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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  My 03 GM LS Ultimate - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By DRC - December 18 - 10:00 am

  A great car that I do recommend! Its a joy to own. The only (2) problems encountered were: a wiring harness replacement that took the Dealer three... weeks to fix, and seperate problem(s) with a FORD after market "remote starter" unit. Needed (4) snows, as I reside in the snow belt.

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  Not Bad For a Boat - 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Gary Ciborowski - December 16 - 1:50 am

  Best highway cruiser Ive owned since my 74 Impala. Extremely quiet, ample power and at 22 mpg, you cant complain. Strong signs of ancient automotive technology like analog gauges, but the car seems rock solid. Would seriously entertain buying a sportier model than the GS when this one is used up.

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  Awesome car - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By Karen - December 13 - 1:56 am

  I just had an extremely serious wreck at 65mph where I ended up on the opposite of the freeway upside down. My car did not pancake. The rear glass did not break, the doors did not cave in, I sustained no injury. I wish I could find another one just like it!

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  Dont buy this car! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Kenichiro Suga - December 4 - 10:00 am

  Id driven this car before so when it came time to buy I didnt waste any time comparing or looking on Edmunds.com I found the hard way that you should always research what you buy, even if you (think you) know what you are getting. Heres what I found: 1) the I4 engine is not powerful enough to run the airconditioning while driving up hill 2) You get no acceleration with this engine. Maybe I have high expectations since I am in Germany and Im rolling down the Autobahn next to BMWs and Audis but when you get the Autobahn you have to keep up!

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  something wrong - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By scott - December 3 - 11:46 am

  I have owned this vehicle for thity days. There is something wrong when the car is cold. There is a hesitation in the accelleration at about 40 miles per hour. The dealer replaced a transmission line and a purge cannister (gas was leaking). the dealership has been good to take care of the charges so far.

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  Great value, looks, and ... reliable - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By gabrielu - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Had the truck for over a year now, and not one glitch yet! We liked the value and looks, but were concerned w/buying american- We were surprised- Not a single glitch yet- Took many loong trips effortlessy- Went (mild) offroad well, though it does lack a low-gear- Not one of the issues I have seen posted has come up- Consumption is not as bad as other V8s-

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  Great van- great price- love it - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By bsmith82 - November 24 - 6:06 pm

  Vehicle bought new- no warranty issues - runs very strong. everything still works as new some 4 + years later. Other vans were way too much money and this was a great value for sure. 3 kids, 14/12/9 and we have it loaded and can get 22 mpg at 65-70 mph all day long. City mpg is at best 18- but we have friends with an Odyssey who do no better and freinds with a Sienna who have had engine sludge problems and a door fell off of theirs. Oh yeah- affter 60K miles, we had to do rear brakes. Not bad in my book ! Overall I give this Merc a B+ / A-.

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  A Mercury Story - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By A_MAN_in _VA. - November 16 - 4:40 pm

  I recently purchased this vehicle, used from the local dealership, and found it to be a cute little vehicle. I liked the stylings, but after having a Ford Ranger XLT that had the Overdrive Off button flashing, and knowing the troubles that it could bring first hand, I was displeased. I was so hoping to get a vehicle made by Ford that did not have this button. It really serves no purpose in holding back downhill. I prefer to leave it in the normal position. I have heard some loud noises from the transmission. This makes me wonder why its clunking so hard. I do know it is fun to drive, but I still worry it could let me down someday in the future.

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  Grand Marquis - 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Bill H. - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Basic mix of 1970s design of large rear- wheel 4-dr car with updating of firmer suspensions and more efficient engine is attempted here. This car is an excellent alternative to the SUV with 24mpg on the freeway with Town Car like ride and confort. Great ride on the interstate but marginal on mountain roads. Drawback is overall quality in fit and finish. Dealers are very good to respond to quality issues but warranty is expiring soon, oh well. The perfect car for me is the style and size of the Grand Marquis and the qualty of the Camry. PS.. the big trunk is great!

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  3rd Car Ive Owned and Best Yet! - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Elmz11 - November 10 - 12:26 am

  As a 21 year old commuter student going to college full-time, I needed to trade up to an SUV after getting stuck in the snow numerous times in my 05 Hyundai Elantra. I was weary about buying a used vehicle (seeing that I bought my first car brand new) but I LOVE THIS SUV!! I ditched the JUNK Continental tires that all these Escapes and Mariners come with from the factory and got Michelin Cross Terrains put on. Night and Day! Get compliments on the interior all the time (two-tone black and creme). Average 19-20 mpg in mostly highway driving and it does have some power behind it. Have put on 19,000 miles in just 8 months and it has been rock solid! (now at 57,000 miles)