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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  Disappointed - 2000 Mercury Mystique
  By SAMNJKN - December 27 - 8:43 pm

  I bought this vehicle new.....took it for all the regular check-ups, oil change every 3,000 miles etc. At 80,000+ miles the engine blew. Yes, I had to replace the engine. Very disappointing because I took such good care of this car.

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  Great family car - exceeds minivans - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By bampam33 - December 27 - 8:13 pm

  Previously owned by a family member, our large family thoroughly enjoys this car. With the 3rd seat, we get the "feel" of a minivan without the outrageous gas costs. Extremely comfortable and adaptable to drive...kids love it too.

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  Good solid car - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By ljd - December 27 - 5:43 pm

  Bought a 2001 Sable LS Premium new and put 71,000 miles on it over 6 years. Just traded it in for a different brand. I miss my Sable! Excellent ride quality, loaded with luxury features, great stereo system, elegant styling. 21 MPG in town, 28 MPG highway. Very reliable.

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  Perfect - 2005 Mercury Mountaineer
  By frb - December 27 - 7:53 am

  I really enjoy my suv.Its roomy very comfortable and smooth ride.When going up long mountains I turn overdrive off and the power and speed is amazing. Its a sharp lookin vehicle also.Classy and rugged at same time. Big and strong feeling but still feels like a suv not a truck. Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!

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  I Love it - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By cAROL aNN gRATTA - December 22 - 11:46 pm

  This is the second Mountaineer Ive owned and this one is even nicer than the first. It rides so smoothly and quietly that I forget Im in a truck. The interior is very nice and comfortable. My only complaints is that it doesnt have a standard garage door opener button, and the door grips are too low and in an awkward spot.

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  A Keeper - 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
  By Hybrid fan - December 21 - 1:06 am

  This car is a no-compromise hybrid. We owned a Ford Fusion 6-cylinder SEL before this one, loved it, but this is even better. The hybrid powertrain is awesome -- imperceptible if you dont want to think about it (though youll notice going 600 miles on a tank!) but the Eco-Guide display helps you hypermile if you want> I got 99.9 mpg on one trip! (Okay, it was a short downhill trip, but Ive also had longer trip in the high 40s and 50s. Very well-appointed, classy car. Some friends with a BMW were drooling over it. Plan to keep this one for a good long time. I hear the batteries last more or less forever.

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  Our First SUV....An Excellent Choice! - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By chinchilla - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Researched and drove the Envoy, Highlander, Pilot, Endeavor, and Mountaineer. Simply put, I could not find a vehicle that had the options, performance, safety features, styling, and quality that the Mountaineer had to offer at a price under $35,000. This vehicle really tackles the toughest Wyoming snows while returning a very compliant, quiet ride.

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  2003 GS Grand Marque - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By bdemedio - December 19 - 5:53 pm

  Superb vehicle. A Lincoln Town car for half price. Incredible power. 17 city is an underestimate- I get 20. I get 30 on the highway even with lights (rte 13 in Delmarva). No problems at all to date. Still smells new. 24 bucks a year upkeep and much lower than average insurance. The toyota avalon is JUNK compared to this. Some of them are already rusting. Ill play chicken with any of you avalon drivers anyday- you wont live and Ill walk away without a scratch. Anyone with children owes it to them to have this great machine because of its safety, durability, power, and mileage. Why do you think its the preferred car for cops and cabbies? Its the best car made in the world for the price.

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  04 grand marquis - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By roger cozart - December 19 - 1:13 am

  Just purchased this car and love it. Traded in 04 Cadillac Deville with many problems. Mercury is a superior car. Handling is great and the car is really responsive and fun to drive. I hated the wallowing clumsy Cadillac. Lots of compliments on the appearance.

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  Loved to death - 2000 Mercury Villager
  By John - December 17 - 2:00 am

  We ran our Villager into the ground; 278k from 97 to 2010. Had it in the shop a few times with normal wear and tear. When it finally died no one could figure out why, we spent more than it was worth at the end to try and get it running again. In the end we had to let it go. Currently looking for another one to drive till it drops.