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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  Excellent !!!!!!! - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By cougarkat - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Love it! 4 Cylinder !

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  Great starter car. - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By Enos - November 23 - 10:36 am

  Bought this car new to ride in college and have enjoyed it quite a bit in the 6 years I have owned it. I had a problem with the exhaust within the first year and the part was recalled I think. Since Ford payed for the replacement and I have had no problems since, I am quite satisfied. I find the car to be one of the most comfortable I have ever driven but I am a bit short at 57" 170 pounds. Its definitly not meant for bigger people. The steering radius leaves a little to be desired and if you stick to the factory recomended tires, they can be quite expensive to replace. Those aside, I am very happy with the purchase and recomend it to anyone who isnt under 510" 250 pounds.

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  Cougar - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By nnnnn988 - November 22 - 2:23 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with this car since I bought it. The transmission went out, the moonroof has never worked, the steering column only moves about an inch or so, it is uncomfortable, and does not drive smoothly at all. At this point I have put more money into this car just trying to keep it running than I paid for it. I am looking to get rid of it but the trade in value is practically nothing. I am not happy at all with this car.

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  Nice ride - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By busingernate - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Fun car. Im 16 and I love this car. It handles like a race car around tight corners, and excellerates smoothly. The ride is rough but thats what you get with a sports car. Fuel eco. isnt too great in the summer because of use of the A/C. Overall its a great car!!

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  FRONT ROTORS PROBLEM - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Steve Masch - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I drove the Cougar over 90K miles. Automatic transmission, still averaging 23.5 Miles per gallong. I usually cruise at 85-90 Miles per Hour. The car is still driving strong but it was not built as well as I thought and it started to fall apart. Minor things for the most but the biggest problem has been the FRONT ROTORS that KEEP ON WORPING. I do drive quite aggressively and brake accordingly but I had to bring the car back for rotors replacements twice and had them substituted twice till I decided to shallow out a few hundreds for high performance parts. The sunroot too is easily damageable, twice I had to have it fixed.

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  What a lemon - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By cougarhater - November 13 - 7:06 pm

  Bought this car my freshman year of college after my brother totaled my beloved 1991 Lexus ES250. Needed a car to go to and from work and make the 400 mile trek home once a month. This car has great looks, and a banging stereo. The problem is, I have put almost the $6500 I paid for it in repairs to this car. Beware the sunroof, parts alone to fix are $1600 :-0 Also performance wise, there seems to be a gap in the middle gears, its great off the line but struggles to get up to freeway speeds on an onramp. The A/C unit doesnt cool very well, and seriously hampers the engines power at freeway speeds. Beware repair costs for this unreliable vehicle.

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  Like other reviewers, loved this car...at first... - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By ms__brown - November 12 - 1:25 am

  I bought my Coug in 2004 with 50,000 miles on it. Ive had minimal mechanical "failures" but many mechanical problems. The headlights dim a lot and if I have the wipers, headlights and stereo on at the same time, it dies. Sunroof never worked. The car wont start for an hour after its been running in more than 90 degree heat, but the thing ALWAYS starts in the winter, even if its 70 below (bought in ND and never used a block heater). It now has 116,000 miles (I dont drive a lot) and it needs a new suspension, shocks, struts, etc. I recently replaced the front tie rod so I wouldnt die. Shaky after 65 mph. Not kid friendly. No hooks for child seat in the back, so trading.

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  wonderful car - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By bronwyn - November 9 - 2:00 am

  It seems like the Cougar is really hit or miss in terms of quality, but I really adore my car. It has never given me any problems (the radio did have to be fixed within the first 6 months, but the radio panel was loose and now the problems fixed.) Im not sure how another user is driving his car, but mine gets 35-40 MPG. The trunk is huge, but you cant comfortably sit in the backseat. I am planning on trading mine in for a newer model I love mine so much. (3 years ownership, never a problem.)

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  My New 2002 Mercury Cougar, V6 Base - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By garym1j - October 10 - 10:00 am

  I just traded a 2000, with 29,200 miles, for a 2002, same color, base model V6. The 2000 was a sports model with the big tires which I found a little noisy with a rough ride. The 2002 base model has smaller tires which are very quiet with a smoother ride. The stereo system in the 2002 model I bought is very much improved with disc and tape. I can even hear it now due the the reduced road noise. I bought the car to refresh the warranty and enhance trouble free driving.

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  Cougar get an A+ - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By hiney1015 - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had my cougar for around a month now, and it is great. It is a very fun car to drive (its a v6 5speed). Its definately got nut when you want it to. The back deats are real comfortable, big trunk. If the backseats are folded, its bigger than my bed. The only thing I do not like about the car is the center console, its kind of a pain. Other than that, its all good.