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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  Quote on worth of Grand Marquis - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Thomas Zimarino - December 19 - 8:46 am

  This car is wonderful on trips due to its comfort. It has leather interior which gives it a very plush feeling. We are most appreciative of the large trunk for luggage. City driving however is hard on gas mileage.

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  Nice but... - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By Fletch2112 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  A very nice car. Not worth the MSRP by any means but the market seems kind to serious purchasers. Mercury had better offer up some more power plant options! Hmmm, I would compare with a like model but I cant think of any. Not for the same money. And dont even think of comparing it to something that is front- wheel drive!!!!!

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  Going Strong - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By trigubo - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had my doubts when I bought my Sable. But with the 200 HP 24 V Duratec, this car is a monster when I need it to be. Aside from some repairs at about 30K miles that the warranty covered anyway, the Sable has held up pretty well and its still going strong.

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  OK for a Grandpa Car - 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Cary - December 17 - 5:33 am

  Although I bought this car as a stop gap measure (as my other car blew its trans). I have been ok with this one so far. I have a bad spine due to injury, and the ride of this car is very good for both short and long hauls. I am involved in my sons (youth) fraternal oganization and frequently my car serves a bus for teens and early twenties. Even on three hour rides to events, no complaints and everybody has room.

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  Big Merc - 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Big Teddy - December 12 - 10:00 am

  I am a bit younger than the average Grand Marquis owner (37)however I needed a car that could swallow a lot of highway miles effortlessly and this vehicle does just that. Bought an LS with the performance package (alloys, dual exhaust, digital dash)two years old with 28K, just rolled 75K and other than front brakes and an oil change every 5-6k it has been excellent. I recently developed a small oil leak at the head gasket however I believe this is a fluke for this model as it appears rare.

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  My OK Car - 1998 Mercury Mystique
  By LBB - December 10 - 5:03 pm

  I bought my 4cycl car from a private owner 4 years ago with 98,000 miles on it and now I currently have 161,000 miles on it. It has been a good little car, but I have had to put some work into it. The little things seem to be going wrong with it. When I got it I found the thermostat control sensor was messed up and it actually reads hotter than the engine is actually running. This last fall I had to replace the fuel regulator and now the car just stops running for no reason. The mechanic cant even figure it out. But I will keep on driving it because it is a good little car. Its fun to drive and cheap. Once its dead I will probably go get another one.

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  Bought mine in 2012 - 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
  By bondianwolf - December 5 - 2:03 pm

  I bought my 1997 Mountaineer in 2012 with 155,000 miles. I am the third owner. Did some minor DIY fixes and the thing just keeps shining. It shifts a little hard. And I did some work on the cooling system after driving it across country in summertime heat. But overall very happy. I luv the strong motor. 2WD but performs well in snow and Ive even taken it off-roading and been impressed. Comfortable interior. Surprisingly durable. Easy to find parts at any junk yard. Ford got this one right. They are a leader in truck sales and I understand why now.

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  Good Family Car - 2006 Mercury Montego
  By JP - November 30 - 7:50 am

  Just got my Montego a month ago. Nice family car, lots of room for the kids. While people have complained about the acceleration I think it is adequate however the CVT gives you the impression the car is not accelerating. Interior is very comfortable for a 6 driver. The perforated leather is a little cheesy. Drives and handles nicely and the Merlot color turns heads, nobody even knows what kind of car it is.

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  suspension - 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By big harry - November 28 - 10:00 am

  good vdhicle solid

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  2001 Grand Marquis LS - 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Sarandos - November 26 - 6:10 am

  This was our first large sedan. We found it to be luxurious and very comfortable. Mil age was a pleasant surprise at 21 mpg around town and 27 mpg on long runs (8 cross country trips). Generous trunk space is a plus for long, extended trips. We had one traveling mishap; on the first return trip from out West the transmission went out. We stopped at a nearby town where the transmission was replaced in a couple of days. We were loaned a car to get around with and treated well. Upon our return, I submitted bills for hotel and meals which were promptly paid. Over all we found the car to be everything we wanted and a bit more. As a result of our good experience, we purchased a 2006 Grand Marquis