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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  Buy it! - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By DOOBDOO - March 9 - 7:06 pm

  We have a 2005 Equinox & just got the 2006 Mariner. Go for the Merc. The Noxi has electronic steering (no fluid) that makes it handle like the Queen Mary in a turn - no feel whatsoever. The Mariner is a luxury car that is fun to drive. I am coming out of an Aviator and 19 mpg Mariner city driving is doubling what I got, so the fuel economy suits me fine. No built in "Ford rattle" - you can see foam inserts in the door jambs in addition to gaskets to eliminate noise. Just finished after Christmas shopping and put two 6 X 2boxes in the back with lots of room to spare for the shopping bags. Comfortable, too.

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  Great Car - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By Cougarman2000 - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Since I bought this car about a month ago I rarely drive my 2002 honda civic LX Sport. This car turns heads everywhere I go, and the chicks love it. Lots of power in the V6. Just a great car overall. Ive put 8000KM on it already and no problems yet. The car has 48000KM on it now.

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  Decent but not great! - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By chevyman19 - March 9 - 5:16 am

  I bought the car in September of 2006 and I wish I wouldnt have because the fifth day I had to spend $500 to get my intake fixed, and Ive spent over $800 dollars trying to get my a/c fixed and still is not fixed right. When I accelerate hard it blows warm, and another 5 months after that I broke down on the side of the road because my transmission had gone out on it. Overall I would never buy another Sable again because its all Ford parts.

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  Joey Grand Marquis Review - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Joe Schill - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Its a nice car. Quiet, even after 12,000 miles. Ride is smooth.

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  Great Dependable Van - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By Catg - March 5 - 6:36 pm

  We purchased our villager new 10 years ago. We have put 137,000 miles on it and it has been very dependble. We had to replace the CV joint as some reviewers have said and have had a problem with the gas pedal sticking but other than regular maintenance we have had no major problems. Gas mileage is really not bad for a v- 6 van. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a van. It also has tons of room (more than any SUV) when the seats are pushed up.

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  Not bad - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By Cape Robert - March 4 - 7:46 pm

  I previously owned a 1997 GS and put on 135K and drove it till it dropped. It was good, solid and economical transportation which is why I bought this one. The 97 had the basic engine gave me 27+ MPG hwy. I followed the owners manual as to when to perform maintenance and cannot complain (of course, I never took it a dealer where their rates were way oput of line). My 1999 with the 24 valve OHV which is very peppy averages about 25+ MPG highway. Both are great salesman cars and I look at them as a disposable products. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another one.

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  Drivin In Style - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By D. L. H. - March 3 - 7:03 am

  When my minivan was ready for retirement I knew I needed something that could work hard but look good. I had been reading about the Mariner since forever and was eager to test drive it. Well one test drive was all it took! THE MARINER is IT!! It has the roominess of a van, the handling of a car, the solid feel of safety, and enough of a trunk that we can pack up the family and head to the beach for a week. Plus its so pretty! We definitely made the right choice!

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  What a Great Vehicle - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Fred - February 29 - 5:23 am

  When I went to purchase this vehicle I wanted everything on it and I got it. I love almost everything about it. I like that is looks way more expensive than what it actually cost. Its classy. the interior is great too. I have plenty of room to take my friends/family along. I feel very safe when driving this vehicle.

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  Great overall car - 2007 Mercury Milan
  By S. Runion - February 29 - 4:56 am

  Ive driven this car for a bit over two years with no complaints. Its gone back to dealer only for service. I cant understand people saying lack of power. The 3.0 with 6 speed trans. has lots of get-up-and-go. Improvements desired? A thermometer display and more accessory outlets.

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  Have had my Sable LS for over 1 year - 2002 Mercury Sable
  By ramets - February 28 - 10:33 am

  Plain and simple, just a great, carefree car. You can spend more for less, but why? This car has very nice ammenities comparable with cars in the 28,000-30,000 range. As an added bonus, get the Mach Stereo. The sound is great, and for those of you who love AM radio (sportstalk, etc), the reception is great and outperforms stuff I have heard in an Acura.