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 because a I wanted a larger car with front wheel drive. This is one of the few that had it besides GM. Bought it new with 200 miles on it. It is definitely the most trouble free and dependable car I have ever had. I previously had a Cadillac Deville and it has all the bells and whistles I had on the Cadillac. I got the Premier because I wanted the leather seats and then got other options, too. I had always wanted a Mercury but had never had one. I shouldnt have waited so long to get one.
Our driving and ownwership experience thus far has exceeded our expectations. At this point we have 17,000 miles on this car, we had no problems and averaged up to 32.2 mpg highway and 20.0 mpg in relatively short distance city driving. Quality fit and finish is very good.
I just recently bought a slightly used 2007 Montego with 17K miles. It was a returned lease back that was in near perfect condition. I wanted a good quality larger American car that got good gas mileage. Im not your average Mercury buyer as Im 30 years old. So far I am really happy with the purchase. This car got such negative press since it first launched and I cant understand why? The engine is plenty adequate for every day driving. At 80mph Im only hitting 2,100 RPMs. This engine is really reliable as I had it in my Taurus and put 155,000+ miles on it with no major engine problems. Averaging 26MPG overall and usually 29MPG highway.
A laypersons assessment of the 2006 Mercury Montego Premier AWD. I was looking for a replacement for a 1999 Continental; felt the Montego came the closest and Im not disappointed. CVT transmission very smooth and satisfactory for passing. General driving --26.9 MPG after 2011 miles.
An exceptional vehicle. Ride, handling, interior room, CVT + AWD, fuel economy, build fit and finish have all exceeded my expectations. Wrap it up in a car that has the best safety rating of any American car, and you quickly understand that this is a wonderful vehicle that represents the best possible car/suv combo out there today, all for much less than my 06 RX330. It feels good to be able to buy American again. Bravo Mercury for a job well done!!!!
Our new Montego, like the previous 6 Mercs we have owned does not disappoint. The car is comfortable, good looking and comes with all the bells and whistles. The AWD feature is very welcome in a family sedan. The ride is soft, but that is precisely what makes it so smooth and comfortable. Acceleration is adequate, although far from being a speed demon.
Have had my Montego for almost 7 months & bought as certified pre-owned from dealer. This is a terrific car. I have AWD & am getting an avg of 22 MPG 60/40 highway & city. The CVT transmission and engine combination make for a good value with respect to gas consumption. The V-6 is a bit underpowered however. If it were 250-260 horses vs the 205 with the CVT tranny it would be perfect. (Nissan did this with the Murano- why cant you Ford?) Its adequate but you dont get the "jolt" when punching the gas.
The car is absolutly wonderful in the snow. Have had nothing but good to say about it. Caught the gravel once and the car pulled right out of it. Worst snow of the year and drove right through it, the all wheel drive is great! Plenty of room in the back for my teenage boys, more room in the car and trunk than in most of the SUVs on the market. Sits a little higher than other cars but lower than a truck. The only problem I have is reaching over the window sill at the bank and the ATMs. Going to sell the 2005 and buy a new one. I havent found another car on the market today that handles this well in the snow and rain, and the safety features are really comforting.
When I first purchased this car I was initially impressed.
It was very comfortable to drive with the seating and easy to get in and out of the car with lots of trunk space.
Unfortunately, then the problems started to surface.
The paint began to peel off the leading edge of my aluminum hood, the drivers side window goes down when you press the up button, the rear drums are rusting prematurely, and the module that controls my AWD shorted out my control panel!
The dealer quoted me $1900 to replace the module and keep my AWD! My first and probably last experience with the Ford brand.
BTW, my car has not even reached 100,000 miles.
I have been driving the Montego for almost 4 weeks, and it has yet to disappoint. Although most automotive rags dissed the engine as too small (should be an "8") I have found that with the CVT (transmission), the car flows nicely in highway traffic, and couldnt be smoother in the city. No problems there! The only problem I have encountered to date is the "rain spotting"; for some reason, the windows do not release water droplets well, and it is necessary to squeegee them after a rainfall, especially the rear window (which could probably use a wiper). Overall safety impression is positive due to volvo platform and higher stance (to counter SUVs, etc.). I give an A+ overall. User Reviews:
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