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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  Hate it - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By Aramil - April 23 - 10:00 am

  When I bought this car on auction with hi mileage 120K and for only $1500 I expected problems. But so far it seems that everytime I turn the key something else goes wrong. Right now I Have already doubled the ammount I payed for it in repairs and still have a transmission problem and oil leak I have to force my shifter to get it in gear and i have a short in the in the line for my turn signals and my AC has gone out.

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  Not a reliable car.. i hate my cougar - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Ashley - March 17 - 10:16 am

  I bought this car about two years ago after having a friend total my vw jetta which i loved. the cougar is nothing compared to that car and i can say i have had more problems with my cougar than i ever had with my jetta. within the first few months of having my car i liked it, it was nothing special but after like four months i started to have major problems with it. since i have spent probably close to $6000 fixing it. replaced the transmittion, any and every sensor possible, the alternator is bad now and i have had probably 5 batteries all go bad. the car stalls when it gets cold out or rainy. it is a very unpredictable car and i would not recommend it to anyone... wish i never got it

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  Money Wasted - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By Bha45146 - January 8 - 3:20 pm

  I bought this car used with only 80,000 miles on it. 3 days after purchase the trans went out, thank god for 30 day warranties, but then the blower for the heater went out, the wiring for the AC burnt up so now no heat or air, coils burnt out, the drivers side window keeps getting stuck, will go down but not back up,even put a new window motor in it 3 times, still have this problem. I paid $5,000 for the car and have put $4,000 in it and still have nothing but junk!

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  Great until you hit 80k - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Mommy to 3 - October 29 - 10:03 pm

  We bought this car in 2004. I loved it for the first two years or so. The it started falling apart. We have had to replace the transmission and it needs to be replaced again now. Other replacements, power window motor and switch pannel, window regulator, back glass, wheel barings, door hinges, cracked running boards, air compressor, power seat motor and various timing belts. I have just been advised the ABS is out and my rear end may or may not be going out and the doors no longer lock. Interior wise its comfy. Some of the paint on the steering wheel and radio started peeling and flaking at about 50k. Basically this car is junk. We are trading in tomorrow on a Land Rover LR3 tomorrow

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  Transmission!! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By lb330011 - October 18 - 8:05 am

  I had to participate in the recall on the transmission a couple years ago after having my car less than a year. Today I go to start it and the transmission is completely out! Never again will I buy a Ford. The customer service is horrible and of course the new transmission issue has nothing to do with them.

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  A real disapointment - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Log01 - June 14 - 11:40 am

  I have one good thing to say about the car it does get pretty good gas mileage, I get 19 in town and 28 on the Highway. Other than that its a real disapointment. Road noise is excessive. The interior is cheap, the passengers seat rattles, it sounds line the window arent all rolled up. We wont even go into the ash tray/cup holder pain in the shorts. The passengers in the back see cant see around the head rests, not confortable on long trips, poor real leg room. If you open the trunk lid in the rain the water off the trunk lid drips into the truck. The car is lacks power for a v8. I dont like the car and would like to trade it, but with only 8 thousand miles on it it has lost $20K value

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  A Lemons Lemon - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By mfultz - April 13 - 2:46 am

  I really tried to buy American when I bought this Mountaineer with only 38,00 miles on it in 2004. Now at 90,000 miles I have had to replace the transmission and not the rear end is failing. I have a Toyota Tundra and a Honda they have 106,000 miles and 170, miles on them respectively. I have NEVER replace a transmission or differential on either one. I just think I should have gotten more service out of this Mountaineer; after all, I thought American car manufacturers PROMISED to build better products. The promised has truly been broken, just like my pocketbook. NO MORE AMERICAN vehicles for me, and thats a promise.

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  Major Defect - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By DMont - March 29 - 10:00 am

  Beware of KNOWN rear axle defect in the 03. A mth after purchase, I heard humming from the rear. took it back to John Eagle. informed by serv mgr that there existed a known defect w/ rear axle. Ford had to replace the entire rear end of my SUV. In April 04, my wife was driving the car in the HOV lane when the rear axel locked up. The vehicle began to skid and black smoke was coming out of the vehicle. Thru the grace of God my wife maneuvered the vehicle without having a rear-end collision. In the vehicle w/ my wife was my two boys (3 and 1 mth) and mother-in-law. BEWARE! Fords not telling purchasers of this KNOWN defect.

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  bad Cat! - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By BAD CAT! - March 19 - 3:00 am

  This has to be the worst car I have ever purchased. I have only had it for 10 months. It is parked now with a $2000 transmission bill! It has cut off in the middle of the expressway!. Trunk leaks, engine lights comes on, open door light stays on. CD player jams, terrible on tires/alighnment, "rattles" in the rear, and the list goes on. Would rather ride a bicycle! Would never own another one unless someone gave it to me, then Id still be leary!

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  Big disappointment - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By bill - February 6 - 10:40 am

  Its like driving a basketball, mileage isnt what it supposed to get and a typical Ford with brakes. I cant wait to give it back.