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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  Love My New Car - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By CMW - January 21 - 4:53 pm

  I just got my Milan. I chose the Milan hands down over the Chrysler Sebring. The Milan offers so much more for the money. I love the interior (I dont even have the fully loaded model) and am completely satisfied with the comfort. The only complaint I have is the gas mileage isnt spectacular for a 4-cylinder automatic. I am hoping it gets better once the car is broken in.

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  Great Vehicle! - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By RancidDelirium - January 21 - 8:43 am

  I have a 5 year old who loves it, and the ride is smooth. Its definetly a great pick for a first time SUV owner.

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  would buy this again - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By irishtoo - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car on the A-Plan, and have never regretted it for a second.It just turned 40k miles. I love this car! Id much rather drive it than my moms Grand Marquis. I can actually feel the road in my Sable. Ive owned imports before and loved them, but never like this! This car is very roomy, comfortable, quiet and performs well. I did have a little trouble with the transmission, but another dealer fixed it right up. Never had any problem with getting stuff done under warranty, either. The extended warranty is definitely the way to go! Ive had plenty of compliments on my car. My husband just wishes Id let him drive it more often!

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  Super Street Cruizer - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By SuperSleeper - January 16 - 2:00 am

  i own 1 of 2 blue marauders in cali, its the perfect sleeper! cant wait to drop in a new cat-back exhaust system, headers, intake, tb, and kenne bell s/c!

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  Great Little Car - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By patmass7 - January 14 - 4:00 am

  Im used to driving a luxury car but due to change in lifestyles I had to downsize. The Mercury Milan is a great vehicle to drive with just enough bells & whistles to make it comfortable. It has a large trunk that opens into the backseat so I could haul things. Nice leg room and rides smoothly. Would like to have more pick-up when passing but it does the job for a 4cyl. Sweet little car.

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  My Third Grand Marquis - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Dannydog - January 11 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Grand Marquis,Ive had a 1994, a 1999 and now a 2003. I am also a law enforcement officer and have driven the Ford Crown Victoria. They have all proven to be safe, reliable and a comfortable ride. Those cars I used during work took a real beating with going over curbs, hours of idling with the air conditioner or heater runnning and having mileage well into the 100,000s. They always continued to run well and comfortable not to mention the safety factor. (I also was an ambulance technician for over six years.)This is why starting in my early forties I started to buy the Grand Marquis and intend to continue to.

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  They just keep getting better - 2007 Mercury Mountaineer
  By davdor - January 9 - 3:56 pm

  This is my fourth Mountaineer and there are significant improvements since 2005. The V8 is smooth and quiet, and the ride is much smoother. There is very little road noise and the body appears to be stiffer. A consuner magazine claims the Mountaineer has above average mechanical problems, but I have never had even one.

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  Great car - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By keithm - January 8 - 4:16 pm

  I just traded an 06 Milan for an 08 Sable. The nav system/Sirius radio are great. This car came with every option except rear seat entertainment system. Car is very quiet & surprisingly quick. Youre well over the speed limit if not careful. Interior is very nice with supportive seats. Always dislike cars with seats that are "too" cushy.

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  1st Time Mercury Owner - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By Michelle - Chicago - January 8 - 12:53 pm

  Just bought my Mariner on Jan. 16th. Still learning all about it and getting use to it. I bought the Premier model and enjoy the upgrades. I purchased the 2WD and so far very sufficient for the Chicago weather. I do like the visibility of the SUV styling. Gas mileage..well see how that goes. Too early to tell but it is a SUV. My only complaint at this time is, the noise level. Chicago streets arent the best but when you hit a bump it sounds like the whole rear end of the vehicle is going to fall out. My old Explorer wasnt even that bad on the bumps. Maybe that will get better over time. I hope so!

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  Its ALL THAT - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By MRS. G - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Overall its a great car. I really enjoy highway driving, and this car is exceptional there. It handles curves smoothly and is very comfortable. The ease in excelleration is remarkably smooth no sudden jolts when it goes into overdrive. I Love my MAURAUDER!!!