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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  So far, so good . . . - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By newmountaineerowner - June 6 - 2:00 am

  As a former "comfy" car driver (Olds Aurora) I was a little hesitant about how I would like a "truck." But I have been pleasantly surprised. Very comfortable, handles extremely well. It is definitely affected much more by the wind, in both handling and noise. I ordered a cargo area shade, and am much happier to have a "trunk" area for concealing purchases. Overall, I like having the freedom to transport bulkier items without sacrificing comfort.

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  2010 Mariner 6 Cyl FWD - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By roth45 - June 6 - 12:14 am

  .Excellent drv & pass frt seats. I am 64" and fit well in either. Good back support. Back seats average. . Good Suspension - Great ride for short WB. . 6 cyl (240 HP) very strong running. . Have 18.5K miles so far - no mech issues. . Sunroof had major wind noise when open. Weather Tech deflector solved it. Easy Install. . Mileage 25-28 MPG at 65-70 MPH highway. 22-25 Suburban /city driving. . Max roof rack bar separation is marginal at 30"- could have been easily designed to have 36". . Installed 2" Curt Rec Hitch- medium effort.

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  pleasantly surprised. GO USA - 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
  By drj - June 3 - 8:46 pm

  a new age has dawned. thought about new lexus 250 hs hybrid. got milan loaded.

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  2005 Mercury Montego AWD - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Randy99 - June 1 - 9:20 pm

  I picked up my Mercury Montego AWD last March from a wholesaler in Florida. I read a few reviews from here and noticed folks really seemed to like the vehicle, and now I know why. I quickly found the car to be very suitable and probably the most room Ive had for a medium size car for my 6 5" body. I travel extensively on business trips and have already put on 15K miles in just these past few months. It handles just fine and has plenty enough power for my needs, although it is a bit sporty and some buyers might feel as though the car should fly for the way it looks. The gas mileage was the real surprise with trips getting 25 to 29 mph. One issue with the instrument gauges going off.

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  Mercury Monterey Luxury - 2007 Mercury Monterey
  By Nathan - May 29 - 11:36 pm

  My Mercury Monterey is excellent the ride and handling is super and the V6 Power is really great for passing or just getting up to speed The exterior style is sporty and classy and the interior is really nice i love the wood/leather steering wheel with audio controls everything works perfectly and there is plenty of passenger and cargo room the only thing i wish this van had that it doesnt is a NAV System and Satellite Radio But the thing i am most happy with is the comfortable smooth quiet ride and superb handling its awesome it really hugs the curbs and the dual climate control is there to make sure everyone is always comfortable I highly Recommend the Sporty yet Elegant Mercury Monterey..

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  Love it! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By spcn - May 27 - 10:00 am

  I love my 2002 Cougar. Its so fun to drive and the V6 really has kick for the amount of $$ spent. It really is too bad that theyve discontinued it. I would recommend it to anyone that doesnt want to haul people around. I used to play chauffer for everyone with my 4 door family car, but no more!

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  Will buy another one - 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Howains - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Comfortable to drive and ride in,huge trunk,dependable and decent gas mileage for a large car.

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  Great car... - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Richard - May 26 - 1:13 pm

  Im quite happy with the new Milan...looks very European and has a sports type ride and handling. Gas mileage thus far is a bit disappointing for local driving, but highway mileage is excellent. I bought the upgraded radio but very disappointed in reception...likely due to internal antenna...would have preferred an external antenna and better reception. Build quality seems excellent. Excellent vehicle for a reasonable price when compared with many of the imports. Dealership experience was excellent. I considered Acura, Saab, Honda Accord and Mazda 6 but found that the Milan offered most of the same features for less money. Dealer let us have for an extended test drive...that sold us!

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  A fun four-door sports car - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By evansc6 - May 23 - 7:36 am

  Im fairly happy with my 04 Marauder. Its plenty fast (though Id love to add a supercharger), comfortable, and the fuel economy is pretty good at 20 mpg around town. I would recommend an 04 over the 03s because the newer ones have a better transmission (mine doesnt thunk into the next gear like the 03s). A little too much cheapy plastic inside, and the build quality isnt up to par with BMW, Mercedes, or even Honda. But overall a fun car to be had in the low $20Ks right now.

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  Solid, if low miles - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By A Good Solid Car - May 23 - 3:50 am

  The car is a solid investment, runs well and is easy to handle. The engine is very reliable but gas mileage is not the best by far. Excellent vehicle over all. Would recommend a low mileage well taken care of car.