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 bought this car after the 2006 models had come out. The car is roomy, comfortable and has all the features I want. The dealer discounted the AWD with the CVT transmission. The transmission is very smooth but I only get 25 MPG on the highway and about 20 in town. My guess is that the MPG would be better without the AWD. Its a great car and Id buy another one. I like the name Montego much better than Sable. I had a 1992 Sable and it fell apart at 50,000 miles.
Just purchased a 2007 sedan and drove on a trip for 5,000 miles. Impressed with the interior comfort and ability to adjust the pedals as both my husband and I are rather tall. City driving is fine but accelerating uphill or to pass another car takes planning with the engine size. Back seat is very roomy but I wish they would have made the front seat go back farther for taller drivers and have the ability to adjust the steering wheel higher up to accommodate knees and high heels when entering the car. The rear auto-adjust mirror feature at night is great with the bright lights of vehicles coming up behind you. Overall good value with the quality and end of year price for us!
Since all of the test drives were done in the daytime, we didnt realize that there were no daytime driving lights until after the final deal. I like DTDLs especially for overcast and rainy days. I like to be seen. The interior is great except that there is no automatic unlock feature when you put the car in park. I did notice this before but thought it was minor. My mistake, very inconvenient. Did have the emissions light come on during a trip, took it to a Ford garage but they couldnt look at it for about 4 days. Couldnt even tell me if it was OK to drive. Very poor customer service IMO. As it turned out the gasket on the gas cap was bad. Dont like the gas cap design. Hard to use.
Replaced a Ford Windstar that was too large for the wife. She loves this vehicle. I now have my truck back.
Great interior. Very roomy for a car this size, needs a more powerful engine, great paint quality. I got sideswiped, dented the quarter panel pretty substantiallly but never broke the paint, needs a longer warrenty to compete, alternator went at 41,000 -- $500 ouch! 27 MPG (that will work)
Just got my Montego a month ago. Nice family car, lots of room for the kids. While people have complained about the acceleration I think it is adequate however the CVT gives you the impression the car is not accelerating. Interior is very comfortable for a 6 driver. The perforated leather is a little cheesy. Drives and handles nicely and the Merlot color turns heads, nobody even knows what kind of car it is.
car is fine, dealership outstanding,lot of room, not enough horsepower for cvt transmisson, light very good, out side antenna no good. car frame weak. noisy ride, center transmisson should be put back on steering column
I love the car. Bought it as a family car. The warranty expired, the car began having electrical problems with its climate controls and the heating seat. Heating seat will no longer work. Climate control will keep switching from leg, to window, to etc, all by itself. I still love the car. Driving stability on the road is awesome, the car corners very well without wobbling like others. Its also very quiet on the road. I can fit the stroller and groceries into the trunk with more than enough space left over.
we found the interior more attractive and of better quality than the Ford 500, Somewhat sporty drive with "firm" suspension. Mercury Salesmen are better informed about the car & had better choices. In the past, we have found the Mercury service departments to be very good. Price was comparable to "500" and good in this period of "employee type" discounts. better trunk space & controls than our "Avalon"
I changed the tires immediately, they were a bad ride. The motor is a bit loud in 1st first gear. I said the car hesitates when going into 2nd gear, but the dealer shot me down. The rear brakes drag when left overnight, there is a TSB so the dealer put new rear brakes and turned the rear rotors. The car is good on longer trips.The exterior mirrors are good in day driving, but I seem to have my vision on the left blocked and a glare. My wife likes the high drive visibility. Needs some more power when leaving from a light. I had a Mercury before this one and it lasted me 18 years, why fool with success. User Reviews:
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