Badlilkitn - May 23 - 7:33 amI bought my Cougar in February 2005 its a 2000 Jet Black and beautiful! The previous owner took care of it like a baby. There have been NO problems so far (hope i didnt jinx myself) I have owned lots of sports cars and this one is smooth. Ive never had any problems with the infamous drink holder. I have Monza exhaust and Weapon R Intake. This car PURRS!
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Couger 96 - 1996 Mercury Cougar
By LER - May 20 - 10:00 amOne of the best cars I have owned. V-8 is a wonderful, maintenance free engine. Comfortable with fairly good gas mileage (23). Only complaint is from my wife who does not like 2-door cars with big doors. Interior has stayed pristine. I never did find the rear wheel drive to be a problem, but I did use snow tires in the winter.
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Hate to love it - 1999 Mercury Cougar
By ghignight - May 12 - 6:23 amI got my 1999 Mercury Cougar about a year ago. I really just got it because of the gas milage. I have had only normal wear and tear out of it. Tires, battery ect...when I got it it had 115k and a year later it sits at 140k......I have no major complains its fast and really sporty looking. It makes a good car for men for women......would make a great first car
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Love my Cougar - 2000 Mercury Cougar
By bflo_chick - May 7 - 2:00 amI wanted a Cougar for the longest time. I bought this car used two years ago. I love the way it looks, handles and drives. The backseat is not passenger friendly, but that is fine with me because I dont like driving everyone around anyways. Ive had a few problems with the car, but nothing that wasnt covered on the warrenty. The one thing I do not like about this car is the tires are very expensive and I just replaced them and spent almost 1k.
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Trading my 2000 for a 2002! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
By Misifer - April 29 - 10:00 amI bought the 2000 for a steal at the end of the model year and had a few problems right out of warranty, (about 40,000 miles). I needed a new fuel pump but my dealership replaced it as if I had the extended warranty. Im now at 52,000 miles in about 21 months and looking to trade it in for the 2002. No other major problems, just that now the Oxygen Sensor Light is stuck on, but it may be related to this fuel pump thing. I get about 32.6 MPG, love how the interior feels, and how the car handles. I could care less about speed but after about 50 MPH this little cat really moves!
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my2cents - 2002 Mercury Cougar
By prefab - April 29 - 10:00 amhello. i owned a 99 i4 5 speed. on a whim, i test drove the car. i was very pleasantly surprised! i never would have given a ford or any other american make a look. i prefer hondas/acuras. nonetheless i bought the cougar. i love(d) the styling, the handling, the braking power. i found the drivers seat extremely comfortable and the mpg was acceptable. i fretted over the reliabilty of the vehicle as i began to have some problems with my own and i noticed that the resale value has plummetted. that is why buyers out there are getting great deals on buying their new cougars. expect poor resale values. i unloaded my car.
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Looks cool, built like junk - 2000 Mercury Cougar
By Mike Jensen - April 24 - 10:00 amFord bought back my car as a lemon. Im glad it happened as it had many problems and I still had 2 more years on my lease. On the otherside, the car looked great. It was kind of embarassing having a tow truck pulling it so often, but I liked the design of it.
