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 new kind of mercury - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By T.S. - October 20 - 9:56 pm

  I went from a compact truck to this impressive midsized sedan. I was looking for a Fusion but no dealers were ordering the base model I4 with all the options. I looked at the milan and found one loaded with everything available. I test droe it and took it home the same day. The feel of the vehicle is excellent, interior quality is best in class. I love the feeling of power shifting through the gears and still getting 29-31 mpg. The savings alone in gas is worth it to me. I am a young guy who would have never thought about a Mercury, but this car is fantastic. I havent had any problems and dont anticipate any!!!! If you are looking at any import midsize, you need to see this car.

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  Great styling - 1997 Mercury Sable
  By Ben - October 19 - 5:56 am

  Very stylish vehicle.Quiet on the road,fels like a luxury car, 28 miles per gallon around town. Comfortable seats with lots of leg room. Speakers could be better, like the temperature readout and the controls. Great car for the money.

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  Above avrage - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Sherwood I. Franson - October 19 - 5:53 am

  A good Car for the Price. Should have changed the looks more often Full Frame

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  Very nice car - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By hello - October 19 - 1:53 am

  The first gear is a little short. Lots of power and lots of extras. Very nice styling and lots of leg room.

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  Worst Vehicle I have ever owned - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By bspagnolo - October 16 - 11:28 pm

  Had a 2000 Windstar that had three transmissions in 36,000 miles. Foiund it had silent recall. Got this with concessions from Ford. Many service issues. Just had the third row seat restraints break loose from the frame. Whole underside of drivers side is rusted underneath . NTSHA has an investigation on this vehicle for safety issues regarding seat mounts breaking free because of rust. I have a 12x12 hole in a wheel well and Ford wont do anything. Only 67,000 miles, Wife drives it. Garage kept. This is the second vehicle ford let us down on. I have owned fords all my life and never again. They dont stand behind what they sell. I suggest everyone with this vehicle check the wheel wells row

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  TRIED & TRUE - 2002 Mercury Sable
  By Joe Wisz Hebron, IN - October 15 - 5:53 pm

  This vehicle is tried and true. You cant go wrong with it, unless the owner abused it. I previously owned a 2002 Sable LS Premium (ALL the bells and Whistles) now our family needed a second car, this was a no brainer decision for us! Ford (Mercury) is stupid for retiring it and now trying to reinvent themselves by slapping the Sable label on the Montego, which I also own. Toyota wont be retiring the Camry or Avalon name any time soon! The Montego is in a class of its own and is also an excellent vehicle. Fords got good product and great value, forget the imports buy AMERICAN and keep your neighbors working! The Sable is a GREAT vehicle- if you get a deal buy one

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  Looks Good but Buyer Beware!! - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Cougar Lover & Loser - October 14 - 4:13 am

  I have had my Cougar for going on 4 years now. It had 69k when I bought it & I just took it over the 87k mark last week. Let me start off by saying that I love the looks of this car, especially with all the bells & whistles (like leather seats, moonroof, and traction control) BUT the looks alone are not worth the hassle the Cougar brings. I have replaced the alternator ($700/ea) three times! IN LESS THAN 18,OOO MILES! Today, I noticed the same old flickering lights & I headed off to trade her in for a Rav4!

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  Pretty Standard? - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By bill denver - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Good value if you pay only blue book! The certified programs are a racket since you will inevidibly be back in the dealership for something little every other month. Things here and there add up when you are spending $100 deductible every visit. Ive already had three recalls on mine...mostly minor. Had rear wiper motor, turn signal switch, exhaust sensor, fan blower motor replaced in first year. Overall, the v8 has great pick up for an SUV and it has lots of power. The styling is nicer than same platform explorer. Still rugged! LOUD,LOUD,LOUD! Interior noise is deafening.Handles roughly, very rigid!But it is an suv, not a mercedes.

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  One Month and Going Strong - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By William Koonce - October 13 - 7:33 pm

  One month of driving...for whats its worth. I drive a Lincoln...the Mercury is for my wife. The Mercury cabin is quiet on the highway. For an SUV, the ride is incredibly soft, yet possessing none of the roll for a soft, high-sight vehicle. The interior finish is quality, with lines, not gaps. The GPS and all readouts easily show up in reflective sun (something important to me). The vehicle accelerates quickly, possessing power to pass on a hill. The exterior exudes an affluent demeanor. Regarding the platform, I found the “expert” reviews humorous, as some considered the proven platform “old” and in need of an upgrade. Give me a proven mature platform over a young, flashy platform any day!

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  Love My Mountaineer White/LtGrey - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Helene M - October 13 - 10:00 am

  Love My Truck.....rides great have 29,000 miles, never had a problem with her. She is quick n very comfortable, n she is very pretty,gas mileage is ok ,but its an 8 cyl!! Love it so much I released it 4 another 6 months!!