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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  Traded up to an American SUV! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Maureen - May 3 - 11:40 pm

  I love the luxurious ride in my 2008 Mariner. The ride is smooth! Lots of nice features for the price, leather seats, dual temperature controls.

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  2005 mercury montego - 2005 Mercury Montego
  By premier - May 3 - 10:26 pm

  fun to drive, has plenty of power except when at a complete stop. like the reverse sensing

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  Transmission Trouble - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By Sue - May 2 - 6:26 pm

  I had to review my car after reading all of these reviews. I love my cars styling, but its NOT the most reliable car Ford ever made. My transmission went out at 92,000 mi. Looks like theres more people with the same trouble. Ive replaced tires several times and a rim that was dented from the low ride. Im buying a Focus next time.

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  Great Minivan....We have had 2! - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By Bill R. - May 2 - 3:30 pm

  This van has been wonderful and very reliable. We couldnt afford a Honda Odyssey, and we were looking for reliability. This one has been reliable and the storage/hauling space is amazing....We cant believe all the stuff we have brought home in this. And our import vehicle mechanic still repairs it.

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  Hard to be Objective - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Waggly Toast - May 1 - 9:50 am

  Its hard to be objective when the car is perfect. Weve had it for a year and weve never had a single problem with the vehicle. We purchased it from my Grandmother and she never had a single issue either. We towed a 3K lb. trailer from AL to UT and it handled the trip with ease. No problems whatsoever. Gas mileage for the trip was around 15 mpg. I was amazed. The car rides smooth and is very quiet. Three car seats fit in the back with plenty of room and we can seat three adults up front. We have enjoyed owning such a reliable vehicle. We put about 15K miles/year on the vehicle. We would recommend it to everyone.

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  Styling Ride & Great Value - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Luke Duke - April 30 - 10:00 am

  The Montaineer offers simple elegance in a hearty frame and body construction. It might not handle as softly as a hybrid SUV but then again many of those those vehicles are merely sedans-like undercarriages with a faux SUV looks.

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  Mountaineer is Supreme - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By mdc - April 30 - 10:00 am

  Smooth to handle -- surprise because of its size. Gives an overall easy and smooth ride!

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Mercury Monterey
  By jdpower - April 30 - 10:00 am

  I was disappointed that Mercury had discontinued the Villager, and was hesitant about the Monterey. But now after 1200 miles, I enjoy it more. Highway gas mileage is better than Villager, but not quite as good around town.

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  Best Cougar Ever - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Jose A. M. Nolla - April 29 - 3:26 am

  I had bought 2 Cougars before this one. Some like my 1970 XR-7 with the 4V 335hp V8 had great power but none as nimble as my 1999. I ordered it with the sports package and had some problems getting it to my location in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico since Mercury Hq was not allowing the vehicle to be exported. So my Cougar became the first new edge one to arrive in San Juan. Good Things: Performance when you turn AC off, handling in curvy mountain or country roads, looks from observers and engine sound with free flow mufflers. Many people ask you about it so patience with people who want to buy your car. Bad things: Original tires (which where great) have gone out of production.

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  2008 Sable AWD Premier Black on Black - 2008 Mercury Sable
  By Mike O - April 26 - 8:10 am

  Im 64" so I had to special order a Premier edition without the sunroof to ensure I had enough head room. Had to wait 4 months, but it was worth it. The dealer gave me the car for $1 under invoice plus a $4,000 rebate. What a steal. When I picked up my new Sable, it was larger and more luxurious than I had remembered. I have taken two long trips (400 miles) and have not been disappointed. Decent MPG for a car of this size, smooth ride, great Sirrius radio, climate control and heated leather seats. I was concerned about leg/foot room, but the more I drive this car the more comfortable it gets. My daughter is 511" and loves the back seat leg room. Merc has a winner here!