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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  Quote - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By ColeenPFile - November 20 - 1:46 pm

  I liked this car very well. I get excellent gas mileage and have owned this car for almost 10 years. It has never given me any problem. I did replace the tires in 2007. Not worn out just dry rot.

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  My Best Car - 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Jo Knapp - November 19 - 3:10 am

  Ive owned many cars in my lifetime and this is the best one Ive ever had. Never had any mechanical problems. Gas mileage at 20 mpg for a V8 is unbelievable. Comfortable ride with spacious interior. Style hasnt changed much over the years. I dont think they can improve on it!

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  Great car for the money! - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Steve - November 15 - 4:20 am

  I considered a 2007 Camry XLE but one with the options I wanted was not available anywhere so I looked at the Milan. It doesnt have as many bells and whistles as the Camry (Bluetooth- enabled JBL stereo, dual-zone climate control, power passenger seat, etc.), but I like the interior styling better and have gotten many comments on the cars good looks. It looks like a more expensive car than it is and has a great ride to it while being fun to drive.

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  AWESOME CAR - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By COUGARGUY - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I now have over 3,000 miles on my 2002 cougar V6 and have had no problems. Took it into the mountains and averaged 25 mpg, and I was passing alot of cars in the slow lane that could not keep up to the speed limit going up the mountain. I love my Cougar!!

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  Hot Rod with a Warranty - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By ROB502 - November 11 - 3:53 am

  Love it I get comments all the time. People want to know did it come like that from the factory. The car was not advertised very well so lots of people dont even know what it is. It is comfortable fun to drive and gets 20mpg city and 25 on the highway.

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  Solid, Reliable - 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By barber - November 8 - 7:36 pm

  A lot of car for the money, this replaced my 1993 Cad SDV. I find it quieter and quicker. This car is for people looking for substance over flash. Its a great car for people in my age group (50+). Very comfortable and roomy for four adults with abundant trunk room for their luggage. The only negative is the door over the gas cap - it doesnt lock, nor is there a locking gas cap available for the new design.

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  Good all-around family vehicle - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Pchampi - November 8 - 2:00 am

  We were won over by the styling and additional features of the Montaineer, most notably the standard third row seat for hauling around the relatives and little league team on occassion. The Mountaineer handles this task admirably, with suprisingly good legroom and comfort for the third row seat. The independent rear suspension provides a very comfortable ride, and the 5.0L V-8 is very peppy with good torque for trailer pulling. Very smooth riding and extra stable at highway speed. Quality has been excellent. Mileage of 17 to 20 Mpg could be a bit better, but overall the truck has provided a very enjoyable ownership experience.

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  GREAT SUV - GAS MILEAGE YUCK - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By BLUESMAN - November 8 - 2:00 am

  LOVE THIS SUV. CAN HAUL ANYTHING THAT CAN FIT INSIDE. BACK SEAT COMFORT FOR LONG TRIP IS SENSATIONAL WITH QUALITY LEATHER AND CUSIONING. INTERIOR DASH AND PANEL LAY OUT GREAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS CONVENIENT AND WORK WELL. COULD USE MORE CUP HOLDERS WHICH THEY DID NOT ADD IN THE 2003 REFRESH. WE LOOKED A MANY NEW SUVS AND CANT FIND ANYTHING WORTH SPENDING MORE MONEY ON.

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  Exceeds Expectations - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By gschwartz - November 5 - 11:56 am

  Exceeds expectations in ride, quietness, performance, fuel economy & transmisssion shift quality. 15,000 miles, about 1500 off-road on very rough roads ... NO squeaks or rattles. A world-class SUV bargain.

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  American Car as good as the imports :) - 2009 Mercury Milan
  By Fearnewine66 - November 5 - 10:23 am

  I have owned over 10 vehicles (Taurus, Camry, Scion, Sonata, etc.) and this one is the best. Was planning on purchasing a Camry but the 2009 Milan was too good of a car and too good a value to pass up. Lots of features for the money, great fuel mileage (31 mpg so far), build quality is excellent, it looks classy and its been dead reliable. I drive 50,000 miles a year and am pleased with the comfort level and fun-to-drive of this car. Ford is making good American cars and my Milan is proof :)