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:

• 

  Great Car - 2000 Mercury Cougar
  By lz3d0b - April 21 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Cougar new in early 2000 and other than oil changes and very minor problems, it has performed flawlessly. It handles great (compare it to a Grand Am and you will see what I mean) and has adequate power. This was a vehicle that cost around 20K and it should not be compared to more expensive sports cars. I found that if I needed extra power, I could switch overdrive off and it made a huge difference. Just a fabulous blend of power and great gas mileage. It is highly refined and the V6 is silky smooth. Wonderful exterior lines and there arent a lot of them on the road.

• 

  Most car for the money - 1998 Mercury Sable
  By Beeman - April 21 - 10:00 am

  I have put 135000 miles on this car and have spent less than $300.00 on repairs. I bought it because you can buy a used Sable for less money than any other car its size. Very good value if you need a roomy family car. The only thing I dont like is the lack of power on the base 3.0 engine. Go for the 24 valve version if you can.

• 

  Well Built Car - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Chuck - April 20 - 6:56 pm

  We have the Premium edition with lots of toys and the car is equal in quality to a Camry or Accord. The only disappointment is winter mileage goes in the tank and 23 is great in the winter but 31 is normal for summer highway. A well appointed car and a great value.

• 

  More Power Than My Range Rover - 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
  By Dorothy Reik - April 20 - 12:33 pm

  Driving this four cylinder hybrid is like driving an eight cylinder car. It powers up hills with a light touch on the accelerator. The hardest part is driving conservatively so you can maximize the mileage. The temptation is to go for it.

• 

  Mercury - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By Hypercrew - April 19 - 11:56 am

  When I found the car online, I thought, there is no way this is a Mercury. Looking for a European sedan, I was very happy to find this styling and performance in an American car, all at a very good price. People have told me they thought I was driving a BMW or a VW Passat, both of which are taken as compliments.

• 

  1997 Merc. Grand Marquis LS - 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By David Mahaffey - April 19 - 6:30 am

  This has been an excellent car. With the exception of a very slight noise problem on passenger side, this car has never cost a dime for repairs other than normal maintenance. A/C is as good today as first day bought. Always kept up with as far as maintenance and it shows in an excellent, comfortable vehicle.

• 

  Very Safe Ride. - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By Paul K. straker - April 17 - 9:03 am

  I just got my 2009 Mariner early Oct. 2008. On Oct.17 2008 I was taking my boys over to their friends going 40 MPH on a main street when a car ran a stop sign. Never seeing the other car I plowed right into it. Both front airbags deployed. Myself my oldest age 11 and my youngest age 5 all walked away from the wreck with a couple of bruises. My youngest was also in his booster seat which is a must for anyone of his age. I am very great full on how safe they made this vehicle. I can not wait until I get my new one and I will be getting another Mariner.

• 

  Grand Marquis - 1999 - 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By Joy Kennedy-Hughes - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car to drive, comfortable, and stylish.

• 

  A Lemons Lemon - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By mfultz - April 13 - 2:46 am

  I really tried to buy American when I bought this Mountaineer with only 38,00 miles on it in 2004. Now at 90,000 miles I have had to replace the transmission and not the rear end is failing. I have a Toyota Tundra and a Honda they have 106,000 miles and 170, miles on them respectively. I have NEVER replace a transmission or differential on either one. I just think I should have gotten more service out of this Mountaineer; after all, I thought American car manufacturers PROMISED to build better products. The promised has truly been broken, just like my pocketbook. NO MORE AMERICAN vehicles for me, and thats a promise.

• 

  A Great SUV - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Bill75 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I test drove the Explorer, Highlander, Murano, and Pilot. None of them came close to the Mountaineer for comfort and value for the money. The vehicle had more driver leg room than any other vehicle I tested. It handles well for a vehicle of its size. Excellent visibility. V6 power acceptable