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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  Great Little SUV - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By sjmst - July 23 - 10:40 pm

  I just bought a used 09 Mariner I4. I had a V8 07 Ford Explorer. I actually like the Mariner better. The Explorer was smooth and quiet, but still felt a little sluggish, even with the v8. The Mariner handles better and is more fun to drive. The 4 cyl is buzzy on acceleration and at times at stoplights. Cruising at highway speeds it is quiet and smooth and plenty powerful, even with four of us and luggage.

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  Very Reliable - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Edward - July 16 - 10:13 am

  I bought it at 32K miles and now it has 107K miles. Very reliable. The all-wheel-drive feature handles superbly in snow, ice, and rain. ABS is top-notch. Nice V8 power. The sound system and cruise controls on the steering wheel are an excellent touch. My only complaints have been a seat belt that pulls too tight, spotty FM reception about 25 miles outside Nashville city limits, and a rear-windshield wiper that never completely wipes the back glass.

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  costs too much - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By doege - July 16 - 10:00 am

  I will have to spend $600 every year after my warranty runs out to replace the feul pump. The mechanics that have already replaced two have told me no matter what I do it will still go out. My CD player already doesnt work and my car is almost 3 years old. I have bought 8 new tires and prices just went up in my area to $140 a tire. I would never buy a cougar again myself, and I would not reccomend buying one to anyone else.

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  Great car, except for body design - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By GFBeach - July 16 - 10:00 am

  I found a great deal on this car with low mileage (only had 38000 when I bought it). At first I was turned off by the trunk design... from behind, this is a pretty ugly car. However, its got it where it counts: The engine has power to burn and it rides very comfortably.

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  Great car - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Pogi - July 16 - 6:56 am

  I just bought it 4 months ago with 60,000 miles. I have not had any problems with this vehicle. I just hit 81,000 miles. I will be parting with it shortly because my wife is pregnant and we need a 4dr car. It is a great car.

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  Love it and Hate it - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By CeeJ - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Bought at 36,000, needed new brakes. Then check engine light has been on since about 45,000 and it now has 81,000 miles on it. I dont think there is anything wrong though, probably just electrical short. Did need alternator replaced at about 70,000 miles, and my rims warped very easily causing tires to wear down quicker than usual. Rough ride at times, but once speed is picked up, its pretty smooth. My alarm, however, randomly activates, so I have taken out the fuse so it will not. Thus, w/o that fuse, I am unable to use the power locks and trunk door release until it is repaired.

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  The 1999 Sable LX, with full leather - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By G de Santillana - July 10 - 10:00 am

  I have had zero problems, none whatsoever, in the four years I have owned this car. It is solid, very comfortable, a good performer, and everything works perfectly. The only drawbacks I have noted: the car is a bit jiggly on rough pavements, and the engine (the DOHC) is sort of unrefined compared to the Camry or Accord.

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  Great smaller car - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By katjams - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I have nothing but praise for the Cougars responsiveness and reliability. It is a fun car to drive, having sleek, sporty lines and a unique taillight configuration. It is average in gas consumption: I get about 18 mpg in city driving, and 24 mpg highway. Nice features are the electronic gas consumption indicator, the MPG indicator and outdoor temperature reader. 60/40 fold down seats are a real plus. Biggest complaints are the somewhat cramped interior and the 2- door hatchback visibility. I also think the suspension can be improved.

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  Love my Mercury - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Love my Mercury - June 28 - 7:26 am

  This car is hands down the best value for the money on the road. With the rebates and incentives, you can have full size American comfort at a Honda Civic price. The Marquis is powerful, handles and brakes well, and at only 1400 miles, is already getting 22 mpg in combined city and highway driving. The power pedals are a great feature, as is the power lumbar support. I really like the variable assist steering- one finger easy in town, and lots of road feel at highway speeds. The traditional body-on-frame construction seems very solid. I feel safe in this car, which is something I never felt in smaller front-drive cars. Im a Realtor, and my clients often mistake this car for a Lincoln.

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  My Mercury review - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By jksmist - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Car is good, have a hard/stiff suspension