Introduction: Although there's still room for basic, economical transportation in the family sedan segment, many consumers now expect their sensible rides to incorporate liberal doses of style, power, convenience items and safety measures. Some buyers even go looking for luxury ambience and sporty handling in a segment once written off for its blandness and lack of originality. With the thoroughly mediocre Sable out of the spotlight, Mercury is now waging a two-pronged attack on the import-brand leaders: For buyers seeking athleticism, there's the midsize Milan. For buyers seeking maximum comfort, space and value, there's the full-size Montego. Based on a platform shared with Volvo's S80, the Montego (as well as its Ford sibling, the Five Hundred) makes extensive use of Volvo safety and all-wheel-drive technology. A few inches longer than the Chrysler 300, the big Mercury offers an airy cabin with eight cupholders, a full menu of airbags and one of the world's largest trunks (21 cubic feet). A tall seating position helps wean SUV groupies off the habit, while providing excellent visibility and easy entry for passengers. The power source for every Montego is a 3.0-liter V6. Output is only 203 horsepower, putting the car at a disadvantage when compared to the powerhouse V6s offered by competitors. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a six-speed automatic are available, and buyers have a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Ride and handling is a strong point for the Montego, as Volvo genes give it a pleasant blend of comfort and agility. However, the brakes could use a little more power when it comes time to stop this 3,600-pound sedan. Although weak acceleration limits the Montego's appeal, its spacious and functional cabin makes it a solid bet for families. Add in a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system and you've got a bona fide SUV alternative.
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options: The full-size Montego sedan is available in one of two trims, Luxury and Premier. The Luxury starts you out with 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-way power driver seat, full power accessories, air conditioning, a CD player, cruise control, HID headlamps, dual-zone automatic climate control and a fold-flat front-passenger seat. Step up to the Premier and you'll get 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, seat memory, an upgraded audio system, wood grain trim and heated front seats. Options include a moonroof, adjustable pedals, a reverse-sensing system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system and a navigation system.
Powertrains and Performance: Every Montego comes with a 3.0-liter V6 rated for 203 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Buyers have two transmission choices. The first of these is a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which has an infinite number of ratios and chooses whichever one best fits a given situation. The other option is a six-speed automatic. Buyers must also decide between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. All front-drive Montegos come with the six-speed automatic, while AWD models get the CVT.
Safety: All Montegos come with a full set of disc brakes with ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Optional on all models are side-impact airbags that protect front occupants' torsos and side curtain airbags that protect the heads of outboard front and rear occupants. Traction control is standard on all Montegos, but stability control is not available. Front- and side-impact testing by the NHTSA returned a perfect five-star rating across the board. The IIHS named the Montego a "Best Pick" after conducting its frontal-offset crash test.
Interior Design and Special Features: Scrutinize the cabin and it's apparent that designers put a lot of thought into creating an attractive and functional environment. In lieu of the shapeless dash and seats found in the Sable, the Montego has the crisp, clean lines and two-tone interior typical of European sedans. The front seats are roomy enough to fit most drivers, yet the cockpit has a snug, almost intimate feel. Rear passengers are treated to equally spacious quarters, making these cars good bets for families with teenagers. The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 split and this, along with a fold-flat front-passenger seat, allows owners to carry items up to 9 feet in length inside the car. Trunk capacity is an impressive 21 cubic feet.
Driving Impressions: The V6 provides adequate power for easy city driving, but buyers will wish for extra midrange torque for passing at highway speeds and climbing grades. Power delivery is less refined than in most competitors. Of the two transmissions, our preference is the CVT, which is smoother and does a better job of keeping the engine in its power band. Thanks to its Volvo-engineered chassis, the Montego offers a pleasant balance between smooth ride quality and responsive handling.
Mercury lands squarely on the family car game board with the 2005 Montego, the first competitive sedan for the company to sell since the original Sable debuted nearly two decades ago. When the 2005 Mercury Montego goes on sale later this year, it joins its corporate twin, the 2005 Ford Five Hundred, in the battle for import sedan buyers. Several compelling reasons exist to consider the new Mercury Montego over established models like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry when the time comes for a new family sedan. The 2005 Mercury Montego is larger inside than its competitors, yet trim and tidy on the outside. Rear seat occupants will be especially happy, since the Montego boasts class-leading headroom and legroom. Plus, the Montego is blessed with high H-points, which refers to the pivot point of the human hip. A high H-point makes it easy to get into and out of a vehicle. The trunk measures 21 cubic feet of cargo space, enough to carry three more golf bags than passengers. To enhance utility, the rear seat is a split folding design, and the front passenger's seat also folds down to accommodate long items. Loosely based upon the Volvo S80 luxury sedan, the 2005 Mercury Montego employs many Volvo design and engineering principles to keep occupants safe. The front architecture manages crash energy by deflecting it away from the passenger compartment, and the Montego's side structure is modeled after the Volvo Side Impact Protection System (SIPS). Safety is well covered by the 2005 Mercury Montego. Ford's Personal Safety System is standard, including dual-stage front airbags with a passenger occupant sensor and driver's seat position sensor. An optional Safety Canopy system includes side curtain airbags with rollover protection. Power adjustable pedals and rear parking assist sensors are also available. AdvanceTrac traction control is standard but, curiously, there is no stability control system offered on the new Montego. However, all-wheel-drive is optional. It's a Volvo-based Haldex system that utilizes an electronically controlled limited slip coupling between the driveshaft and the rear differential. When the front wheels, which put the power to the ground under normal driving conditions, start to slip the system can route as much as 