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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  The Mercury that could save Ford! - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Paddler - March 20 - 6:10 pm

  Really the Fusion and the Milan could be the cars that put Ford back on the path to profitability. The Milan V6 is a pure joy to drive. Very responsive steering with a good "on center" feel. Nicely appointed. Smooth shifting 6 speed auto, very reasonable fuel economy (22 mpg around town with AC on). I prefer the 16" wheels as they give the car a better ride than the lower profile 17" wheels. Would I buy this car again, no hesitation, Yes!

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  Good Value - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By George B. - March 18 - 6:50 pm

  Reliable, but could use more power and interior room

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  Brilliant! - 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By gandk262 - March 14 - 3:53 pm

  This is amazing. Great mileage, comfort, solid construction - in fact, I was rear-ended at a red light in March and the vehicle that hit me was totalled. Despite the speed at which I was hit I was well protected. The rear gate, bumper, spare tire, cargo bed and battery took the brunt of the hit but I was fine. Fortunately, so were the occupants of the other vehicle. And the mileage? Wow! Wed always avoided SUVs on principle, but if your lifestyle really demands one, this is the way to go.

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  Roomy and Powerful - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By luvmymarauder - March 13 - 2:00 am

  The Marauder is truly a one-of-a-kind car on the market right now. It has great room, a nice sounding stereo, great performance and handling and a very nice interior. It has a great exhaust sound and throws you back in the seat when you step on it to get around that slow car on a two lane highway.

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  Great gas mileage - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By BRocker - March 11 - 4:46 pm

  I had the Mariner for 5 months now. Excellent vehicle to drive. Averaging 31+ MPG mixed mode driving. I drove a 200 mile trip recently and averaged 33+ MPG. Great vehicle. Roomy interior. I love the sunroof and enjoy trying to get the best gas mileage. Traded in a Dodge Caravan (14+ MPG) saving lots of money.

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  RIDING QUALITY WITH SAFETY AS A PRICE - 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Jim Wharton - March 8 - 2:00 am

  TRADED A LINCOLN TOWN CAR FOR THE MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS AND THE RIDE IS VERY SIMILAR AND LUXURIOUS. EXCELLENT ACCELERATION AND DRIVEABILITY. VERY COMFORTABLE ON LONG TRIPS AND LESS TIRING. EXTERIOR DESIGN GIVES A QUALITY IMAGE. INTERIOR DESIGN DUPLICATES THE LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES. HUGE TRUNK SPACE. REALLY THE TOP VALUE 4 DOOR SEDAN ON THE MARKET IN MY ESTIMATION.

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  Gives the Japanese a run for their money - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Paddy - March 6 - 1:03 pm

  Our 9 year old Honda Accord got dinged recently in a hit and run, and we finally replaced it with a Mercury Milan Premier V6. Indians like me have prefered Japanese cars with reliability, and we still have a Nissan Sentra. This is a beautiful car. Never mind what the critics say. It seemed to turn wide, but not after we got used to it. The Accord was like that initially too. The drive quality, its smoothness, the pickup with the V6 engine, the trunk space, everything is a smash. We have a small baby, and we decided to get the side impact air bags as part of the safety package. It was worth it, given the positive crash test ratings. Our baby sleeps great in the car.

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  Very Impressed - 2008 Mercury Milan
  By Very Impressed - March 3 - 5:20 pm

  I really like this car. I traded in a 2006 Mercury Montego, and overall like this car much better. Plenty of leg room in the front, handles very well, nice pickup, and the gas mileage is not bad. The car looks great, better tires and wheels than the Montego, plenty of trunk space. Fun to drive.Overall, I am very happy with this car and would recommend to everyone. Coming from a full size to a mid size makes me like the mid size better. I change cars every 26 months, and this cars a keeper.

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  excellent - 2004 Mercury Sable
  By zoomcts - March 2 - 5:01 pm

  all around excellent vehicle from size, comfort, travel and luxury and on top of that affordable! I have had this car for a long while and there has been no major problems, just regular car maintance!

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  I Love it!! - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Rice - February 24 - 12:56 pm

  Just purchased my Mariner and absolutely love it! I have the Premier model with all the toys. Cant wait for warmer weather to use the sun roof. I did alot of research and drove several different vehicles upon making my decision. Same gas mileage as the van I traded in so no real complaints there either.