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 - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By Rex_Karrs - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I recently took delivery of a 2004 Mercury Marauder sedan in Dark Toreador Red, a new color for 2004. The build quality is acceptable - the only defect so far was a problem with door weatherstripping that was fixed before I took delivery. Performance is excellent, fuel economy about what I expected. Theres some evidence of cost-cutting in the interior.

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  Milan in Jersey City, New Jersey - 2010 Mercury Milan
  By David - December 22 - 11:30 am

  I recently purchased the V6 Premier Sedan and it is amazing! I couldnt be more happier. Prior to this, I had the 2006 Milan and was very happy with that. What a reliable car! I live (Jersey City) and work (Hoboken) in the NYC metro and am on the road for most my time. I know traffic! And this is the car to be in when you are in bumper to bumper traffic! The sound system is amazing and the seats are so comfortable! This car will definitely win some awards. It just snowed a foot here and the Milan was amazing in the snow (AWD)!

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  Owner - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Howard Mattison - December 19 - 9:53 pm

  This is my fourth Grand Marque starting with a 1984. I have always enjoyed driving them and have never had any serious trouble. For a large car the gas mileage is very good. Gets 21 in town and 28 on the highway. Good dealer to deal with and good service at dealer.

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  Car has 147,000 miles and it drives like new - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By jwdia - December 16 - 4:30 am

  Pros: *At 147K miles engine and tranny sounds, and performs like brand new. *They were not kidding about the V8 Power. * Body well built and solid. Quality steel - no rust yet. * AWD really grips the roads ( Iowa winters..no problem here) Cons: *Factory radio works but no display - common issue. * rear wiper does not work - again common issue. *Keyless entry quit working, and door locks need some TLC. * some road noise. ( cant tell yet if it is in need of a muffler or just the roar of the 5.0) * no rust yet but a little pain bubbling on the bottom inside of the rear doors. not noticable to the public

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  A Lot of Car for the Money - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Very Pleased - December 12 - 5:43 pm

  Fully loaded, the car has all of the bells and whistles youll ever need and then some. Very responsive engine and tight, quiet ride make it fun to drive. Ive been amazed at the gas mileage since Ive just logged 1,000 miles on the engine.

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  100% Class - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By Ron - December 9 - 9:46 pm

  It is difficult to believe sometimes that this is the same essential vehicle as the Ford Escape. Mercury has done a VERY impressive job of tailoring the Escape platform to the tastes of those who want some style to go along with their versatility. The interior is the best of any vehicle I have ever owned. The exterior is sharp, lots of understated elegance. The ride is smooth and quiet, and the handling is reassuring. It is fun to drive. The only issues I have had with the car is that the heaters on the front seats frequently come on without being turned on, and that the offical EPA mileage estimates have so far proved unattainable. But I still love it. I truly love it.

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  Camry killer - 2008 Mercury Milan
  By M. Whit - December 9 - 4:16 pm

  With only 1000 miles on it, Im getting 28 mpg on the highway. Holds the road very well - like driving on velcro. Very good base audio system. Leather seats comfortable, especially with the heated seats option. Good over the hood visibility. Large trunk and tons of cargo capacity with 60/40 split folding rear seats. Transmission shifts smoothly and the quiet V6 provides enough power to move this car around. Fit and finish is good and the vapor silver paint job looks great on this car.

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  Mercury Montego is best in class... - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Better Fords - December 8 - 1:23 pm

  Im a long-time car enthusiast, reading everything automotive & owning too many cars. For the 1st time ever, I had to buy a car for comfort over sportiness. After 3 mo. of research & test drives, the Montego w/employee discount + $1000 won me over. The "underpowered" blather in reviews is off- base...horsepower ratings are over- emphasized. Its funny, too, that the new SAE methodology for rating HP (stricter w/independent observer reqd) dropped the Camrys base V-6 from 210 to 190 HP, a car often compared to the Montego. Honda didnt rate the Accord V-6, but their other engines that have been rated dropped. Im getting high 20s for mpg, many compliments, & riding in comfort & style.

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  My second Milan - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By Sailor - December 7 - 11:33 am

  This is my second Milan. I put 60,000 on my 06 and the only thing I had to do was change the oil every 3,000 miles. My 07 is now 10 months old and has 37,000 miles on it and again, only oil changes. I spend at least 5 hours a day in the saddle and could not ask for a more comfortable car. Not sure if I should change with this kind of luck but I may try the CTS next.

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  a good car for the money - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By rickardo - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car with 21xxx miles on it when it was about one year old. I paid $9,995.00 + tax. . It has a fair amount of leg and head room. Im 62" and am reasonably comfortable in it. Its smooth running and rides fairly smooth. Its quiet even at highway speeds. The seats are comfortable. It gets about 27 M.P.G. on the highway, which is what its rated at. Its also fun to drive and I think it has a nice body style. They do depreciate drastically the first year but for someone just looking for a good deal on a 1 year old,I think the Sable is the way to go. I dont know why these cars get such a bad rap. Rick ( Chicago)