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:

• 

  Great MiniVan - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By Bernard Murphy - August 26 - 5:56 am

  My decision to purchase the Mercury Monterey was based on the need first of all for a van. Secondly, I needed a vehicle that could take a power lift to put my electric scooter in back (I am handicaped). The Mercury Monterey was one of only a few vehicles that could handle the type of lift I needed. It is easy to enter, comfortable to drive, and filled with luxuries. The engine is quite zippy and takes freeway speeds easily. If someone wanted a dragster, they would not be in a van. All in all a great vehicle.

• 

  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

• 

  2004 - Great value ! - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By Brian - May 14 - 12:26 pm

  Bought in July 2004, now have 15 K on Odometer. Runs great. Drove 1600 miles on recent vacation from Ohio through PA mountains to ocean and back. Avg 21 MPG. Was 24mpg on flat lands of Ohio with a/c on and 5 people on gear on board. Cant beat the value and the power !!!!!

• 

  Mercury Montery Mileage - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Mercury Driver - May 2 - 10:00 am

  We traded a 2000 Olds Siloutte and are somewhat disappointed with the Montery in comparison. The gas mileage on the Montery is VERY disappointing. We are averaging 14 around town and about 19 on trips. This van is also much louder (engine/road sounds) than was our Siloutte. While the van looks great, we are disappointed with mileage and interior noise. I also need to note when the rear DVD player screen is in use it completely blocks the drivers sight view from the rear view mirror. This was not the case in our Oldsmobile. Lastly, the auto climate control is confusing in setting temperatures for driver, passenger and rear. The fan speed cuts back to soon leaving the car uncomfortabe

• 

  2005 Mercury Monterey-Simply Wonderful ! - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By Dobewon - April 28 - 2:43 pm

  Purchased 9/2005 due to Friends/Family Pricing. MSRP over 33,000 but with 6,000 in rebates and Family pricing, came to just over 23,000. With some 10,000 off list, MONTEREY is an EXCEPTIONAL value ! Stable, quiet and smooth rider. Well appointed interior. Wood/chrome trim; dash chrome analog clock a "showpiece". With its long list of standard features, choosing Monterey over Freestar seemed like a "no-brainer"; and compared to Toyota and Honda we saved thousands due to rebates/pricing not to mention just being able to afford a vehicle of this caliber ! This replaced a 2000 Ford Windstar and no comparison to the comfort and "luxury" feel of the Monterey. Really like this one !!

• 

  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.

• 

  Monterey Van Review - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Susan H. - March 27 - 2:43 pm

  Overall we are very pleased with our Monterey Van and would recommend this van to others. It drives smoothly and is wonderful to take on long trips. The interior design of the van is what we like the most. It is easy to move around and the front passengers have lots of room for storage. We like all of the extra features, there are so many. We love this van!

• 

  Quality Minivan-fun to own - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By Bill1437 - February 25 - 4:43 pm

  My 2nd mini-van; very functional and fun to drive. 2 minor complaints; storage bins not deep enough, lift gate light not automatic. Use the folding 3rd row seat several times a week. DVD player great when having children on a trip. Sorry they stopped making them.

• 

  Mercury Montery - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By van user - February 11 - 10:00 am

  We recently purchased a Mercury Montery. Wow! This vehicle is just a pleasure to drive. I still am learning what all the bells and whistles are for. It gives you a smooth ride with a lot of pep when you require it. I love it. The gas mileage could be a little better. Ford needs to work on that aspect, but the performance of the vehicle is superb. Very comfortable. Another point that would be nice is if all the seats folded flat. The rear seat operates quite easily.

• 

  Best Mercury Van ever! - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By vanlady - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Great to have a van from Mercury again...and they nailed it! It is the most luxurious interior on a van that i have seen!