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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  Excellent - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By lawells27 - August 3 - 4:53 am

  bought new in fall 2005 when they first became available. The lincoln MKZ wasnt out yet so I got the Milan Premier with leather heated seats. I love the look of this car... stylish and semi-luxury look and feel. Still happy with car after several years and plan to keep the car for a long time yet.

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  Crazy bout my Mercury! - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By Burner Bill - August 2 - 9:43 am

  This is a very beautiful vehicle. I bought the Premier 4WD model in Norsea Blue with Black Interior. It really drives and looks great. I got every availabl option except the moonroof. I wish they had more options though. This is more of a mid- size vehicle than a compact. It has plenty of room to spare.

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  Gas Hog - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Jacko - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Fords powertrains are much inferior to GM. I would have bought the Encore with a better powertrain and fuel economy except for the features. I like to have the 3rd row seat without the half mile extension on the GM SUVs. However, this truck can pull my boat without any issues. Overall I like it better than GM. I just wish it got better fuel economy.

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  A Full Size Sports Car - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By EXPAstatetrooper - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I first saw the Marauder when it was released in fall 2003. I test drove one and liked the handling and power. The seats were very comfortable and it was a lot of fun to drive. The fact that the only color was black inside and out discouraged me from buying. In July 2003 I saw a silver Marauder with light gray (flint) interior and I changed my mind on the spot. The engine is quick to respond and the steering control is very positive. The front bucket seats are extremely comfortable. The car corners very nicely and the BFGoodrich tires hold the road exceptionally well even in heavy rain. I have found owning it to be delightful experience.

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  Mercury Grand Marquis Ultimate - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Glenn Thiel - July 30 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. It is a true luxury car and priced about $10,000 cheaper than its twin, the Lincoln Towne Car. I had never owned a Mercury and the first time I drove it, I was sold. The ride and the spacious interior make up for the fact that the gas mileage is not great. The car is equipped with things like lumbar seats, heated seats and mirrors,programmable garage door opener, and an enormous trunk. It steers almost effortlessly.

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  Very Pleased - 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Mike - July 27 - 9:33 pm

  Bought the car used with 9800 miles showing. Had rented an LS the year before and really liked the car. The only thing I did not like about the rental were the too soft seats. Got a great deal on this GS w leather and like it better than the LS I took to Colorado. It is very manuverable for its size. Its easy to get in and out of and dont believe everything you read in Consumer Reports...I get 27 to 28 mpg on the highway. You drive it like a moron and youll pay for it at the pump just like any other vehicle. And no, the Chrysler 300 is not a better or roomier vehicle. My car is much quieter, roomier, easier ingress and egress and MUCH better visibility.

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  Love this car - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By carnut - July 27 - 4:06 pm

  Wanted the all wheel drive, but concerned about fuel mileage. This car exceeds all expectations on mileage so far. Car handles great and CVT is terrific. It seems a little slow from dead start, but it gets going pretty quick so Im not sure what the complaints are about. If youre looking for neck snapping performance, this wont give it to you, but room, comfort, style and economy all together make this a great choice. Looks good in most of the available colors.

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  Great SUV, but bad transmission - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By gldnbr2 - July 27 - 2:36 pm

  The Mountaineer is a solid SUV with many good qualities. Its somewhat quiet inside and doesnt have any rattles after 22,000 miles. The AWD is excellent in poor weather conditions. The inside door handles (which are lacking for the most part) are very poorly located and difficult to use. They improved this design in 2007. The worst part of this vehicle is the transmission. It began slipping and hesitating at 4000 miles, then it got worse. At around 8000 miles it started to slam into 1st gear from 2nd gear when stopping. Feels like somebody hit me from behind. Now after 22,000 miles, Ford has yet to find a fix for this very annoying problem. I know others are having the same problem.

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  Great car - 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By lavrick - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Had the car for 7 years and no major problems. Only thing was BOTH side view mirrors went out at the same time. Quite costly to replace.

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  Great Car Fun to Drive - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Derk Shultz - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I love this car