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 am extremely pleased w/ the design of the vehicle, it is comfortable for 4 adults and luggage. Also the gas mileage is very good - power on highway is adequate - traveling 75-80 on interstate. Very roomy interior and trunk is very large. Vehicle handles very well in traffic and responds well. sound system is very good and I am just plain very pleased with the vehicle after 12,000 miles.
nice car but the engine makes too much noise. it has toomuch road noise.
Visually a successful modernization of
the Sable. Solid feeling chassis.
Larger wheels. Excellent, though
conservative, body lines and exterior
materials. The interior is improved
over the Sable giving a superb seating
position. The few new electronic
readouts are helpful. The seats are
disappointing in that there is
inadequate lateral bolstering,
although this car isnt going to
generate much g-force on turns so it
may be academic. I wanted to remain
loyal to mercurys value oriented
products but the engine/transmission
combination and the added weight make
this a sluggish, underpowered car. I
prefer my Sable in that regard.
Overall an impressive redo but fatally
underpowered.
We moved from Califorina to Klamath Falls and was concerned about snow and ice. We bought the car with Tracktion control as well as shiftless transmission. We have seen people slide alot this winter but we only slid once when, going to fast, I moved into the center lane after a snow fall to make a last minute left turn.
I love my Montego CVT AWD. It handles so great for a car of its size, and has awesome acceleration (obviously, not better than a Maxima or Avalon...). Last night, I was coming home from a party, and I had some fun on the highway. Let me just say, the CVT really has a great ratio spread and the engine, despite having only 203 hp, is pretty snappy above...60 mph. (ok, around 75 I floored it, and the tacho went up to 6700 rpm, and I went from 75 to 90 in around 2 seconds!) BTW I wasnt drunk, or anything. I just was in a great mood, and I wanted to drive fast. I can only hope the new Montego has more (it will,because of the 3.5 liter engine) driving pleasure
If youre not hung up on luxury car brand names then the Montego is a great alternative care choice. Roomy, solid feeling ride, good looking (although not in the class of some of the luxury brands), great cabin layout, pretty good stereo system, acceptable accelaration. Lots of bang for the buck! I get a lot of looks when Im driving this car. I got it in the Merlot color. I switched from a 2003 Acura TL to the Montego. I considered the Avalon, the Azera, the ES330 and the TL, but decided to instead pocket the extra $3,000 to $6,000 those cars would have cost. I just rolled past 1,000 miles and I havent regretted my choice.
Just Bought used with 30k on it. Love the leather and look. However the engine is bit gutless...I am going to add KN filter to see if that helps. Otherwise can was a steal and look and drive great.
Smooth ride and very quiet powerful V6 and opional AWD and very nice interior with very comfortable seating and very roomy and it has great crash test ratings
I was looking for an AWD sedan, and drove the CVT Montego. The car is big, but I found the drivers seating position to be cramped. Power was adequate, but the engine was rough and noisy. The CVT was weird, but seemed to work OK. I could get used to it. The car is nothing special to look at and a bit unrefined. The price is right, however, and if it had been more comfortable, I might consider it. There are too many other choices out there.
Excellent handling on slick roads. Braking very good. Has plenty of power for passing. CVT provides smooth acceleration. Very good view of outside. User Reviews:
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