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 Mystique Surprise - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By Fox8 - February 2 - 11:53 pm

  My Mystique surprised me with its driveability. Handling is very good, Zetec 16V is responsive and fun to drive. Economy at 70 MPH measured on odometer is 38 MPG. I got this result 3 X. Five speed manual is a very good shifter. Shifter has alot of feel and is fun to drive. This car out handles my daughters 2008 Fusion. I dont know why Ford stopped production, except that it was to expensive and to small compared with the Taurus. I have driven the Taurus (2005). Mystique is far superior in most respects. This is another European Ford that was not appreciated by Americans. Too bad.

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  Overall nice car - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By can - February 1 - 7:26 pm

  Very comfortable car to drive. I have only had it for a few months but so far we really like it. Had some faulty paint issue on the metal strip between front/ back door window. Problem taken care and all seems to be good. Built in handles on back hatch are very nice but not practical for a shorter person. Could use a pull strap. Overall it is a nice car

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  2001 Sport Villager Minivan - 2001 Mercury Villager
  By subwayal - January 29 - 10:00 am

  A tight turning radius makes a U-turn possible rather than a K-turn. Easier control of the pedels is accomplished with the modification of the steering column and a deeper toe well.The windows located in the sliding doors have a tighter seal,I dont hear the wind/noise whistling through any gaps. The back bench seat is not easily accessible from the right side. The middle bucket seat folds foward and slides but, the space isnt very large. Entry from the left side is easier and roomier by climbing over the bucket seat and scooting down the center isle.

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  Needs Quality - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Davidio - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Great power and style in this 99. Just bought with 32,000 miles/. Some rattles in center console and glove box area. Working on trying to tighten up a bit. Hard ride-like truck. Heavy duty feel is great. American built cars/SUVs still need quality workmenship-concerned after reading several revues. After so many years of building vehicles, we still cannot master the basics-rattles, electrical problems, etc. should be a thing of the past. Hoping this one is a keeper!

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  Sporty in looks, Tame under the hood - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Vonlarl - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Looks great. Harsh handling in steering wheel. Excellent breaking power. Sluggish reaction to gas pedal. Needs more "getup and go", surprising for the horsepower of the V6. Almost think Im driving a V-Tech with the poor performance in low RPMs. Rigid body-nice for the turns. Poor stock tires, hard rubber that wears normally. Road noise excessive for the poor performance. If it was a true sports car, noise would be consistent. Replacement tires difficult to find and expensive(avg of $120 installed). Fit and finish excellent. Had difficulties with the hatchback trunk cover breaking repeatedly.

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  Miss it a lot - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By kljw04 - January 28 - 10:20 am

  I wish I still had this car! It was fun to drive, handled well and had a sleek sporty look and it got really good gas mileage. If I ever find another one just like it I would buy it again.

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  Much Improved - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Phil from Cleveland - January 28 - 6:26 am

  I leased a 2005 Mercury Mariner and enjoyed the SUV, however it had some shortfalls. Well, after taking delivery of a 2008 Mariner recently, they fixed everything! It is quiet, responsive and the fit and finish is what you expect in a car. This vehicle is as good as any manufacturers product, no matter where it is made. Mercury has a winner in this SUV. If they make all their cars like this good things are in the future for the company.

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  Dollar to Death - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By dr j - January 24 - 10:00 am

  The QC at ford stinks. The wagon has only 64000 on it and a landry list of reparis. Starting with half shafts, then warped rotors, then the 3rd brake lite flew off, then the vacumn system failed (this means your car will start but not move, fun). Also before the vacumn failed the Service light came on and the yo-yos at the dealership couldnt find the problem. Now the RF window is poping out. What a hunk of junk, my real feelings are R rated!

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  Love It !!!! - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By mckerchie23 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  It is a graet SUV. Many people compare it to the explorer, I had an explorer before my Mountaineer and the Mountaineer hands on is ten time better than the explorer and well worth the extra money

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  Best bang for the buck - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By kirby - January 23 - 3:13 pm

  I decided it was time to get out my SUV and look for a more fuel efficient vehicle. I looked at several makes and models and thought the Milan was the best bang for the $$