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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  COMFORTABLE AND FUN TO DRIVE - 2000 Mercury Villager
  By tedsmom - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Estate Villager for a little over a year, and it has been very dependable, comfortable, fun to drive, and good looking too. My kids love the rear a/c and rear floor heater. They also like to use the rear plug-in for their portable cd players. I love the comfortable leather seats, the digital dash, and the radio controls on the steering wheel. I have no complaints with my Villager Estate.

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  Good Looking and Reliable - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By Dave Johnson - October 27 - 10:00 am

  This was my first Ford product, but it wont be my last. Other than a few minor factory recalls, this has been an outstanding ride. Very comfortable, plenty of room and storage. I have the Mach Stereo system w/ 6 disk changer and that is very nice and convenient.

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  LOVE it - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Robin - October 27 - 3:53 am

  Had my 2002 V6 Cougar for 4 years now. I love it...love to drive it, love to look at it. Shocked to read the bad reviews. Ive had no problem what so ever with my girl. (Course, now I hope I didnt "just" look a gift horse in the mouth. I average about 32 MPG. I live in the mountains and love her get up and go! I broke her in hard though, I did not baby her I stomped on the gas peddle at every light just to break her in the way I wanted her to go. She jumps at the lights now. Shes perrrrfect.

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  Fun to drive - 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By Tom, Pgh - October 25 - 9:23 am

  I got this vehicle a week ago, and Im really enjoying it. I averaged 37mpg on the first tank of gas, mostly city but some highway travel. Still learning the hybrid and how to maximize mileage, but Im having fun doing it. The Nav system with the Sync and Sirius is awesome, it does so much. Very tight, handles well and runs well. The small engine has some pep, alittle noisy when you punch it down, but it handles the hills of Pittsburgh with ease.

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  Middle of the Road - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By Ericd2day - October 23 - 11:50 pm

  My 2010 Mariner has had some transmission issues. Feels like the engine is breaking and slowing the car down. Dealer says this is normal. Heated front seats get too hot too fast and should have a temp. setting. Still a lot of outside noise and engine is noisy when accelerating. Climate controls very good. Brakes not firm enough for me, need rear disc. Gas mileage varies but for the most part is very good. The I4 engine labors to get up to speed but then does OK to maintain, cruise control helps with mileage on highways. Wish I had opted for the V6 but thought the mileage would be poor. Ok car for now but I do not know if I would purchase another one.

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  Amazing SUV to own - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Chase Stratus - October 23 - 7:03 am

  I have purchased my 06 mountaineer luxury package with 173k and its been 3 months now and so far my driving experience with this vehicle has been nothing but smooth and comfortable. Yes i have had a few things done to make necessary repairs to drive shaft and a set of tires, but besides that the repair bill was not that high. i have gone Thousands of miles so far and has never broken down on me or my family. Kids love the rear seats, but will not recommend an adult sitting back there. it can be done but the head room will not be sufficient for someone over 5 ft tall. Starts every time, attractive and my favorite is that its really smooth driving. surprisingly, not much road noise, but you do hear some.

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  Best SUV on the market - 2005 Mercury Mountaineer
  By BEST Small SUV - October 23 - 5:53 am

  Outstanding SUV. Great to drive and I do lots of it. This SUV has been on cross country trips, local trips, and long trips. I have towed trailers, boats, and jet skies and it performs well. With the onboard computers you dont need to worry about traction, skids, reversing, mirrors, speed, moving the seats, you can focus on driving. Passengers are well entertained with the surround sound DVD player. It does it all for you so you can focus on driving. This has been a dream car, better than any car I have ever owned, even my 7 series BMW. 80K miles and only routine maintenance. It is as strong as when I got it. Perfect choice for anyone needing a small SUV, its the whole families first choice

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  Worst Mistake EVER! - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By SunshineE - October 23 - 2:43 am

  This car was the worst mistake my father and I could ever make. I should have known better. Its American made! Everything that could go wrong did. My father spent so much money fixing this car its ridiculous. He spent more than the actual cars worth! It has been in and out of our mechanic since Dec 2009, Ive had it less than a year and Im already selling this piece of junk. The gas mileage is horrible. 16.5 mpg (city) I should be driving a huge SUV with that gas mileage. It was nothing but headaches beginning to end. I would strongly advise anyone to never buy this car. I cant wait to get rid of it. Im scared every time I get in it. I always think its going to break down on me. Never again!

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  Love My Mariner - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By caroline - October 21 - 4:56 am

  Well, I have had my Mariner for a year now and simply, I love it! It is a great car that I feel safe in. It looks sharp and holds a lot for a smaller SUV. The only downside so far is that the gas milage is a little less than I expected and disappointing with the current cost of gas, but still I would never trade it!

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  Luxurious SUV with Manners - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Jay - October 20 - 10:46 pm

  This is my first Mercury Mountaineer and I am very happy with the vehicle. It is a luxurious SUV that can be purchased at a very good price. The layout of the console is nice and very attractive. I really like the more refined looks of the detailing on the Mountaineer when compared to other SUVs. For an SUV the vehicle rides smoothly down the road. The engine performance of the V6 is adequate, and the transmission is smooth. Mercury really has a winner!!!