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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  Buyer Beware!!! - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By emon07 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I did not like the third row seat. I drove the car for about 1 1/2 weeks and the ABS light would stay on. After three days I was able to pickup my vehicle and the following morning the ABS light came on again. I returned the vehicle for service the following Monday. I waited one week and three days for the repair to be completed. The vehicle message center it shows that I am getting 9mpg on the highway and 8mpg on the street - this is crazy. I called the dealership and was made to wait two weeks before I could bring the vehicle in for repair.

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  My first American sedan is impressive - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By San Jose driver - February 4 - 10:46 pm

  Ive always owned Japanese sedans - Datsun (now Nissan), Mazda Protege, and Toyota Camry - because of their great reputation. Ive now found an American car that can compete with the best of them. The Milan is attractive in the cabin and even more so on the exterior, roomy and comfortable in the front and rear seats, and quiet except upon heavy acceleration. It handles nimbly and stably around curves. Brake performance is outstanding. The Milan is far superior to my Camry in these 2 respects. The trunk is spacious for a midsize car. So far, the reliability has been impressive except as noted below. Overall the car is a real pleasure to drive.

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  My Van - 2005 Mercury Monterey
  By BBking - January 31 - 10:56 pm

  The experience I have had with my van is it has been very reliable, I really like the two sliding doors with remote very conveniet.

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  One of the Best - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Dan - January 29 - 3:53 pm

  Car is fun to drive. I have owned a few vehicles in my day, but this vehicle is one of the best I have ever driven. It is responsive, visibility is great. Great, Great vehicle.

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  Love the Features - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By LJDunham - January 29 - 8:33 am

  I owned an Altima; and LOVED it - 2002. Got great trade in value in MA where we lived before. Loved the style and the inside features-like a Lincoln. Do not know 3.0 mileage,but it is really smooth and drives, handles like a charm. To compare to 2007 cars out it is better look and drive. Pricing higher on Premier, but do feel the sun-roof,CD, and other opions are a must for me. Love the paint color-changes in the sun/shade. All leather-all comfort.

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  Mercury Review - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Don Henderson - January 26 - 4:53 pm

  Best value in auto purchase in many years! Excellent dealer contact and customer satisfaction goals. Large trunk takes bigger packages with no problem. Very comfortable on Interstate highways and long trips. Dash features easy to read and understand. Good access to all controls.

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  2003 Mountaineer - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By John Riley - January 25 - 7:33 pm

  Putting an average of 21K miles per year requires a reliable vehicle. So far, we have only replaced tires with 70K miles and no major or minor issues. Gas mileage is poor. Even though this vehicle has a 6 cyl, acceleration is good. Like the looks and overall performance. Short turning radius is one of the more impressive features.

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  Pure heaven to drive - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By BETH SMART - January 25 - 4:23 pm

  I looked at Toyota, Mazda, Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai. Then I saw the MILAN. Wow, what a beauty. I got off work one afternoon. Someone told me to go out and get a new car. I saw it, drove it it was perfect. Turns on a dime. What get up and go too. Gas mileage is wonderful. Auto door locks are great what a safety feature. Three cheers for Ford Motor Company for this headturner. Watch out Toyota. The MILAN will leave the Camry in the dust.

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  Noises - 2007 Mercury Mariner
  By Mike - January 25 - 4:36 am

  Nice little SUV to drive but the road noise gets on my nerves. Dealer tried new tires but they did little or nothing to help the problem. Also was surprised at the disappointing mileage. The readout states 19.5 mpg while city driving but the gas tank sure seems to empty fast.

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  Glad I went with the Mercury - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By DMS - January 24 - 12:56 pm

  I have had my vehicle since November of 2008. Initially I was interested in the Ford Escape, but I realized I liked the style of the Mercury Mariner better. I really have no complaints so far. The gas mileage is about 20 MPG. I had some concerns about not being able to engage the 4 wheel drive manually, but it was great for me this winter and I had no problems in the snow. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone wanting a small SUV.