Overview & Reviews

Mercury's Monterey minivan was born from the ashes of the previous-generation Ford/Mercury line of minivans, which were disappointing at best. Introduced for 2004, the Mercury Monterey and its twin the Ford Freestar attempted to offer more of what modern minivan buyers wanted. Features like a fold-flat rear seat, multiple storage bins and entertainment systems took center stage as Mercury tried to lure import van loyalists out of their Hondas and Toyotas.

The Monterey was an adequate family van and boasted an abundance of safety and luxury features. Still, in regards to engine power, ride and handling and interior design, it fell short of segment-leading minivans from Honda, Kia and Toyota.

Due to lackluster sales, 2007 was the last year for the Mercury Monterey.

Most Recent Mercury Monterey

The Mercury Monterey debuted in 2004 as a replacement for the Mercury Villager, a smaller minivan that was related to the Nissan Quest. The Monterey was powered by a 4.2-liter V6 making 201 horsepower and mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. With an engine that size, we expected a lot more power. Even in its day, nearly every other van on the market had a smaller engine that made more power and returned better fuel economy.

Standard feature highlights included antilock brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone air-conditioning, a power driver seat, front and center captain's chairs and a CD audio system. Among the Monterey's options were such niceties as a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

Changes were few over the short life of the Mercury Monterey. In 2005, heated and cooled perforated leather seats with suede inserts were added to the Premier trim level and a power rear liftgate became an option on Luxury models.

For 2006, the base Convenience and upscale Premier trims were dropped, leaving only the midlevel Luxury. Previously optional front side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags became standard. A wood steering wheel was also made standard, and the heated and cooled seats from the previous year's Premier were converted into an option.

2007 versions benefited from Mercury's extended five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty; this warranty is transferable, so it's a benefit to used shoppers as well. The 2007 Monterey also continued to be offered in one Luxury trim level.

In Mercury Monterey reviews, we found the minivan to be deficient in terms of ride, handling, comfort and value. And though the interior was very attractive at first glance, many trim pieces were flimsy to the touch and build quality is hit or miss. While recent minivans from Honda, Kia and Toyota are much better choices, nicely equipped Mercury vans on the used market sell for bargain-basement prices. If you find the Monterey to your liking, you'll probably be able to get one at minimal cost.

User Reviews:

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  Still doing great! - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Almon - March 28 - 8:46 pm

  My van now has 52,000 and the only problem was to replace a lock on a sliding door. Just replaced brakes and tires this month. Getting 21 mpg over all. About half of my driving is highway miles. My wife and I still love the looks and the comfort on roadtrips. The engine has a lot of torque and is fast off the line and good at passing in the 45-60 mph range. The advance trac feature really keeps it solid on the road.

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  Transmission/egr headaches - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By famster - November 16 - 10:36 pm

  My 04 monterey transmission went too, no warning! Cost $2000. 84,000 miles. Also having problems with engine light. Looks like egr valve. Cost about $350. Love the car, but the excessive repairs are bleeding me dry! With the transmission complaints abundant, why wont Ford do anything? From a large family of Ford owners, I may not purchase another due to lack of support of their owners and their own lack of accountability. How sad.

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  Excellent Choice for us - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By stevensample - July 8 - 10:46 am

  Our family bought a Monterey to help move my college bound daughters. We were sold on its design and functions, especially the huge area of cargo space. we fit in a 88" couch and moved kids from central Illinois to Wisconsin with easy. The ride is superior and the features are wonderful. We are currently downsizing and this vehicle is doing the job again. Beat any pick up truck, and can be quickly converted into a seven passenger van with little effort and luxury appearance and feel.

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  good value - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By mbailey1 - December 31 - 12:46 am

  When comparing this model to what else was out there this van with the rebates and year discounts made it a worthwhile purchase. Only problem in the short period we have had the van is that the freon in the air was low and didnt cool correctly. There wasnt a leak just improperly filled at the factory.

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  Glad I bought it - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By Vacoast - October 18 - 8:23 am

  I didnt want a minivan, she did and got her way. However, Im glad we bought it. The front seats are both power, heated and cooled. The second row of captain chairs are also comfortable. The third row isnt as comfortable, but we normally keep it hidden in the floor. The power sliding doors are a real convenience when carrying grandbabies or groceries. Also like the in dash 6 CD changer. Wish it had a GPS navigation system. But thats all I would add. Love to drive it. It is very agile for a minivan and is actually pretty quick off the line.

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  Comfortable, but piggy - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Sue - November 25 - 8:36 am

  Big bang for the buck. Lots of incentives, and extras included. Most comfortable of all minivans, even the new HOnda. Poor on gas mileage in city. Hwy, ok, but city is more like 14 or 15, not 18 epa. Enough room for everything.

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  Tires - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By lewisred - November 25 - 10:00 am

  Having just bought this car we have not had much experience with it yet. But so far we have had a problem with tires that bump. Also this van needs running boards and a grab handle for the driver. We are having to buy running boards and thought we could equip it with a lift for a scooter but having a problem with that also. Have to lose 3rd seat if we do.Hopefully the dealer can resolve the tire problem and we can get a lift that works.

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  read before buying! - 2006 Mercury Monterey
  By jersey montery owner - October 30 - 4:30 am

  We bought our Monterey during the "employee Pricing" campaign late last summer. Since then we have had several minor and major problems forcing us back to the dealership and to try to deal with Mercury direct. During our first extended trip, the LR wheel valve stem (obviously defective from the start as we only had about 800 miles at the time) went and we fought to have the resulting tire damage fixed by Merc to no avail. Gas mileage is extremely poor and I believe Ford/Merc are the only ones w/o a 60/40 split rear seat. We are now fighting turn signal switch issues and had to have a leak in the rear hatch fixed twice! TaKe a long hard look before buying!

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  A go anywhere - everywhere van - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By kjoe - June 14 - 10:00 am

  great room, plenty of power features, all the toys. hard to use radio and a/c controls, cheap plastic interior parts. super great ride and handles very well, power to spare. the best dealer service Ive ever had. van gets plenty of wows. this van is at home at the counrty club, road trip or shopping mall. easy to drive and live with

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  Moving Up To Mercury - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Lyndita - April 6 - 2:00 am

  I moved up from a Ford Windstar to the new Mercury Monterey and I love the luxury of the Monterey. The power is more than adequate for a fully loaded mini-van. And with the entertainment system, its the perfect family car for our frequent trips to Las Vegas.