Overview & Reviews

Mercury was a division of Ford Motor Company marketed as being somewhat more upscale than Ford. Throughout the latter part of its 71-year history, Mercury's vehicles were essentially Fords with unique styling details and special features meant to enhance their desirability relative to similar Ford products.

It all started in the 1930s, when Edsel Ford, Henry Ford's son, saw an opportunity to create an additional brand within the Ford hierarchy, one that would exist between the everyman Ford Deluxes and premium Lincoln Zephyrs. To achieve this, Edsel felt the vehicles of this new brand should offer distinctive styling along with innovative features and better capabilities. He named the new division "Mercury," after the Roman mythological god. The 1939 Mercury Eight was the division's first car. It distinguished itself from similar Ford products via a 95-horsepower engine that offered 10 more horses than the Ford V8.

The Eight proved to be a hit, with more than 155,000 sold by the early 1940s. Production stopped during World War II; after the war, the brand was realigned more closely with Lincoln. The company grew from strength to strength in the '50s, establishing itself as a maker of vehicles offering style, performance and cutting-edge technology. A dash of glamour was added to the automaker's image when James Dean appeared onscreen in a Mercury in the film Rebel Without a Cause.

The 1960s saw the introduction of Mercury's Comet and Meteor vehicles. The Comet featured diminutive dimensions and luxury accoutrements, while the Meteor was a midsize family car that followed the trend toward more reasonably sized cars. Racetrack wins boosted awareness of the Comet and helped the model make a big splash in terms of sales. By the end of the decade, the iconic Mercury Cougar, a variation of the Mustang, had been rolled out, its Eliminator version taking its place in the pantheon of legendary early muscle cars.

Hit hard by that decade's oil crisis, consumers during the 1970s were hungry for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Mercury responded with a new, smaller Comet and the Bobcat, the former a fancier version of the Ford Maverick, the latter a fancier version of the Ford Pinto. The brand's sales grew during a decade that was filled with turbulence and uncertainty for many competing marques. Mercury further expanded its lineup in the '80s, this time including the small, Ford Escort-based Lynx. Mercury enjoyed success with the 1986 launch of the Sable, a fraternal twin to the Ford Taurus whose sleek, aerodynamic lines and futuristic "light bar" front end styling set it apart from the Ford.

Mercury's sales hit an all-time high during the 1990s that would never again be matched. Minivans and SUVs were a big reason for that as Mercury introduced its Villager minivan and Mountaineer SUV. Late that decade it introduced a new Cougar, which differed from its predecessors by being a front-drive sport compact that also holds the distinction of being the last Mercury that wasn't a rebadged Ford.

The years following the new millennium were challenging for the brand, as changing consumer tastes and a lack of differentiation between Mercury and Ford vehicles hurt sales. Pundits often proclaimed the end of Mercury was near, but Ford kept stating it would keep Mercury around despite offering no hope for any unique future vehicles from the brand. Finally in 2010, Ford pulled the plug on Mercury, putting an end to more than 70 years of car-making heritage.

User Reviews:

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  Junk-Do Not Purchase - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By molesnevich - December 10 - 2:00 am

  Rotors warp every 8,000 miles. Poor braking distance. Transmission shift bad, sounds good but goes no where & I feel it will not make to my 60,000 mile lease end like my Tauras, Constantly out of alignment. Eats Tires every 12,000 miles even if rotated. Poor handling car. Rattles underneath.

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  Grand Marquis 2005 Body Change - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Everette B. Brown, S - October 15 - 4:00 pm

  We are very unhappy with the design of the 2005 Grand Marquis. There is a lot of road noise and wind noise around the windows. The ride is not nearly as comfortable as the older models. We have a 98 that is much more comfortable and has less road and wind noise than the 2005. We will not purchase another New Mercury Grand Marquis until some major changes have been made. We are hoping the Ford Motor Co. will buy this vehicle back and allow us to purchase another Vehicle. We travel back and forth to see our grandchildren and the 2005 makes it a very long 350 miles. The 2005 has been in the shop for window change out, it goes back in the shop for loose molding and for horn repair.

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  Lemon!!! - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By kp2002 - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This is the worst car ever!!! In the two years since I purchased the vehicle I have had it in the shop 6 times for stalling or not starting. I have problems with my windows leaking. The interior construction is a mess. Shortly after purchase, the upholstry in the back seat starting coming up. And dont get me started on the worthless cup holder that has spilled more drinks than it has supported. Also the interior lights have had shorts since purchase. Other than the cute body style I dont have anything positive to say!

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  okay but never again - 2005 Mercury Sable
  By Jane - September 28 - 12:13 am

  The car is okay. It has the most features for the price and the dealer has been more than helpful. My cars engine light is on about once every two months. It chuggs along. No comfortable for trips over 170 miles. Not the ideal car to rack miles on and expect minimal maitenance. Does handle well in the snow but not the cold.

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  Transmission Blowout - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By Karlina Dunston - September 14 - 5:23 am

  I own a Mercury Cougar and it has 58,000 miles on it. I always got the car serviced at the dealer, and the transmission went out on me with no signs. It just went out at 58,000 miles.

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  Mercury Disabled (Sable) - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By Julie - July 25 - 10:30 pm

  Now I know why this car has the nickname Mercury disabled I bought the car 4 months ago and it has been in the shop more than in my garage. The transmission went out 36 hours after I got it home (with 52k miles on it). Since that repair it has had a stuck pcv valve, an replace air intake cylinoid and now both front struts are bad. This good deal - even w/ an extended warranty - has cost me another $1200 in repairs. I would never, ever buy it again.

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  Worst car I ever owned - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By dannj1 - May 26 - 12:48 am

  From the start, I had all sorts of issues with my car. Maybe I got a lemon, but I took care if it and followed the regular maintenance schedule, still had all sorts of costly issues. Radio, interior peeling despite armoral on a regular basis, This car is the one car that made me turn from Ford made products and buy a Toyota, and Im a buy American type of person!

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  worth vechicle i ever purchsed - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By glenda gray - May 22 - 2:00 am

  ever since i have had this vechile it has been in and out of the shop.touble rattling in the motor, radio gone out, abs gone out, willnot stay started in the morning when its cold. it is the worse vechicle ive ever purchased. no one in the whole town like the suv. they hate they purchased it. it looks good and have great features but the motor is awful. and thats what really count. i think the worse thing is when you put it in the shop they cant even fix the problem.

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  Dont Waste Your Time - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By farfalle20 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  In the less than 3 years that I have had my car it has been a total lemon. First it was the brake system then the transmission and lately just like the other person on this rating it shuts down on the freeway whenever it feels like. I have had the fuel relay replaced as well as the computer and it still does this. I really wish I could just get rid of it. A great disappointment because it had the potential to be a really great car.

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  Get Rid of It Now!!!!!!!! - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Kateybug - May 18 - 2:00 am

  From day one this car has been a P.O.S. I had it in the shop more than i drove it and the dealership would never fix it right. Recently i have put over 900$ into the car and it still isnt working right. It has had 2 alternators, 2 batteries, 2 fuel pumps, ignition coil replaced, control arms went bad, tires go at only 13000 miles. The car only has around 44000 miles on it as of 2/1/04. Mass air flow sensor was replaced, computer has had to be reset over 10 times. Please take my advice get the extended warrenty i didnt and my pocket is paying for it. I know i got a lemon.. I decided to trade it in b/c i got so sick of it being so undependable.