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:

• 

  Great Car! - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Steve Whetstine - January 12 - 2:26 pm

  This is a great car. Its got plenty of power and can peel rubber even when you have a full load of people-which is six. Very comfortable and has great visibility. Just a great "big boat car" from the seventies.

• 

  AFFORDABLE SUV WITH HIGH PRICE STYLE - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By FIRST SUV - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I found the Mountaineer to drive and handle better than the land cruiser and seems to be finished off and built as well for 1/2 the cost. The ride is better than my concorde lxi, very stable handling, and lots of bells and whistles. controls are easy. I found the design to be a sophisticated explorer and get lots of compliments from co workers on its look. With the features and safty features that murcury has included its hard to find competition in the same class. I am happy with the purchase. Only defect was the CD player fade/bal buttons had a mind of their own and the dealer swapped it out with out waiting.

• 

  coolest car - 2001 Mercury Cougar
  By ROBAK1 - January 12 - 2:00 am

  overall its a brill car and so fun to live with!! :-)

• 

  Great, functional SUV - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By GLS - January 10 - 9:46 pm

  This is my 3rd Mountaineer (1997, 2004) and it keeps getting better. New ride is much smoother and quieter. New steering wheel design very comfortable. Turning radius seems better. Glad the heated seat control was moved to the console.Great size for times when you need the extra seating. Like the split 3rd row seat. Overall good value compared to other SUVs on the market.

• 

  Best Vehicle I have ever owned! - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By giftofgod - January 9 - 4:26 pm

  This van has been great for me and my wife. It does seem to average 22 mpg, but this is through the hills in north-central Arkansas. It seems to have plenty of power for zipping up and down the hills. The reviews about lack of power seem unjustified. I also love the cupholders in ours. They adjust to fit any size drink. I do not understand the complaints there either. As far as drivability, this van corners well, and has no squeaks or rattles yet, even though it is now 7 years old. The engine runs like a top and does not miss. All of the features work great. Cruise control is a little jumpy for this area, but works well on the highway. Overall, I would say this is a great vehicle!

• 

  Awesome - 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
  By carl - January 8 - 9:43 pm

  One week into ownership I could not be happier. My white Mercury Milans profile reminds me of a C Class Mercedes. Gas mileage is phenomenal. I expected a drop from my Focus, but no. Some trip numbers have been so astonishing, not sure I believe them myself. First fill up will verify - or not. I should add, I am a totally disciplined hypermiler. So many systems to go wrong. Still, they are all working as advertised. My luck cant last on flawless performance. Considering getting the Extracare Extended Service Plan, as repair on some of these systems, especially the electronics, must be very expensive.

• 

  1996 xr7 - 1996 Mercury Cougar
  By lakeland fl - January 8 - 1:50 pm

  This is my 3rd XR7 i had a 1979 and a 1986 and now i have a 1996 and love it .There great cars and for the money what more can you ask for . There nice driving cars and ride great and look great and there very very safe cars .The XR7 looks like it should cost you a lot of money to buy one thats how good they look on the road .My XR7 looks and drives better then my Town Car .The XR7 is a great car to own !!

• 

  Great but expensive car - 2002 Mercury Cougar
  By Brad - January 7 - 7:36 pm

  I got this car a few years ago, and while I absolutely love this car, parts for this car can be very expensive. For a headlamp assemble, new was $400 and used was $450, due to some national back order of parts. A windshield was $500, four tires $290, and radiator $350. E-Bay though has been my friend with this car and has saved me hundreds. An alternator at Advanced Auto Parts cost $120, but on E-Bay I got one for $45 and that included shipping.

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By rjsindy - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I traded in my 1995 Grand Marquis which had 120000 miles on it and never gave one bit of trouble. The new car has been excellent. I travel a lot with my job 30-60000 miles/yr. This is a car that is built to take that type of driving. The cost of maintenance is negligible, after having owned a few Swedish and German cars it has been a very welcome experience. The car has 32000 miles on it and has never been back in the shop except for normal maintenance. This is not the most exciting vehicle in the world, but its very safe, comfortable and durable.

• 

  Many Improvements - 08 Best One Yet! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Mark Robison - January 5 - 8:00 am

  Had an 06 Escape, but the 08 made such great improvements. The Mariner offers more deluxe features over the Escape. Cup holders are a major improvement, as is the ice blue dash lights and the dash-top center display. Exterior appearance looks tough, yet elegant, and the ride is finally smooth and comfortable. Passengers compliment the feel of the rear seats and from the front, it feels roomier and slightly "bigger."