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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  Youve got to drive this car!!!!! - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By Tyrs - February 14 - 10:00 am

  I needed to replace my vehicle and stopped by my LM dealership. I own a Ford Escape and WOW does this put that vehicle to shame. The comfort, the ride, the handling. Awesome. I recommend everyone at least test drive this vehicle. I was torn between the Mariner and the Mountaineer and I know I made the right choice.

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  1 of the Sweetest out there for the $$ - 2005 Mercury Mountaineer
  By KC in Brooklyn NY - February 13 - 10:40 pm

  This is our first American after years of leasing Volvo, Infiniti, and Lexus sedans. So we can compare reliability and service. 6K miles in 3 months and we love it!! We gave up the heated steering wheel,heated r/seats & 3rd row aux. air. But in return a DVD(=happy kids), tons of cash left over when compared to imports, and an SUV that does not get lost in a sea of Explorers in the parking lot. The fuel gauge went the 2nd week, and the A/C air compressor "chirps" every once in a while.(happened in my friends 03) Dan over in the service dept. really takes care of his customers. All I can say to the import companies is: You can keep your Cappucino and Biscotti! In the end I paid for IT!!

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  Our First Trip - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Gene Roza - February 12 - 1:40 pm

  Our quick trip from central California to eastern Arizona put the Montego on its first real test and it passed with flying colors. Cruising at 77 mph we were getting 29.8 mpg; the entire trip through deserts, mountains and cities (over 1600 miles) averaged 25.4. The comfort was more than expected. We have the AWD which proved great during a snow storm in Pinetop/Lakeside. We shopped around before making a decision and we believe so far this was the right decision. Anyone looking for a luxury (?) car without paying into the range of $40-55K should try the Montego. Try the AWD with the CVT transmission......highly recomended!!!!!

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  Ill miss it - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By cougarluv - February 12 - 11:36 am

  I owned this car from day one, and every trip is a joy. I loved sitting in it. I loved listening to music in it. I loved driving it. It looks so interesting and unique, inside and out. Havent had any serious engine problems with this car at all, but a bunch of strange quirks have been showing up this year, and after having to go to the shop every other month to stop the annoyances, like the stereo turning itself on randomly, the moon roof getting stuck open, the drivers window not rolling up, etc., in addition to the repairs Ive had to do for wear and tear, I think its time to say goodbye. Its current gas mileage is still better than some newer cars you can buy today. A really amazing car

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  The Grand - 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By mm - February 9 - 11:10 pm

  Bought this 06 LS to replace a V6 Chevy. The Merc has such comfy leather seats, big roomy interior and a huge trunk. This car is so quiet that when I test drove it I thought the engine wasnt even running when I stopped at a red light. On the highway mpg is about 25-28 which is remarkable for a big car. The design is old school but safety played another important role in buying this car as its RWD and full frame instead of unibody. Most people call these granny cars, but I like the style and comfort, plus it gets me where Im going safely and with my factory chrome-plated rims it shows a bit of flair too.

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  A nicely appointed package - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Jeff - February 8 - 6:20 pm

  I traded in a 2001 Santa Fe for this and it is quite the upgrade. It is so well packed with features and the quality of the ride, quietness is great. It is smooth on the road with the 6 speed and it even has a gauge that tells you how effective your gas mileage is while your driving, so you can learn to get better. I love it.

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  Awesome Car - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By jdunning - February 7 - 9:30 am

  I bought this car used with 108,000 miles on it...my 99 Sable had just crapped out with 220,000 on it so i figured another Mercury would do me good for getting back and forth to college. I now have 139,000 on it and have never had a problem. It has plenty of power except for a dull spot from 3-4000 rpms, then at 4000 she gets up and goes...its the 4 speed auto and it will do 115 in third gear at 6000 rpms...which from a 175 horse v6, is pretty impressive. Another thing is the gas mileage. I get 33mpg on a trip if I drive reasonably. Put your foot in the gas and it drops to about 24.

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  Sticky gas pedal - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By abinitio - February 5 - 10:00 am

  This has been a great family vehicle, which we got after trading in a 1993 that had over 100,000 miles with only warranty and recall repairs. However, one real problem developed - the gas pedal began to stick when I went to accelerate (fortunately it never stuck while depressed). This could have been hazardous if I had been trying to accelerate in an avoidance move or something similar. My dealer fixed what he called "carbon buildup" which he said he rarely sees. However, I see in another post here that someone else has had the same problem, so Im thinking it may be more common that were lead to believe.

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  good car, good value - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By me12 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  so sad to see you go

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  Great Car for the Money - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By Dreamer - February 5 - 10:00 am

  A lot of car for the money. Has a big car ride. Very comfortable with a secure feeling as far as road handling, particularly on a highway.