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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  Better than Expected - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By thomas otey - January 19 - 11:20 pm

  For the money, the looks and the performance this SUV is a very good deal. The interior is well fit, no squeaks ect., the leather still smells new and has held up very well. The AWD is exceptional in the snow and wet and my wife has confidence while driving it. More money than an Explorer but (I have had 5)worth the step up.

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  A GOOD VAN - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By ACEIT - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I NOW HAVE 80000 ON MY VILLAGER. IT HAS NOT HAD ANY MAJOR REPAIRS. I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SWITCH REPAIRED (WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP, TOTAL BILL $75.00. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE STICKY GAS PEDAL SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VAN. ANY IDEAS HOW TO FIX?? THE CUP HOLDERS ARE LACKING (LARGE CUPS ARE A PROBLEM). I USE MY VAN FOR WORK (COMPUTER REPAIR) AND FIND THE SEATING OPTIONS PERFECT FOR HOW I USE IT (HAULING PCS, MONITORS, AND LOTS OF PARTS). I LIKE THE GAS MILEAGE, 24 MILES PER GALLON, AND THE 3.3 IS A SNAPPY ENGINE. I PULL A 16 FOOT BASS BOAT WITH NO TROUBLE.

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  99 SPORT - 93K Miles - 1999 Mercury Villager
  By 47IHC-KB - January 16 - 9:33 pm

  Had and fixed myself most of the usual problems (Lower than expected mileage, sticky throttle valve, CV JOINT boots failed after 80K-not hard to replace, Bad Headlight socket,dimmer switch intermittant, Rear fuel Injector- Difficult to remove upper intake manifold to access, broken passenger door lock actuator, Bad road vibration-- Bad orig. tires were the cause, front rotors get very hot & warp easy,rear shoes still original, left sliding door seal pops out, waterleak in rear door, paint peeling off cargo rack, squeaky belts, some minor coolant leaks). Engine is still strong, quick acceleration, handles well. Still using 2nd set of tires, but vibration increasing. Horn difficult to activate

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  Been a good car - 1999 Mercury Sable
  By 99 Sable - January 16 - 9:53 am

  Had 51,000 miles on it when I bought it, 116,500 on it now. Power steering pump replaced a couple years ago, front wheel bearings needed replacing at 105,000, and having trouble with the heater now (think maybe the heater core is plugged). It also needs an exhaust manifold gasket at present. Thats about it other than normal maintenance like brakes, battery, etc. Been a good car, like the styling, rides and handles decent, runs good, has always started even at well below 0, gets dent gas mileage. Cant complain too much really.

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  FORDS BETTER IDEA - 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By 1967z28 - January 16 - 8:26 am

  I just experienced my 8th power window failure. This is my wifes car, no kids to abuse the system. Ford has been building cars with power windows for over 50 years and still cant get it right. Other failures include the dreaded plastic intake manifold. The improved Ford replacement manifold is now leaking around the heater hose nipple. Ford has been building cars for 100 years and has difficulty building a manifold that holds water. My wife has been stranded twice with no start issues due to poor crank trigger connector placement, it takes on water when driving in the rain. The rear seat belts were replaced under warranty and still have ratchet issues. The clear coat & paint have failed.

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  Best Car Ever Made - 1995 Mercury Villager
  By Randy - January 15 - 11:30 pm

  After 10 years of faithful service, I am selling my van today to make way for a sporty new SUV. Based on reading other reviews, I obviously was lucky to purchase the best-built Villager ever. The original engine and tranny are still strong after 10 years, electrical works perfect, ride is smooth and quiet. This has been a noble, reliable friend to my family.

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  Great American Vehicle - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By Joe - January 15 - 5:00 pm

  My wife and I purchased a 2009 mercury mariner v6 voga this august. It rides great, has great performance, and is an all around good vehicle. It may not be as refined as some of the newer platforms on the market, but it gets the job done. We looked at toyota, honda, and other manufactures, but decided to buy american and havent regretted it. The distance to empty display is great, as well as the sound system. The ride is SUV like, and it is great in the snow.(16" of unplowed snow and didnt get stuck)

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  The Perfect Car - 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Caitlin - January 14 - 2:00 am

  When I turned 16 in the fall of 2001, my parents bought me a white 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. I feel in love with the car immediately - something about being a new driver and having your own car. That car fit me perfectly. It was gorgeous, comfortable, and I felt safe in it. But early in March of 2003, I was in an accident. The other driver and I were both fine, but my beautiful car was not. It was totaled. The front of my car hit the right side of the other car - a small sedan. My Mountaineer did exactly what it was supposed to - the engine took the entire impact, and the interior of the car was untouched. I could not have wished for a better car.

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  Pretty good so far! - 1999 Mercury Cougar
  By Jewels6 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car a little over a year, i like it pretty good. My trunk release has never worked. I have had to have a hose replaced and 2 new front tires and a censor, other than that, its fine. The worst problem I have had is with the dealership. I like it, its sporty and I feel free when i drive.

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  My 5th GR MARQUIS - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By dadof9 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  My only real complaints have to do with the road/air noise on the highways. To the point where the radio/ CD are not enjoyable. Disturbing enough to make me think of another vehicle.