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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  I love my Mercury Milan - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By A.P.M - July 30 - 4:26 pm

  Ive only had this milan for a couple of months and i really like it. I was very nervous about buying it because Ive always owned a honda accord and I will say this mercury milan gives the accord a run for its money. I am so happy I bought it. It really goes so smooth in town and on highway. Im very glad I had an open mind and tried something new the "Mercury Milan".

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  I love this van! - 2001 Mercury Villager
  By ImJustaGirl - July 29 - 10:00 am

  I have NO CLUE why the editor ratings arent better for this van! We recently bought one, and before purchasing it I asked tons of Villager owners (that I spotted in parking lots, ect) what they thought of their van, and NOT ONE PERSON had a bad thing to say about it! We bought ours and absolutly LOVE it!

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  Awesome Buy - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By LM - July 25 - 10:16 am

  one of the best car purchases i have made yet, milan looks good inside and out, also handles well on roads, would recommend for anyone in the market for a new car.

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  Tough little car - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By barry - July 23 - 7:50 pm

  This car is very economical to drive. Not just the mileage, but also maintenance and repairs (which have been few) FYI it does have a recalled fuel pump, which I havent taken care of bacause problems dont surface if you keep the tank over half full --- thats easier than keeping it in the dealership for an entire day;

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  It will make you feel good - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Mlavender - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Poor Gas Milage. Great everything else. No matter what, get running boards. It looks horrible without running boards.

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  Another great vehicle! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By smt921 - July 20 - 9:00 am

  This is my second Mariner and I could not be happier. I previously had a 2005. The slight changes made to this model have been well appreciated. Love that the base price came down as well.

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  Great Car - No regrets - 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By georgek - July 19 - 7:26 am

  I bought this car as a "winter beater" but it is immaculate and a fantastic riding car. It performed admirably this past winter in NW PA. I just took a 220 mile trip and got 26.7 mpg - AWESOME for a car this size with a V8. Ive always loved the Grand Marquis - my parents had a 1984 LS and we retired it with 221,000 miles on it. Im hoping for a repeat performance with mine!

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  Does everything well - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Steelerfan - July 8 - 8:23 am

  Im really in my element driving a big, comfortable American-made sedan. I traded a 1995 Buick Roadmaster with more than 200,000 miles on a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis LS and after 10,000 miles, I find that my LS does everything well. Its big, comfortable, reliable, well-built and a pleasure to drive.

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  My 2001 Grand Marquis - 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Barry Twilley - July 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the largest, most comfortable, most powerful car I have ever owned. Its great in comfort on long trips. I like the outside and inside styling. I bought the leather interior with the handling package.

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  A great car at a great price - 2000 Mercury Mystique
  By Mystical Mercury - June 28 - 7:56 pm

  I have owned the Mercury Mystique since August 2000 and I could not be happier. This car has excellent pick- up. Two problems I have had with this car is replacing the alternator at 40,000 miles and replacing the fuel sensor (under $100.00). I have been extremely satisfied with my purchase.