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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  Love my Mountaineer - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Holli - June 26 - 8:40 am

  Ive had my mountaineer for 2 1/2 years and have not had any problems. I just took it in for a recall. Some bolts needed replaced on the rear glass. I think I have every option available there is to get, so it makes other vehicles seem like theyre missing something. We have a V8 and it has the best pickup Ive ever driven. Great in the snow. I live in Indiana, so we get plenty of it and ice. The only things I would like to see different are in the 2005 model, such as reclining seats for the 2nd row. It would also be nice if the seats were softer and there was a high/low switch for the heated seats. I dont plan on getting rid of this SUV.

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  great suv - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By pct - June 23 - 2:00 am

  Love this suv. Previously owned a stripped down Ford Explorer ... cant compare for comfort and reliability.

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  VERY COOL SUV - 2001 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Livia - June 21 - 10:00 am

  My Mountaineer is a 2002....I Love my Mountaineer! It is a pleasure to drive and I feel very safe and secure in it with my two kids.. I really love to drive this SUV its much nicer than my 2000 Mountaineer, and I would highly reccommend it!! The third row seat is great too!!

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  I love it and it is fun to drive - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By B H - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I have had no warranty problems, the gas ecomony has exceeded the manufacuters recommendations. I love the way it hugs the road and goes around the curves.

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  Impressed - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By hollowman186 - June 18 - 10:00 am

  I recenty upgraded from the 2003 to the 2004. Although the differences are subtle, they are quite enjoyable. The feel of the 04 is great, handles like a champ. I am used to driving Ford F- 150 and 250, and evertime I get in this thing it floors me with its size/performance. Holds a turn, pushes you into the seat, and keeps you beggig for more. I love it, and I am sure I will continue to.

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  Happy owner - 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Willard - June 13 - 2:23 am

  Have experienced almost eight years of trouble free operation. Vehicle now has 75000 miles. Fuel mileage for our routine shopping is 20+.

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  Nice car. Surprising little gem - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Anon - June 12 - 12:40 am

  Diamond in the rough!!! People that would never consider this car dont know what they are missing. The Mercury brand is revitalizing itself and aiming towards a younger crowd with crisp design and affordable luxury. The work-horse Duratech engine has had years of tweaking with the Taurus/Sable, so, of course the car has great performance and will be reliable in the long term. Sport package actually makes car look sporty and not cheesy like other sedans. Love the tail-lights and fold-down rear seat feature. I feel proud driving this fun little car. The perception that imports are always a better product is just that, a perception. Try American, guys.

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  Great buy. sporty and fun to drive! - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Rene Blais - June 11 - 5:53 pm

  This is my 1st Mercury and Im glad I test drove it because I love it. Great car excellent gas mileage and more.

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  Buy a Mercury Sable - 2005 Mercury Sable
  By Myrtle - June 11 - 1:00 am

  It has a very quiet and smooth ride and it has very comfortable seats and it has very good crash test scores and it has a huge trunk .

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  Awsome - a real treat, fun to demo - 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
  By pooderbill - June 5 - 9:36 pm

  After several years with Saturns (which had great mileage), the demise of Saturn sent me looking for a more luxurious car. The Milan hybrid is by far the nicest car I have ever been in. Performance is amazing - acceleration in the 25-40 range is very surprising. Freeway mileage is about 36 but in town, I can get 42 to 58 if I watch the EV indicator. The dash reminds me when the electric motor is running and I tend to take advantage of that when I can. I love giving a demo in silent electric mode, showing the power flow on the screen and of course all the Sync features. Passengers cant tell when the gas engine kicks in. I have nitrogen in the tires which may kick in an extra 2-3 MPG.