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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  Saintdad - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By Bob Saintdad - August 6 - 11:16 am

  I bought this automobile to get a car with space. My wife and I travel alot and the roominess is a strong plus. The large trunk gives us space for golf clubs and 2 large bags and four medium size bags. six speed trans mission, 18 inch wheels are a real plus. We get 29 miles/gal on the highway. 6disc changer, moon roof leaves plenty of head room in this car. So far, 65000 miles and only general maintenance has been done.

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  Great Small SUV - 2007 Mercury Mariner
  By Stephen from CT - August 5 - 6:33 pm

  I had been considering the Mariner for about six months now, comparing it intensly to the Ford Escape and the Honda CR-V. But then my son had said he stopped by our local Lincoln Mercury dealer and said they had one fully loaded V-6 with AWD left. AS it turned out, I bought the car the next day. Great Handling SUV, handles much like a car and is easier to maneuver in parking than my Chevrolet Impala. The interior is very tastefully done and I love the 6-disc CD Changer and the Audiophile sound system. Rides very comfortably and the V-6 is deceptively fast. You quickly find yourself speeding in this vehicle mostly because the engine doesnt rev that hard to get up to speed.

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  Winter beater - 2003 Mercury Sable
  By mark - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I originally bought the car to drive in the winter to save my mustang from the winter climate of Wisconsin. The car has been very reliable and good on fuel (27 hwy). The only problem I have had with it was that a dealer did an oil change and didnt tighten the filter fully, oil leaked down onto the starter and caused the starter to malfunction.I have heard that the transmission is the weak link on these cars but so far has been shifting properly, I would recommend this car for a used car purchase

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  Interior Noise - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By L C - August 3 - 10:30 am

  When my 2008 is upshifting or when it downshifts going up a hill there is loud roar coming from the engine area. Sounds like a fan blade roar. The road noise in the interior is so loud the radio must be turned up to a point that when I stop at a stoplight the sound is extremely too loud. My local dealer and factory rep says the car meets standards. I previously owned a 2002 and was very happy with it, but it was much quieter than my 2008. I am extremely unhappy with Fords lack of response to address this issue. I have driven other 2008 Marquis and all of them have these issues.

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  Classy little truck, dont pass it up - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Chuck - July 31 - 6:23 am

  Overall impression: The exterior of this truck is outstanding.The front and rear fascia make this vehicle classy. Mercury did a great job separating this from the Escape. The interior is equally impressive. The black leather with tan suede inserts steals the show. Truck drives very well, very comfortable, only detractors are tire/driveline noise but its not too bad. You really wont hear it since you will have the mach 360 stereo turned up! Gas mileage is not up to par, hopefully it will improve with more miles on it (averaging 17 mpg city so far).

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  Geatest car ever designed - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By mikecosta - July 31 - 2:00 am

  If you want a quality automobile i suggest that you go ahead and get two.

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  Knee Knocker - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By soyasay - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I ve had the car a couple weeks. I have put right at 1000 miles on her. Im a few years over fifty and I still like a car that runs and performs well. The last 5 or 6 years I have drove SUVs The wife wanted a car this time. This Merc fits the bill.It has size and finesse. I think the engine performs great along with the gear set up. The ride is a little stiff but it is not a lincoln. Mine is silver. The interior leather is very nice. I have to be very careful because this baby could get this old man in a lot of trouble.

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  Id buy it again! - 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By CSpringsDriver - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car off the showroom floor in 1996. It now has over 82,000 miles on it and has had no major problems. I drove it from NY to Colorado in 1999 with a fully loaded trunk and 2 dogs in the back seat. The car runs smooth and quiet with plenty of power. I like it because it has lots of interior room and the seats are very comfortable. Im definitely considering buying another Grand Marquis when the time comes to replace it.

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  Solid Comfort - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By c2h6os - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Having owned a used 2000 Mercury Mountainerr for over 6 months, I am absolutely pleased with my decision to buy it. The V8 power and AWD stability provide much relief for winter weather and towing/hauling/etc. The luxurious interior is the most comfortable I have known, even having driven Mercedes sedans and Chevy TrailBlazers.

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  Go Mountaineer! - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Harry Zechman - July 30 - 10:00 am

  This car is wonderful! We have driven new JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITEDs for the past 8 years. This car makes the Jeep feel like a truck.