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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  My 4th one - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By 4th one - November 21 - 7:56 pm

  This is my 4th Mountaineer all purchased new. 97/02/04 and my current 06. No problems with the first 3 whatsoever. Unfortunatly the 06 has had trany problems from day one. 30,000 miles on it as of today and the trany probley remains. Hard down shifts 2/1, almost like being rearended every time. Dealor and factory rep say this is normal. I find it totally unacceptable. Must be in the design. Other than the trans probs,and the ridiculous design of the inside door handles, I could not be happier.

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  Fun full size car to drive - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By David Sheuring - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I am the owner of the 03Marauder and I love it. I have always driven older 60s and 70s sedans, which I still own. But I had been following the story of the Marauder for the last 3 years and was very interested in it. When the car came out, I had read the reviews and they were very complimentary on the vehicle. Then in May, 2003, I had a chance to purchase the only one this dealer had. This car drives like a car should drive, plenty of pickup, wonderful appearance and roomy inside and the trunk. The car is very easy to drive and can be pushed if needed. I find that I can keep this car looking like new. It is very easy to clean.

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  1999 Villager Sport - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By Teresal - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle for a small family. Compact sport styling and good low end response make driving around town a pleasure. Comfortable ride and well appointed interior. Removable second row buckets and sliding rear seat make it easy to create a larger cargo volume. Very satisfied with choice to date.

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  I Fell In Love - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Sherese Booker - November 18 - 9:36 pm

  When I saw my truck on the lot for the first time, I FELL IN LOVE!! I just knew that it was meant for me. I love the way it handles the road and its reliability. I like the fact that I dont really have to turn my attention off the road to adjust my sounds or my temperature.

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  Very happy - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By uvabeachbum - November 18 - 7:40 am

  Purchased this vehicle in June as a trade for my gas sucking minivan. So far I have been impressed with everything. With 2 kids, we have had no space issues.

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  Impressed - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By TosaGuy - November 15 - 9:53 pm

  Last year I test drove the 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid (cousin of the Mariner). I was underwhelmed. Fit and finish wasnt impressive, it wasnt a very smooth ride, and the nav system was terrible. I found myself in the hybrid market this year instead. I test drove the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Rav4. Before plucking down serious $$ for either of these, I decided to test drive the newly redesigned 2008 Mercury Mariner (influenced by reviews on this site). I have to say the test drive knocked my socks off! Very plush, top notch nav system, and very smooth ride. I opted for the FWD version. I avg 29mpg and love it! Fully loaded, I paid much less than a stripped Highlander!

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  Youd be fool not to buy one - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By dre - November 14 - 12:16 am

  So far its been a great suv. Weve driven it in some severe waether conditions such as flooding and it handled quite well! Hasnt seen snow yet! Its also a very comfortable vehicle,if you get the premier its more luxury than sporty!

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  2009 Mercury Milan Premier - 2009 Mercury Milan
  By Steve C - November 12 - 10:06 pm

  My wife and I have been looking at different make and models in this size range. We have been toyota owners for the past 30 years and let,s face it the US automakers for a while could not compete for style and reliability with the foriegn makers.Through consumer reports and Edmunds we investigated this model and the Fusion for US models. After test driving we determined the Milan felt more tight and comfortable. Our model has the works as far as options, and everything is easy to reach within the cab.Mercury has hit a home run with this model. Perhaps the near collapse of the domestic market has spurred on this innovation and I beleive FOMOCO has turned the corner on the market.

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  Excellent - 2008 Mercury Milan
  By Derrick Bledsoe - November 10 - 11:13 pm

  Excellent experience, I honestly dont have any complaints, the ride is great, the color is gorgeous. The v6 power keeps you ahead of traffic.

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  Love my Milan - 2010 Mercury Milan
  By Betsy - November 10 - 3:46 am

  I looked everywhere for a cash for clunker deal...tried every car on the market & was very disappointed until I pulled onto the Lincoln/Mercury lot. One look at my Milan & I was hooked. The Sync entertainment system is the best on the market. One complaint: The headrests on the front seats were so bad, I almost couldnt buy the car. Headaches and back pain from the unnatural, extremely awkward head position...picture head jutting forward, with the back curled clam shell-like...not a good look on me. After taking the car to the upholsterers to see if he could stuff the seats, he fixed the problem by bending the head rests up & "Millie Pearl" & I drove home a happy duo!