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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  Great Buy! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Steve - October 3 - 11:20 pm

  First off, Mercury has hit the jackpot! I drove the 07 Toyota Rav 4 and for a 6 tall guy, very uncomfortable! (Plus, not very manly!) The Mariner is just a great SUV that gets pretty good gas mileage. Ive averaged 27 hwy and 24 city. The construction is great too! All car manufacturers are going with a lot of plastic and we all know it. But the interior is very nicely put together. Try the Rav 4 first and then drive the Mariner... youll see the difference!

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  My best car I ever owned - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By RichardTanner - September 30 - 12:43 am

  I love the color of my Mariner. I also like the high clearance below me as I go where other cars scrap. My car seems to also hold the road easily. I hope to have it for a long time. I wish this car would have been made before .My last Mercury was a villager.I liked it too. The sound system is really great as I dont ever remember a better radio/CD player in previous cars.We are planning a long trip this summer in the Mariner. Richard

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  Montego awd 2005 Premier - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By William Parris - September 27 - 8:46 pm

  Inside noise level is very low. The driver seat adjustment has enough travel room to satisfy most any driver. Traction control is great in keeping the car level in any kind of quick turns. This new Transmission does a great job with no feel that the engine, transmission ratio is changing. I think this is the best automobile that Ford has come up with by using some of Volvo proven designs.

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  Much better than the Honda CRV - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By bobincinti - September 25 - 6:53 pm

  I purchased a 2009 Honda CRV earlier this year. It had to be the most uncomfortable car I purchased and it was very disappointing. Honda missed the mark on that car. After 8 months and 12,500 miles, I had enough of it and I started looking for a car to replace it. The Mariner was the 3rd car I drove and I was sold. The dealer let me take the car for the morning and I racked up 90+ miles on the test drive. Excellent car, very comfortable, etc. The comfort is what sold me. The bluetooth and ipod ports are nice, I now need a new phone and speech recognizable player to match the features of the car. If you are looking at a CRV, you need to look at this car.

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  I FINIALLY FOUND MY CAR - 2002 Mercury Sable
  By Happy Owner - September 24 - 10:00 am

  I REALLY LIKE THE SABLE GS PLUS,ATTRACTIVE IN AND OUT,SUPER RIDE, AND A LUMBAR FOR SUPPORT,AND SAFE IN THE CRASH TESTS WAS ALSO A PLUS ..THIS WAS A USED VEHICLE BUT ALL THESE FEATURES SOLD ME..ID BUY ANOTHER ONE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT..GAS MILAGE NOT TOO BAD EITHER,AND STAYING WITHIN THE SPEED LIMITS IS A GREAT FACTOR TO STRETCHING THAT HIGH PRICE GAS TOO.(SO FOR SO GOOD).

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  a car for all seasons - 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Jack McGowan - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Have driventhis car all over the country and it has never failed me.I have a 97 Marquis and this car rides better than the 97.With 148k on it the engine is so quiet you forget it is running.

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  Classic comfort and quality - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By dale L. - September 24 - 7:16 am

  Have been wanting a large sedan for sometime after driving a smaller car for the mileage as a commuter. Now retired and 56 I decided it was time and after studying all reports and reviews I was convinced that this tried and true design was perfect for me. Also the fact that the car was a demo with very low miles made the price and deal UNBEATABLE!! Very comfortable and easy to drive and for a V-8 has reasonable mileage and is very quiet and smooth. Great value.

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  Love our Mercury Grand Marquis - 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Nancy Newell - September 22 - 3:26 am

  Bring back the crome strip on the dashoard. It made the inside richer looking. Need more interier colors to pick from in regards to carpeting and cloth seats.

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  listen up!! - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Hans P. - September 20 - 4:13 pm

  I drove a Dodge Ram pickup for 5 yrs. After all this gas price scam the American public was falling victim to I finally bought a car that is easy on my wallet. The Mariner rides great and handles well. The gas mileage is a litle less than advertised. But that depends on ones drivng habits. The only thing I didnt really like was that looking out the rear view mirror is a challege due to the rear seat headrests are in the way. Sooooo I was able to remove them and the rear view is much better.It has a great sound system with a 6 CD changer.

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  My 3rd and Favorite Hybrid - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By Greg L - September 20 - 8:10 am

  Easy to love this car. Great style. Fuel economy and build quality surpassed my expectations. I get the economy of a Civicand the roominess of a mid-sized SUV. Fully loaded with NAV, and leather under $30K. I average 30 MPG combined.