Overview & Reviews
When the Mercury Montego first showed up in the late 1960s as a replacement for the popular Mercury Comet, it was meant to compete with the rising tide of imports. These Mercury sedans and coupes were larger than the Comet and offered additional performance and luxury variants. The Cyclone version was the division's entry in the then-popular muscle car segment. Under the skin, the Montego shared its platform with sister Ford division's Torino.
But by the mid-'70s, the Montego had grown considerably in size and was eventually discontinued. However, the Montego name wasn't without its successes; in the early '70s a Mercury Montego won several NASCAR races.
The Montego name was MIA throughout the 1980s and '90s. Then Mercury resurrected the Montego nameplate for the 2005 model year. It was still a clone of a Ford, however -- in this case the Five Hundred -- but with a different grille and taillights. Alas, this latest Montego revival was short-lived, as Mercury dropped the name and returned to the more well-known Sable moniker beginning with the 2008 model year.
Before its name change, the Mercury Montego didn't exactly light the large sedan segment on fire. However, it offered a roomy cabin and trunk, available all-wheel drive and an unusual elevated driving position, and its Volvo-derived underpinnings imbued it with a solid feel from the driver seat. If you find the Montego appealing, you're in luck -- low resale values make the Montego a bargain on the used-car market.
Most Recent Mercury Montego
The Mercury Montego large sedan remained largely unchanged during its brief existence. The Montego and its Ford twin, the Five Hundred, were built on a modified Volvo platform. Though it was never a segment leader, the big Mercury did have some interesting features. For example, it offered a notably high stance, which gave the driver a commanding view of the road similar to that of an SUV. The car also boasted a spacious rear seat and a large trunk with 21 cubic feet of storage space.
All Montegos came with a 3.0-liter V6 good for 203 horsepower. A six speed automatic was standard. Acceleration from this powertrain was adequate at best. Front-wheel or all-wheel-drive models were available. All-wheel-drive Montegos came with a constantly variable transmission (CVT). The six-speed automatic transmission performed decently, but the CVT was smoother and did a better job of keeping the engine in its power band.
What the Mercury Montego lacked in pure power, it partially made up for by offering engaging handling dynamics. It delivered both a comfortable around-town ride and a moderately sporty demeanor when the road turned twisty. The Montego's interior was also spacious and attractive. However, the quality of the materials was somewhat lacking when compared to the car's Japanese competitors.
Offered in two trim levels, Luxury (base) and Premier, this full-size Mercury was nicely equipped right out of the box. The Luxury came standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, foglights, dual-zone climate control and full power features including a six-way power driver seat.
The Premier added heated leather seating, wood-grain trim, an upgraded audio system and a two-person memory feature for the driver seat and mirrors. Exterior changes to the Premier included 18-inch wheels and perimeter lighting. Many of the Premier's upgraded features were available as options on the base Luxury trim.
Standard safety features included ABS, traction control, front and rear head curtain airbags, and front and rear side-mounted torso-protecting airbags. Stability control was not available on any Mercury Montego.
Past Mercury Montego Models With just a few years in production, the Montego received only minor changes after its 2005 introduction. For 2006, the Montego was endowed with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, and a DVD entertainment system and a navigation system were added to the options list. Bottom line: If you're looking for a used large sedan that prioritizes spaciousness over performance, there are worse choices. Moreover, the Montego's low resale value certainly adds to its appeal for shoppers on a budget. But if you're looking for a car that offers plenty of room along with spirited acceleration, you might want to consider other large sedans.
I continue to be impressed with the car overall. The fuel mileage has steadly increased from 21.8 during winter driving around town to as high as 24. Highway mileage is 26 to 31+. This mileage is accurate as I compute the mileage every fillup. The awd is fantastic. I drove through snow that was coming over the hood and never lost traction. The low end torque makes it possible to start off without spinning the tires on ice and heavy wet snow. The defrosting is great even with the heavy snow in very poor visibility. The stability and control is better than all the 4 wheel drive vehicles I have had in over 50 years of driving.
This is really a nice car. Moved from a Linclon LS to this. The engine is a little underpowered but this is a very comfortable car to ride in and it has tons of room and lots of leg room. The interior is well appointed. I already have two door dings which may be caused by the increased height of the vehicle, but overall, it is well designed, very comfortable and attractive.
The Mercury Montego is a great family sedan with loads of interior and trunk space.
The elevated seating is a very nice feature which is not only comfortable but allows easy entrance and exit from the vehicle.
The instrument panel is attractive and functional, and the leather seats have a nice look to them.
After the first 13000 miles, we have yet to experience our first problem of any kind. The ride is very comfortable and the handling is very controlled. Mileage seems to be about what they claim for the car which is 21/29mpg. Performance is sufficient for a car this size unless you really need to be the first away from every light. Overall....a great car.
the montego has enough power for me. a bigger engine would be good for power buffs, but this vehicle will get up and scat pretty darn good. the only thing i wish it would have would be the power seat on the passenger side to adjust up and down. otherwise the seats are good. i love the height of the seats in the car, great visabilty. the car handles very ggod on wet pavement . on dry it has a tendency for a little understeer. my friend has the cvt with awd and it is fantastic. the volvo haldex system is probably the best on the market today and am glad that ford is using it on the 500 and the montego. to sum this up, a great car for the ride and price, roomy nad comfortable.
This is the best all round automobile that I have owned in a long time. It is fun to drive and very confortable. I love the trunk. I have been pleased with the fuel economy for such a large car. I think that Mercury has a real winner with this one.
Very solid, i also have a 04 town car, this has less wind noise. holds the road well,power ok, i would be happy with a few more horses. interior space is great. we wanted cloth seats, they are comfortable, but the leather version seems a bit wider, rear seat belts are hard to insert. headlights very bright, but have a short distance. local gas mileage good, should be better at highway speeds.
Ford has come a long way in producing a quality vehicle, owned this mercury from March 2005 never had any problems with it, put almost 17,000 miles on it until I got rid of it November 2005. This was/is HUGE car, lots and lots of room, great features and content. However, the darned thing just could not get out of its own way. Ford made a drastic mistake with the powerplant, its a shame because otherwise a great vehicle!!!
About a week ago i purchased a 07 Montego and its awesome. it has great features like HID Headlights and LED Tailights and a Navigation System and Sirius Satellite Radio and dual power heated Command Seating and a powerful DOHC 24V V6 Engine. And the interior has room galore and so does the trunk and the 18" Rims and Tires look awesome and the dark blue paint looks great along with the all black leather interior. oh and i almost forgot the rear seat DVD system is awesome if you go on trips or if you have kids and along with the smooth quiet ride you have got a great luxury sedan that is sure to win your heart and soul and sure to impress your family and friends GREAT job Mercury !!!!
Very good quality auto, ride is very smooth, power is ok. plenty of torque for hill driving. great auto and fun to drive. gas milage very good for auto of this size. 25 mpg should get better when broken in
This car seemed like a good deal, but after getting used to it I find many annoying items. Like the 2-zone air conditioning is really confusing and doesnt keep the settings when turned off. A/C has already needed major repair. At midday (high sun angle), the glare on the speedo is so bad you cant read it. Poor design foresight throughout. The information display is fairly useless and very confusing when trying to reset oil change interval. Dash board surface is bubbling. Light dash color glares horribly. Seat bottoms are too short and seats are too hard. Interior quality feels like a rental car. If you find dumb design annoying, dont buy this car. User Reviews:
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