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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  Leaking Fuel System - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By Steve - January 7 - 12:40 pm

  Ford Motor Co. doesnt tell you in the owners manual nor are dealerships aware that the "new" cap less fuel system that Ford has been installing on nearly all its vehicles for the past two years leaks when you top off the gas tank, as confirmed by my dealership in both 2009 and 2010 models. Ford will not make any repairs for this and tells the customer not to top off the gas tank.

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  Great car all together - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Tony - January 7 - 2:06 am

  For the money, this car is awesome. From the comfy leather seats and sun roof, to the sleek design inside and out. I do wish I had the 6 cyl at times, but I have a 5-Speed which is a bit more power efficient. The stereo sounds better than many stock systems Ive heard. The stock wheels are pretty sharp. Very roomy all around for a smaller sedan.

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  Mountaineer Mania - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By wizard - January 6 - 5:13 am

  My 2002 Mountaineer is fabulous. The 4 wheel independent suspension dramatically improved the ride. It drives, corners, and handles great. The V-8s fuel economy is not the greatest but I love the get-up-and-go it has when merging on freeways or trying to pass. The interior dash display is awesome at night. Coming from a snowy state I love the all-wheel-drive. No worrying about when to switch to 4-wheel drive, and it appears to work great. In 8 months of driving not a single concern.

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  99 Sable LS - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By Golfer - January 3 - 10:00 am

  In almost 4 years of use and 37000 miles, besides oil changes and tire rotation Ive only replaced the battery. The car is very dependable and the leather seating is as comfortable as they come. While many criticize the exterior design, I still enjoy looking at its style from front to back, especially the sides not being your typical flat sheet metal style as on most imports. Hope to get another 4 great years from it but just might get another new Sable before that with the price being one of the best values on the market.

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  I Like my Mystique - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By Fred.P - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I got this car brand new. I have had no major problems with it. I think the 2.5 liter V6 is really peppy. The premium sound with single cd is great. I like the rear spoiler. The ride is a bit stiff but the handling is good. The paint is really holding up well with a zymol wax once a year.

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  Cougar Far From Purrfect - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Daphne - January 3 - 2:00 am

  This car is just one problem after the other. If you purchase this car it will spend most of its time in the shop. I have 44K on mine and the problems have been: defect in brake calippers not retracting which constantly wear out the rotars, sensors continually go out, alternator failed, leaving me stranded on the freeway, transmission greatly hesitates when you really need it the most, radio continually shorts out, cup holder is worthless, front defrost vents pop up. These problems are not one time occurences, they happen over and over again, compounding frustration. Please save yourself the frustration I have experienced and buy a more reliable car.

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  Found a great car... - 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Dr. S. Harrison - January 2 - 2:46 pm

  Cant beleive I found a super car for only $28,000. I feel so safe in this car and it does all the work for me as its so easy to drive and park. It is so comfortable and responsive. I love this car!!!

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  2006 Mercury Mariner Premier - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By len.adler - December 31 - 8:50 pm

  Since delivery this car has been fun to drive, and without mechanical defect. Its higher position enables seeing over sedans in a traffic line. It is nimble and comfortable. The mpg average of 20-25 on the highway is disappointing in todays gasoline prices. Five passengers can travel comfortably, and the back section is great for our black lab, even on long trips.

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  Still too soon to know for sure - 2006 Mercury Montego
  By vinnie - December 31 - 2:56 pm

  I changed the tires immediately, they were a bad ride. The motor is a bit loud in 1st first gear. I said the car hesitates when going into 2nd gear, but the dealer shot me down. The rear brakes drag when left overnight, there is a TSB so the dealer put new rear brakes and turned the rear rotors. The car is good on longer trips.The exterior mirrors are good in day driving, but I seem to have my vision on the left blocked and a glare. My wife likes the high drive visibility. Needs some more power when leaving from a light. I had a Mercury before this one and it lasted me 18 years, why fool with success.

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  2007 Mercury Milan - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By ownerofone - December 29 - 10:03 am

  Car lacks good acceleration with any of the engines available. It is still a fun car to own and drive, however.