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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  The Sports Ultimate Coupe - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By sunshinechili - May 30 - 2:00 am

  My husband and I were at our lease-end of a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. We decided not to keep it, we were in the process of looking for a new car. We had our minds already set. Went Christmas shopping in a mall In Omaha. Seen the Sport Ultimate. The next day we test drove one and ended up purchasing one. I just love everything about it, the get-up and go. The color, the feature and the price was just right.

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  I love my car - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Devin Brooke - May 30 - 12:56 am

  I got my car last summer!! And i love it. I havent had any problems with it at all!! We had the air conditioner worked on but other than that its been great

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  Excellent midsize SUV - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Noel - May 26 - 3:13 am

  I traded a Dodge Dakota and a PT Cruiser in for the Mercury and am completely satisfied. It handles like a sports sedan, gets reasonable mileage, and is very comfortable. It is one of the few SUVs that include crossbars on the roof rack

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  Cant Complain... - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By PlainJoe - May 25 - 5:43 pm

  Got this used with 25000 miles, now has 55000 miles. At first, I expected trouble but the car gave me none. Has not been to the dealer. CANT COMPLAIN. Im really happy with the performance. Does really well in NJ snow.

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  goodlilcar - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Badlilkitn - May 23 - 7:33 am

  I bought my Cougar in February 2005 its a 2000 Jet Black and beautiful! The previous owner took care of it like a baby. There have been NO problems so far (hope i didnt jinx myself) I have owned lots of sports cars and this one is smooth. Ive never had any problems with the infamous drink holder. I have Monza exhaust and Weapon R Intake. This car PURRS!

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  So Far So Good - Part I - 2004 Mercury Sable
  By 04SableDriver - May 20 - 10:36 pm

  Wassup All! Just bought my new 04 Sable GS last week and so far, so good! I traded up from a Dodge Neon, so you can imagine my standards arent too high, but here goes... Foremost, I appreciate this cars very spacious interior. Im over 6 tall, and leg/elbow/shoulder room are not problems here. American cars are know for their smooth and quiet rides, and this Sable is no exception, but moreover I appreciate that the car is smooth without being floaty or boaty - overall it makes for a nice balance between "traditional" and "contemporary." Long-term durability worries me, but well see; material/build quality appears high; feature content is certainly excellent!(Part IIs a comin!)

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  My First SUV too - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Paul C. - May 20 - 5:06 pm

  Wow, I was looking into a loaded Eddie Bauer and could not get the options that I was able to get with this 2006 Mountaineer. I have every option except the Quad seat (have three kids) and the DVD Family Ent. Center (no jacks for games). I was able to get "A" Plan plus extra incentives for owning a 1999 Sable (almost $4600.00 off), I could not be happier. This model year on the inside is a big improvement over 2005. The ride is quiet and relaxing.

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  Couger 96 - 1996 Mercury Cougar
  By LER - May 20 - 10:00 am

  One of the best cars I have owned. V-8 is a wonderful, maintenance free engine. Comfortable with fairly good gas mileage (23). Only complaint is from my wife who does not like 2-door cars with big doors. Interior has stayed pristine. I never did find the rear wheel drive to be a problem, but I did use snow tires in the winter.

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  Bobs Review - 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By Bob - May 14 - 8:36 am

  Have enjoyed seeing the remaining mileage change slowly while the average mileage builds from the 22 that it started at to over 29 for the kind of driving that I do. Still push it, having traded in a Lincoln LS for this vehicle. It feels stable for an SUV, having driven a few. Quiet is nice. With Hybrid we did not expect as much as we have gotten with drivability. This is a nice vehicle.

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  A "WoW" ed - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By Huey - May 12 - 10:30 am

  Once a Mercury owner, always will stay one I guess. I loved my Mariner since I first got into one. My GF have a CRV and I was never impressed with it, looks too boring. On the other hand, the Mariner just shouted out the word "FUN"! Great size! It is so roomy inside for a compact SUV! Head-room, knee-room is awesome and so is the storage. Hugs the corner nice, easy to steer with a very easy "U-turns". Rides very easy from the country roads to the highway. Carry the bumps lightly without any "clunks" than compared to a "heavier" truck-like SUV. Love the center of gravity feel, a way more stable feel than a Discovery. It does not feel "tipsy" at all on a curve. Great car again!