100 percent of the engine's torque to the rear wheels. Mercury says that this transfer of power occurs in just 50 milliseconds, fast enough that it goes unnoticed by most drivers. Standard on the 2005 Mercury Montego AWD is a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Models without four driven wheels are equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. A Duratec 30 V6 engine, an updated and refined version of the Duratec 3.0-liter V6 from the Sable sedan, generates 200 horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque. Though Mercury claims that the Montego will be capable of acceleration near the top of its class, we doubt it. This just isn't enough go-power for a sedan that can weigh almost two tons in top trim. Montego needs more muscle, Mercury. Mercury has equipped the Montego with a four-wheel-independent suspension of front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link setup. When equipped with AWD, the Mercury Montego has a rear self-leveling suspension system. Four-wheel-disc brakes are equipped with ABS and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) for smooth, sure stops. To differentiate the Montego from the Ford Five Hundred, stylists have employed the signature Mercury satin aluminum waterfall grille, unique front and rear bumpers, and chrome taillight bezels. High-intensity discharge (HID) headlights are standard, as are light-emitting diode (LED) taillights. Inside, more satin aluminum trim is evident, along with lots of chrome detailing and standard leather wrapping for the steering wheel and gearshift knob. Gauges are gray-faced, with satin aluminum pointers. Mercury offers the 2005 Montego in Luxury and Premier trim levels. Both include two-tone interior décor with fake wood trim, a power driver's seat, a tilt steering wheel, heated power side mirrors, remote keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, premium sound with a CD player and power windows with driver's side one-touch up and down. The Mercury Montego Premier adds leather upholstery with a mini-perforated finish; heated front seats; 18-inch alloy wheels wearing P225/55R18 Pirelli tires; a two-user memory function for seats, mirrors and pedals; an Audiophile sound system with in-dash CD changer; Homelink universal transmitter; and a power passenger's seat. A power moonroof is available on both Luxury and Premier models. True enough, the 2005 Mercury Montego is a badge-engineered version of the Ford Five Hundred and selecting it over the car wearing the blue oval literally comes down to a matter of subjective taste. But the bottom line is that either serves as a benchmark in the family sedan class. If the Mercury Montego proves durable over time and passes crash testing with flying colors, it could be the most formidable competitor for the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry to emerge from a domestic automaker in a very long time.
The 2005 Mercury Montego is an all-new mid-size sedan designed to offer roomy accommodations for five passengers and a smooth, comfortable ride. It's powered by a 200-horsepower V6. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is available for better traction and handling in adverse conditions.
Ford Motor Company is in the middle of a major model changeover and rationalization, using a single Mazda-based platform for small and sporty cars and a Volvo-based luxury car platform for its larger and more luxurious models. The Mercury Montego falls into the latter category, and shares its modified Volvo underpinnings with the Ford Five Hundred sedan and the Freestyle crossover SUV.
The Montego is intended to replace the ancient Sable sedan, added to Mercury showrooms almost 20 years ago as a 1986 model. Montego offers a much larger interior package than any Sable ever had, still with front-wheel drive, but also offering all-wheel drive for the first time in a Mercury sedan. It's Ford's first car-shaped SUV, with lots of help from Volvo and a bold new sedan look for Mercury.
The Montego's generous interior dimensions put it among the roomiest sedans. Its seats sit about four inches higher than those in the Sable, and the high driving position makes it feel more like an SUV than a car, nice and high up, with wonderful outward vision.
We found its all-aluminum V6 engine with drive-by-wire electronic throttle control worked extremely well with the new wide-ratio six-speed automatic transmission, which was extremely smooth and quiet and always matched the right gear with the driving situation. The all-wheel-drive models come with a continuously variable transmission that's smooth and responsive as well as efficient for good gas mileage. The steering and suspension of the Montego are European in feel, offering quick response and minimal lean in corners. The brakes are excellent, responding quickly when the pedal is pressed and slowing the car quickly when necessary.
Mercury Montego comes in two trim levels. All models are powered by a 3.0-liter 24-valve V6 engine and offer a choice of front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. Front-wheel-drive versions are tied to a new six-speed automatic transmission co-developed by Ford and GM. All-wheel-drive versions use a new continuously variable transmission, or CVT, co-developed by Ford and the German ZF firm. If you order the all-wheel-drive version, you automatically get a suspension upgrade that includes self-leveling rear shock absorbers.
The Luxury model ($24,345) comes standard with dual-zone electronic climate control, six-way power driver's seat, a fold-flat front passenger seat, split-fold rear seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror, two 12-volt power points, AM/FM stereo with single CD player and tilt steering wheel with remote audio controls, remote keyless entry, folding heated power exterior mirrors, power windows and door locks, passive anti-theft system, 17-inch seven-spoke wheels, automatic high-intensity discharge headlamps, LED tail lamps, fog lamps. The Luxury model is available with all-wheel drive ($26,045). Cloth upholstery is standard; leather is optional ($895).
The Premier model ($26,545) comes with leather seating, heated front seats, power passenger seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, overhead console with Homelink, woodgrain interior appliques, memory function for power seats, mirrors and adjustable pedals, remote perimeter lighting, an AM/FM stereo with 6-CD changer and subwoofer, and a trunk cargo net. Premier comes standard with traction control and 18-inch 15-spoke alloy wheels. It's also available with all-wheel drive ($28,245).
Options and packages include a moonroof ($895); park assist ($250); and a safety package with side curtain air bags and a rollover sensor ($595). We strongly recommend the curtain air bags as they can help reduce the chance of head injuries to your passengers, assuming they're wearing their seat belts.
On balance, the new Mercury Montego is a nice, roomy five-passenger family sedan. It offers the option of all-wheel-drive for driving in bad weather and low-traction conditions. Both transmissions work well. The CVT that comes with all-wheel-drive models is a vast improvement over earlier designs because of its electronic controls. Think of this as your $25,000 American Volvo.
