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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  GREAT MINI VAN - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By TEC - January 2 - 10:00 am

  great vehicle - great NVH - GREAT FUEL ECONOMY - GREAT PERFORMNCE - GREAT SPACE FOR LONG TRIPS - GREAT FEATURES- INFO CTR.-FOLDING REAR SEAT- JUST A FUN TO DRIVE CAR

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  False Promises - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By II - December 30 - 5:36 pm

  Build quality is dismal. In 28K miles, I have new tires, new rear brakes, new traction control chip, new windshield wiper cowl and the power doors have been adjusted 3 times already. Gas mileage is poor. 14 city & 17 hwy. Dealer promised 18/23 which never, ever happened. Interior materials are poor quality and cheap. Only reason I bought it (left over model with huge discount of $15K off list). Thats where the bargain ended.

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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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  Cheap Van - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Flminivan mom - August 14 - 9:13 am

  We purchased our van new (17 miles) in 4/2005 because of the huge discounts offered thinking it was a great deal. This van has had to have rotors turned 3 times, rotors replaced 2 times, has been in for a leak under the rear seat 4 times (w/mildew), has been in 2 times for interior problems (dash) and had had the front tires replaced 2 times and other misc. problems. It now has 21,000 miles and is going back again for brake issues - vibration when braking. Dont waste your money on this unless you dont mind running it back for repairs every few weeks. Ford needs to acknowledge the major safety issue with the rotors. Too many others have had same problem for ours to just be a lemon.

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  Bad MPG! - 2006 Mercury Monterey
  By jfturf - April 13 - 2:13 pm

  Its very average and the gas mileage (13 mpg city) is horrendous. Poorly placed cup holder for driver, poorly designed center console, too expensive for what it is. 3rd row seat is very close to the floor and is only suitable for small children. Even a small adult would have his knees in his mouth sitting back there.

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  Monterey: nice surprise - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By NT - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Easy to use seating, quick response, smooth and ultra quiet ride, somewhat pricey yet well above average in overall performance in its class- Monterey is a welcome addition to the stylish but practical minivan.

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  Excellent Van - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By LA - February 1 - 10:26 am

  I absolutely love everything about this van. We purchased it new and fully loaded. I love the way the third seat folds down for extra space if needed. I love the controls for the audio and cruise on the steering wheel at my fingertips. I love the fold down mirror to be able to see my passengers in the rear seats. It is the best van for the money. I get compliments on its looks all the time. The only problem was the self-sealing tires staying aligned. But, having said that they really do work. I got a nail in my tire on the interstate at 70mph. The tire held up until I got to my destination then went flat. The van did not jerk or anything, messgage center let me know to check the tire

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  The ultimate mini-van - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By ayman_z - December 30 - 10:00 am

  The Monterey feels and drives like a sedan with all the room that you expect from a mini-van

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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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  Only for Mercury Fans - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Boca Heat - August 26 - 6:06 am

  great on a road trip, never misses a beat. room to spare, good ride, good front seat comfort. Poor quality interior. Cheap plastic, poor fit and finish..looks and feels cheap, even the leather seats are not very good quality. very bad dash controls, figure it out if you can. this van will run hard and never fail its owner.