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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  Knee Knocker - 2004 Mercury Marauder
  By soyasay - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I ve had the car a couple weeks. I have put right at 1000 miles on her. Im a few years over fifty and I still like a car that runs and performs well. The last 5 or 6 years I have drove SUVs The wife wanted a car this time. This Merc fits the bill.It has size and finesse. I think the engine performs great along with the gear set up. The ride is a little stiff but it is not a lincoln. Mine is silver. The interior leather is very nice. I have to be very careful because this baby could get this old man in a lot of trouble.

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  Solid Comfort - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By c2h6os - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Having owned a used 2000 Mercury Mountainerr for over 6 months, I am absolutely pleased with my decision to buy it. The V8 power and AWD stability provide much relief for winter weather and towing/hauling/etc. The luxurious interior is the most comfortable I have known, even having driven Mercedes sedans and Chevy TrailBlazers.

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  1999 Mercury Mountaineer - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By BigTime - July 29 - 7:20 pm

  The Mercury Mountaineer for the 1999 model year is a solid, fairly luxurious SUV entry from Ford Motor Companys Mercury division. The 5.0 L V8 is a gas-guzzler that despite only putting out 215 HP propels the nearly 4500-pound car well. The interior quality is fairly formidable, though its aesthetics are lacking. The cargo room of the Mountaineer allows it to function as the ideal vehicle to carry baseball, golf, or sporting equipment. The car is extremely reliable, far more so than the current mid-size SUV slate Ford offers. The fifteen-inch chrome wheels are aesthetically-pleasing as is the cars grille which sets it apart from its Ford Explorer sibling.

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  Good large car - 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By nvboy24 - July 29 - 6:40 am

  Car is large, but safe. Dont care for drivers seat much. Very good MPG for a large car, better then my Camry-Toyota with a 4-cyl and feels safer too. And no problems. V8 is smooth as silk, Ford has done a good job!

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  Ok for to and from but not a big city vehicle - 2011 Mercury Mariner
  By lilj509 - July 23 - 6:44 pm

  It was time to get a new vehicle, and the salesman said it was "zippy" for a 4 cylinder. It seemed ok when I took it for a test drive on surface streets, but after getting it on the highway, I realized it is not at all "zippy." It has no pick up and go, especially when you have anyone else in the car or anything heavy in the car. It would be great for an older couple who are just going to and from the store, etc., but living in a big city and merging on and off of the highway, this car really is a disappointment. The body style is a little out-dated but at least it doesnt look like a bug, like most newer SUVs do. It gets 24 miles/gallon. The digital fuel gage is rarely accurate.

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  high tech car, low tech dealer - 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By hooverpilot - July 11 - 9:00 pm

  Quite a fun car to drive. Has reasonable power, good mileage, good handling. Big disappointment was that in spite of the fact that both the sticker and the website data sheet say the CD-player is MP3-capable, it isnt! Not even with the premium package! The salesmen said it could play MP3s, but later admitted he didnt know what an MP3 was - he was just going on the sticker. The service people were totally clueless and unwilling to help. I just HATE spending something like $1500 for a stupid radio and it wont even play MP3s. Dont rely on the dealer or the service people to know anything much about the electronics.

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  Watch Out for Transmission - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Herb - July 5 - 2:03 am

  Loved the way it looks and drives. I have a V8 and pulled a camper with no problems. The AWD, 6CD Changer, Heated Seats, and Memory settings work well. The only problem is the transmission. Had it replaced after the warranty went out. Now its slipping again. Supposedly, later models improved the transmission.

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  I like my 2006 Mercury Montego Premier - 2006 Mercury Montego
  By oleander1 - July 4 - 7:54 am

  I recently bought a 2006 Mercury Montego. I am a senior lady and was on my own as far as finding a car and doing my own research. I used this website often. I drove 8 cars. The Mercury was the first car I drove and after considering all the others, it is the car I bought. I am no expert, but I do know quality and recognize performance in cars. This car is a lovely car. Good looking, big comfy interior, a heavy weight which drives and feels good. Corners great. You could live in the trunk. On the downside, undersized engine and some peculiar gadget arrangements inside. But overall, a wonderful buy. If you find one with low miles, buy it.

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  Cool Car - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By Sara23 - July 1 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car almost a year. It is a great car to have. Especially when caring around friends or your little brother and his friends. It is kind of though a good family car not so much for a teenager. It is great though for a 16 year old that is just starting to drive. It is a great car. It runs great with almost 80,000 miles.

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  I know I will get 300,000 miles - 2002 Mercury Sable
  By Andrew - June 30 - 10:43 am

  I needed a comuter car so it needed to be reliable. Pat Goss from Auto week mentioned that the drivetrain was bulletproof now I see why. My car is at its 5th owner and starts strong every time. I would have liked to have the LS with the 200hp but with switching the air filter to a K&N and using 93 octane fuel gets me close. I actually feel it gets better performance because with the LS the power is all top end. Peak torque starts at 2500 rpm so with only slight presure on the gas she moves. For handling all I needed to do was change to lower profile tires, now it will and has out cornered BMWs.