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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  Way to go Ford! - 2009 Mercury Milan
  By Travis - January 13 - 10:26 am

  I was in the market for a used Camry or a new Hyundai when I got tired of the snobby Toyota dealer and the fake, high-pressure Hyundai dealer. I stopped by the Ford dealer and they were awesome; they listened to my needs (a reliable commuter car with good gas mileage and room for 2 teens in the back) and got me into my Milan. It now has 32k miles on it and has been absolutely reliable and still feels like a new car. No rattles or squeaks and not unplanned trips to the dealer. Gas mileage is amazing for this class of car; I get 40 mpg on my way to Phoenix in the morning. The styling is attractive and fresh without being too flashy and it feels like a much more expensive car.

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  2nd Mountaineer and better then ever.. - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Frank46 - January 11 - 2:00 am

  You have to drive it to believe it. Quiet at highway speeds, handles very well, plenty of gadgets and things to make this our best Mountaineer yet! We looked at the Aviator .. no match. Explorer .. not quite as well appointed. Mountaineer is THE SUV of choice and will continue with us as the vehicle we prefer. Well done Mercury!

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  Love My Mountaineer - 2005 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Joe - January 9 - 6:03 am

  This is my second Mountaineer, I just traded in my 2000. The Convenience package with the special edition 17" Chrome rims is a real head turner. The V8 really has some kick to it, great off the line power and smooth overall output. For the price, this is an awesome SUV.

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  2006 Milan opinion after new wears off - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Rick Jones - January 8 - 6:26 am

  Bought the car new in April of 2006 and it now has right at 40,000 miles on it. Its a Premier with a V-6. The lights on the clock and right visor mirror stopped working and were fixed under warranty. Otherwise, the car has been flawless. The styling and design of the vehicle is very well suited for me and my family. The workmanship and quality are impressive. We get approximately 24 mpg in our everyday driving which is about half city and half highway. On the interstate with cruise control set at 65 we get 30.5 and with it set at 55 we get 31.5 mpg. I would buy another one.

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  For the money...cant complain - 2006 Mercury Montego
  By JTBURNS - January 6 - 8:53 pm

  Great interior. Very roomy for a car this size, needs a more powerful engine, great paint quality. I got sideswiped, dented the quarter panel pretty substantiallly but never broke the paint, needs a longer warrenty to compete, alternator went at 41,000 -- $500 ouch! 27 MPG (that will work)

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  Great Ride - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By DBAIRD - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Most fun Ive ever had driving regularly...comfortable, looks great...what else can I say? I LOVE THIS RIDE!!!

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  A Great Car - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By pete - January 3 - 2:03 am

  My 2007 Motego was a very good car. The Sable is even better. Better ride, much better performance. Ive driven it 4,500 miles in all kinds of conditions including mountain driving. It performed very well under all conditions. Highway mileage equals or exceeds 28MPG and around town ranges from 17 to 20MPG. The first 1,000 miles I did experience a little delay in downshifting but now it does fine. I would definitely recommend this car to all types of drivers. Its quick enough, has an excellent ride and is quiet. What more can you ask for?

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  Good Mercury so far - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By Barnett - January 1 - 7:20 am

  The van has been good for the 1st year. I had to put new tires and found not a tire usually everywhere. The MPG is not the best. So far I really like the room (3 grandkids) comes in handy, good acceleration when moving into traffic, etc.

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  great car - 2009 Mercury Milan
  By fordman62702 - December 31 - 10:22 am

  Ive had my Milan for almost a year now and its been a great car. Put 11,000 miles on it with not a single issue. Like the looks of the car better than its Fusion cousin. Mine has the two-tone leather interior, love it. Cleans right up. Has plenty of power for a 4 banger. Sound system is awesome. Controls are easy to use. I just cant say anything bad about it. Just buy one, you wont be disappointed.

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  Saying Goodbuy - 1995 Mercury Villager
  By Saying Goodbuy - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought it based on its good reviews and can honestly say it was worth every penny. I enjoyed its usability carrying my family, radio control airplanes, or computers for my job. It now has just over 120k mi and I hope to help out a family in need. Repairs were wear and tear for the most part, except for a fuel pump (twice).