Mercury Montego



The Mercury Montego resurrects a classic nameplate from the Mercury division. The Montego was originally launched as a replacement for the Mercury Sable and shares its basic body structure and powertrain with the Ford Five Hundred and previous generation Volvo S80. Available is a Haldex all-wheel-drive (AWD) system adapted from the Volvo XC90 SUV. Ford designed the Montego and Five Hundred with ex-SUV owners in mind, creating chair-height seating to give the impression of a higher driving position, a feature many customers noted as a reason for purchasing an SUV. The Montego is assembled along with the Five Hundred in Ford's Chicago Illinois plant.

2007 will be the last year for the Mercury Montego due to declining sales and unknown nameplate, Its replacement will be the 2008 Mercury Sable.

See Wikicars' comprehensive Mercury Montego Review.

Recent Changes
The Mercury Montego is no longer in production.

Styles and Major Options
The Montego is available in three trim levels, Base, Premiere and Premiere AWD. The noteable standard features of each model are listed below.

Base Standard Features
 * Split folding rear seat and folding front passenger seat
 * AM/FM Single CD Stereo
 * 6-way Power Driver's Seat
 * Power Mirrors
 * 17" Painted Aluminum Wheels
 * Four-Wheel ABS
 * Traction Control
 * Heated Power Mirrors with Security Lighting
 * Side Impact Airbags
 * 1st and 2nd Row Canopy Airbags
 * Anti-Theft Perimeter Alarm
 * HID Headlamps
 * LED Taillamps

Premier Standard Features In addition to or in place of Base Standard Features
 * Leather Upholstery
 * Heated Front Seats
 * AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD Changer with MP3 Capability
 * Power Adjustable Pedals with Memory
 * Rear Center Armrest with Cupholders
 * 8-way Power Driver's Seat
 * 4-way Power Passenger's Seat with Manual Lumbar
 * Cargo Net
 * Universal Garage Door Opener
 * 18" Machined Aluminum Wheels

Premier AWD Standard Features are identical to Premiere FWD Standard Features.

Major Optional Features
 * Navigation System (Not available in Alaska)
 * Power Moonroof
 * Reverse Sensing System
 * 18" Chrome Clad Aluminum Wheels

Pricing
Today's actual prices for the Mercury Montego can be found at CarsDirect.

Gas Mileage
As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:

Reliability

 * The 2007 Mercury Montego came in 3RD Place in J.D. Power Initial Quality For the Large Car Segment.

Safety
Standard Safety Features
 * Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
 * Driver and Front Passenger Side Airbags
 * 1st and 2nd Row Curtain Airbags
 * 4-wheel Disc Brakes with ABS and EBD
 * Traction Control

The NHTSA has conducted crash tests of the 2007 Montego. Its full scores are available at safercar.gov.

Although the test car lacked the now standard side airbags, the Montego earned 5 stars in both side impact categories. Rollover data for the AWD Montego is unavailable from the NHTSA. However, the mechanically identical Ford Five Hundred AWD earned 4 Stars on the rollover test.

Colors




Warranty
Bumper to Bumper: 36 months/36,000 miles

Major Components: 60 months/60,000 miles

Rust Through: 60 months/unlimited miles

Roadside Assistance: 60 months/60,000 miles

Main Competitors

 * Buick LaCrosse
 * Toyota Avalon
 * Chrysler 300

Hybrid Models

 * The Montego was never offered in a Hybrid Version.

Unique Attributes

 * Satin Waterfall Grille.

Resale Values
http://www.kbb.com/kbb/UsedCars/Mercury_Montego_Sedan.aspx

What's Best About Montego

 * "Inside is where the Montego shines..." — New Car Test Drive


 * "Voluminous trunk can hold eight full-size golf bags." — Consumer Guide


 * "Good balance in turns, with only moderate lean, despite relatively tall body." - Consumer Guide


 * "The interior has 107.5 cubic feet of passenger space, which is huge - especially when you consider that the exterior of the car is almost the same size as most of the popular midsize sedans." — Cars.com

Criticisms

 * "We do expect that eventual owners will wish for a little extra midrange torque for passing at highway speeds and climbing grades, particularly when carrying a full load of family members and luggage (we had neither with us during our brief test-drive)." — Edmunds.com


 * "...The Montego turned out a bit bland..." — MSN Autos


 * "There is no soul to the Montego." — Los Angeles Times


 * "The faux wood-grain trim looks like it came off a prison lunch tray." - Los Angeles Times

First and Final Generation 2005-2007
Available powertrains consist of a 3.0L Duratec 30 V6 engine, and the choice of a continuously variable transmission or six-speed automatic transmission, and either front-wheel drive or the same Haldex all-wheel drive system used in the Volvo XC90. A 3.5L V6 was to be added for 2008 but Mercury will cease production of the Montego this summer.

Based on the Ford D3 platform which also supports the Volvo S60 and Volvo S80, the XC70 and XC90 SUVs. The Montego's counterpart is the Ford Five Hundred and is also the basis for the Ford Freestyle crossover SUV.

The Montego was designed to provide large car interior volume with manageable outside dimensions, while delivering good fuel economy. Its design is also notably tall for a sedan, giving drivers an SUV or minivan-like command of the road. Its trunk, one of the largest on the market, can hold 8 full-sized loaded golf bags. The Montego was first introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show.

Befitting its Volvo roots, the Montego has garnered class leading results in crash tests conducted by the IIHS as well as NHTSA.

The Montego began production on Monday July 12, 2004 in Chicago, Illinois and became available to the public in September 2004. Although criticized by the automotive press for its bland styling in comparison to that of its competitor the Buick Lucerne, the Montego has not been a great success for Mercury just selling over 2,000 units on a good month. For 2008 Mercury has decided to replace the Montego with the all new 2008 Mercury Sable.

Origins
The Montego replaced the intermediate Mercury Comet in 1968 and was replaced by an upsized Mercury Cougar for the 1977 model year. It was essentially a twin of the Ford Torino. The Cyclone was a high performance variant of the Montego through 1971.

Worldwide

 * The Mercury Montego is only sold to the USA Market.

Awards

 * Mercury Montego won Auto Pacific's 2006 Ideal Vehicle Award.
 * The 2007 Mercury Montego came in 3RD Place in J.D. Power Initial Quality For the Large Car Segment

Design quirks and oddities

 * Like all Mercury's the Montego uses a Satin Finish Front Grille.
 * Mercury Montego uses Grey Wood Interior Trim.

Sale Numbers

 * In December 2007 Montego Sold 72 Units DOWN 95.9% From December 2006.


 * For 2007 Mercury Montego sold 10,755 Units Down 51.8% From Total 2006 Sales.

Production
Since Montego went on sale in the fall of 2004 it has sold exactly 64,496 as of November 2007.

Slow Sells and Discontinuation

 * Fords CEO Alan Mulally said that he has decided to scrap the Mercury Montego and Ford Five Hundred namplates. Due to declining sales and he also thought that their names where to forgettable with their core audience the Montego will be replaced with the 2008 Mercury Sable and the Five Hundred will be replaced with the 2008 Ford Taurus. But the Mercury Montego's Spirit will live on in the 2008 Mercury Sable.