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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  best since 1950 - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By myrna williams - April 13 - 10:00 am

  Pride of ownership comfort quite ride with very little wind noise and no mechanical noise will probably install a tackonometer so i can tell when engine is running I really enjoy the car and the dealer has gone out of her way to please.maybe because the dealer manager is a real pleasant person and a true LADY.

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  After a year of driving - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By David - April 8 - 10:13 pm

  This car has performed quite well. Performance: The car has a good amount of low end torque that will get this heavy car moving when you want it to. My only complaint here is the slight lack in higher RPM performance for when you pass during a high speed situation such as the freeway, it can take a bit to get it going a higher speed. Reliability: I have yet to have a major problem with it. I have done well in keeping it maintained and it has rewarded me with no major problems. I have even driven it across the country. The car is very comfortable with plenty of space for your passengers. The fuel economy is standard for any full size sedan. Just dont punch it everywhere.

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  Best car for the money - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By William Dimm - April 8 - 10:00 am

  This car is a solid dependable sedan that delivers good mileage in comfort and safety. Its the ideal car forthe older driver that understands the importance of having a roomy, easy to handle car that has enough pep to enable one to drive confidently on the high speed interstate highways, with agood solid feel to the ride. I hope that Ford continues its policy of making this car with few year to year changes, using proven components and systems. It results in a dependable car at a relatively low price!!

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  still going strong - 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By tim carnes - April 6 - 3:03 pm

  190,000 and have only ever replaced battery and master cylinder. Have gotten as much as 28 MPG on trips. Rear seal leaks now but this is by far the most reliable car I have ever had.

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  best auto ever owned, - 2005 Mercury Sable
  By Ted ZAmbricki - April 5 - 1:56 pm

  never had a problem with the Sable. it starts very good, the air conditioner is excellent, it cools instantly, the heater likewise it heats instantly, The pick up is excellent, the price is great I purchased the best model so it goes to show that you get what you pay for. I would purchase a Mercury or Mazda as my next new auto. I like the Mercury van that is made by Mazda, I had one for 2 years and got spoiled. I will purchase my next auto in 2006 which will be as I had stated.

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  Not A Keeper - 1995 Mercury Villager
  By Tom Rademacher - April 3 - 11:36 am

  This car performed well for us the first 80,000 miles or so, but dont plan on owning it for the long run unless you enjoy poor workmanship that fails over time. The engine is a champ, the same they install in the Nissan Quest. But weve had trouble with cargo door alignment, power lock failure, power mirror failure, AC, rear heat and a handful of other electronic elements -- niggling things that we wish ahead of time wed known were going tolet us down. The car just isnt built for the long haul.

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  B +++ - 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By J.F.K. - April 1 - 11:16 am

  A great car, power when needed in all situations and weather conditions.This marquis as like my work vehicle in(law enforcement) drives 100% identically. The very same car as a crown vic but the next size up in class. Love it !

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  Its an all right car - 1997 Mercury Sable
  By autoelectric - March 30 - 10:00 am

  After over a 100,000 miles it is using some oil, probably a cylinder head problem. It has good performance. Just had some minor problems with car.

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  Mercury Mariner Hybrid - 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By j mueller - March 29 - 11:53 pm

  I owned a Lincoln Aviator before this.There is no comparison. This car is cheaply built!It has uncomfortable seats with paper thin leather, poor sound system, you can hear the outside air through the windows, it has a rough ride. Overall it is just a cheap, uncomfortable car that was definitely not worth 30-some thousand dollars!

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  Love this car! - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By Ann - March 29 - 5:16 pm

  This has been one of my favorite cars and I traded down from a Lexus GX to buy this.The gas mileage is much better and I love the car for my short trips about town. I have the Kiwi green with white interior with plenty of room for family, dogs and everything else. Fun car.