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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  Hidden Gem - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By awhsum1 - September 24 - 10:23 am

  I have been very impressed with my Sable. I have had it for 5 months, with approximately 7,500 miles. Very comfortable interior, great ride, and very responsive for a sedan. My Sable is the base model with reverse sensors and leather. The leather seat are very comfortable, even on long trips. Mercury has a hit with the new Sable. At 62, plenty of headroom and legroom,in the front and back, spacious trunk. I had compared the Taurus with the Sable, since they are the same, but the Sable had a smoother ride and better suspension for only a couple hundred more. If you are in the market for a sedan, test drive the Sable, you will be pleasantly surprised! Avg MPG 22 city 27 hwy

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  Just ratings - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By SJC - September 20 - 2:00 am

  A great car!

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  Looks Like A Winner - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Bob - September 18 - 8:06 am

  Just picked up my new Milan last week and am well pleased so far. Good build quality and fun to drive. Last car was a Honda Accord, so my expectations were high. Ford did not disappoint. Much quieter interior than Honda and well- mannered on the road. If they keep building cars like this, Americans will buy.

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  My Mariner, A Classic on its Own!!!!!!!! - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Ev - September 16 - 5:56 am

  Mercury Mariner is like the Ford Escape but with jewelry on it! The driving & steering are phenomenal. My Mariner hugs the roads & I could hardly feel it sway when making turns. The interior is very classy! One hardly has to press on the accelerator on my V6 without feeling its power. The seats are very comfortable & I like the fact that the back seats are higher than the front, making visibility for my back passengers easier. The moonroof is quite large. I do not like driving through heavy rain but I never felt so secure driving my Mariner through a rainstorm that I am confident she could securely drive through any weather conditions! My Lt. Tundra Mariner has everyone turning!

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  Exceeded High Expectations! - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By AfshinK - September 13 - 1:46 am

  I have had it for 3 weeks now and it has exceeded my high expectations in every way! I have gotten 36 MPG on two tankfuls of gas so far in mixed city/highway driving. Plenty of power from the engine and a very smooth, quiet ride. Its very cool to drive in all-electric mode knowing youre actually doing something to help the environment.

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  truemixed1 - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By truemixed1 - September 12 - 10:10 pm

  I got my car just the other day and I love it already its better than the truck that I had before and way better on gas.

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  Im A Believer - 1997 Mercury Cougar
  By good2bqueen - September 10 - 10:00 am

  First off I want it known that I was a die-hard GM person. For 25 years I was strictly GM. I had always liked the look of the Cougars and decided that one day I wanted to drive one and see if I liked it. I fell in love with the way the car handled and rode not to mention that classy yet sporty look. It has been the best car I ever owned. I have not had one single bit of mechanical problems and even at 5 years old it looks as good as any of the new vehicles on the road and runs as well also. I know I will be looking for another Mercury or Lincoln product for my next car which may not be any time soon because I dont want to get rid of this one.

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  Wonderful car!! - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By sadchevyowner - September 6 - 11:04 am

  My wife and I love her 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis "Palm Beach" edition. We purchased her Grand Marquis 14 months ago. It had 15700 miles. My wife had been driving a 2006 Lexus ES330 that was purchased new. It only had 18000 miles when we sold it. In many ways the Lexus was nice, but it had very uncomfortable seats. The Grand Marquis has exceedingly comfortable seats with lumbar support on both sides. Her Mercury also has the air suspension system and it rides like a dream. We would highly recommend this car. It is really a shame that it is no longer available as a new car, so my advice would be to find a low mileage late model Grand Marquis

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  great vehicle - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By suv driver - September 5 - 10:00 am

  This is a great vehicle that is fun to drive. It is easy to put passengers in the third seat. Everything works and has not been back to the dealer for anything.

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  Great to drive... - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Ronald James - September 5 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vehicle now for almost 3 years and the lease is about to expire. My Pros are the gas mileage is great for a car with its power and size. i average over 20 miles per gallon on the road. I have a factory ordered 4x2 with every option you could install on the car. My only con is it is just to noisy on the road. Lots of wind and road noise.