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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  A lot better than you think - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By LAWNGUYLANDER - November 29 - 2:00 am

  Whats not to love about this car? Performance is great from the 260 hp v6. Acceleration/passing is quick. Ride quality is a perfect balance of not too tight/too soft. The cars exterior styling has a "high-end" German look about it. The cabin looks/feels luxurious with the wood accents and two-toned leather seats/door panels. The seats are exceptionally comfortable with the heated, and power recline options. The options include dual hvac, power adjustable pedals, power moonroof, memory seats, traction control. The sound system is awesome, powerful, clear, with a bass Punch that makes your ears hurt on vol =4. The trunk is massive, we got a hand truck, 15 gallons of paint and still had room.

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  Enjoy driving the Montego - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Suzanne - November 28 - 9:16 pm

  I just returned from a 500 mile trip to North Carolina, driving my new AWD Merc Montego. It is a joy to drive on the road and through the mountains. Very comfortable both in the front and back seat area. With 4 adults in the car, we felt uncrowded. The trunk is enormous and held all of our luggage with ease. All in all, it is a great car for travel.

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  A great mini van - 2001 Mercury Villager
  By Katie - November 28 - 8:03 pm

  This is my third minivan and second villager. I have only had to do normal maintenance, no major repairs. It is a very reliable car, comfortable to drive. Gas mileage ~18 mpg.

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  2nd Villager - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By drdong - November 28 - 1:38 pm

  Totaled the 1996 LS with 210K on it. Bought a "cheapie" donated 1999 for short term but love it inspite of the intermittantly sticky gas pedal. Have decided to keep her and put in new: irridium spark plugs and wires, rotor, cap, CV joints, front struts, rear shocks, Michellin Hydro Edge tires w/life time balance, timing belt, radiator hoses, thermostat, trans service and regularly change oil and filter. I want to put disk brakes in the back and looking for a "chip" to increase horse power. Am I a little nuts? Cheaper than new car payments yes?

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  Great Car - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Mike - November 27 - 11:40 am

  I got this car in apr 03 from an auction for 3k. well it had 97k miles on it then and it has 143k now and ive never had anything replaced. i did notice the hatch on the back likes to stick and the cup holder doesnt fit larger cups.. doesnt seem like that is worth complaining about tho. i think it is the "sports package" edition since it has everything on it i.e. moonroof, leather, electric seats, spoiler etc. i have traveled from Richmond to Miami and last summer stayed in Syracuse NY and drove down to Richmond VA just about every weekend for 3 months (yes a 7 hour drive!) and the car has never broken down or any problem what so ever! maybe i just got really lucky..

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  EXCELLENT VAN - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By rr - November 26 - 5:06 am

  HAD the chev venture and pontiac before this both were in the shop steady bought the mercury van and it now has 101000 on only problem was 120 bucks very reliable gets from 19 to 24 mpg very comfortable

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  Great Car! - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Bill Carowner - November 26 - 2:00 am

  This is our second Mountaineer and we are just as pleased with this one as we were with the first. The AWD is great, you never have to think about the roads being slippery. We can pack the whole family and our stuff into the car, and tow a trailer or boat without a problem. My 62" son often rides in the third seat and has plenty of leg room.

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  GREAT CAR FOR THE MONEY - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By kiltliftertexas - November 26 - 2:00 am

  Those of you who are considering should feel comfortable buying this sleek model coupe. I have highly enjoyed my experience. My only advice would be to make sure that the electronics and braking systems are in good shape. I have not had any real problems with mine, but I have heard of a few.

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  Wonderful SUV - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Chaseman5758 - November 26 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this just before Christmas and there wasnt any snow yet. But, last weekend we had a bunch of snow and it handled great! Fun to drive, and it holds a lot of people, too. Great and fun car! We love it!!

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  My Best Car Ever - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Jodi - November 24 - 5:23 pm

  From the beginning I have loved this car. It is my first Ford, normally I drive GM, and I couldnt be more impressed with my Ford. My Milan drives so nice and I get compliments on it all the time. I will continue to purchase Ford and I will do it at the same dealership. They were wonderful.