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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  one awsome car - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By TPbandit - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Its a crown vic with 18" wheels, duel exhast and the mustang cobra engine, its a great sleeper car. with an after market super charger and a chip it can easly get in the 12 sec range, and that not bad for a 4300lb car. Not only is it fast but with its beefed up suspention it handles as good as my mustang. Its one of the nicest looking exteriors in a long time, and its the first attractive interior ive seen sence the 60s. Its great fun to drive and burn so many ricers. Its only flaw is when it rains the trunk and hood jams hold water. But its one of the best and funnest cars ive ever driven.

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  Sable Review - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By VSP - January 6 - 10:00 am

  I have been very impressed with my Sable. Although there have been a couple of recalls, the car has exceeded my expectations. I have over 75k miles with the original tires and brakes. The only problem I had was to replace an idle sensor. The car runs as good today as the day I bought it

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  The best by far - 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
  By jcio - January 2 - 4:00 pm

  I bought my Mountaineer used in 2003. It has now reached 222000 miles and I just had it inspected. Needed a few spark plugs but that was it. I asked if the engine and transmission were ok and the mechanic said they were. I love this car. I am looking for another used suv, not because anything is wrong with the mountaineer, Im just getting worried about mileage. But, I wont be selling it. It will take my daughter to school when she starts driving. They are hard to find used because everyone hangs on to them. This is the best vehicle I ever owned.

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  Concerned about MPG - 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
  By Ted Kollar - January 1 - 8:53 pm

  Overall we love the car. I have always bought American and usually Ford. The biggest selling point was the advertised mileage. Sadly, as of yet, we have been unable to experience over 28 MPG. (This car has only been over 40 MPH for about 200 of the 1300 miles logged. Dealership says its the cold weather. I will check back in when the weather warms up. As I said, in general, we love the car.

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  Smooth car - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By Bill Pechilis - January 1 - 5:26 pm

  I traded a Honda Pilot and so far am very pleased. Averaging 24 mpg, like sitting higher, quality seems great. The room is massive without being goofy big on the outside. I love te soft leather and the body shape. As long as it holds up, its the nicest car Ive ever owned in 35 years of driving. Nice job Mercury

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  Mercury Mountaineer: Great SUV - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Kevin Mountain - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV. Smooth handling, superior performance, little noise in cabin, only complaint is poor fuel economy relative to other SUVs. Feels solid on the road and very comfortable.

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  Good Car-for the Money! - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By Ogauge - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car in all respects for over 48,000 miles.

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  The ultimate mini-van - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By ayman_z - December 30 - 10:00 am

  The Monterey feels and drives like a sedan with all the room that you expect from a mini-van

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  Some People are Dumb - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By thiscarules - December 24 - 2:00 am

  People have to understand that almost all sport cars dont have back seats! I have noticed that my dash/radio lights do dim and i worry about the alternator, but it still going. I bought this car as a pre-owned in Oct. 2000, i only have had to replace the fuel pump once in july 2002, in sudden accelerations it would sputer. It has original looks so your not a clone on the road, it has plenty of power but i do want to add some stuff like an intake and exhaust for a bit more HP and fuel economy.

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  Nothing can compare!! - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By love this car - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I have the 2.5L 6 cyl fully loaded. This car is fun to drive, handles well and has always been reliable. I was going to sell it this year (it only has 21000M) but I cant find a new car I like better (including the new Jag., Volvo, Beetle, Cougar). It is well worth holding on to especially since they quit making them - what a shame!