- Extensive list of safety features

 - Sharp design inside and out

 - Roomy interior

 - Unrefined powertrains with less horsepower and worse fuel economy than those of competing minivans

 - Low-grade interior materials

 - Hard-to-remove second-row seats

 - Can't get a navigation system

Ford claims to have tripled its budget for interior design over the last several years and Mercurys like the Mountaineer and Milan are obvious indications that the money was well spent. The Monterey also reaps the rewards of the company's new attention to interior design. The Mercury's interior has a bit of European flair and a clean, uncluttered overall appearance. Unfortunately, the good looks are barely skin-deep, as the materials still feel subpar. And although important safety features like stability control and three-row side curtain airbag coverage are available, in most respects, the Monterey lacks the day-to-day functionality of other vans.

It's attributes like this that make the Mercury Monterey merely competent rather than standout. From our standpoint, minivan shoppers shouldn't have to settle. Better-qualified minivans like the Chrysler Town & Country, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna represent more compelling purchases.

The Mercury Monterey minivan comes in one size and one trim level: Luxury. Standard equipment includes 16-inch wheels, dual power-sliding side doors, a fold-flat third-row bench, a power driver seat with memory, dual-zone air conditioning, an in-dash CD changer, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, full power accessories, cruise control, front and rear parking assist. Additional goodies include a leather/wood steering wheel with audio controls, power-adjustable pedals, side-impact and head curtain airbags, and a power driver seat. Optional upgrades include driver and passenger heated and cooled seats, front-passenger power seat with manual lumbar adjustment, first- and second-row leather seats with perforated suede or leather inserts, automatic climate control, a power liftgate, a rear DVD entertainment system and self-sealing tires.

Four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution are standard on all Montereys. Side curtain airbags that span all three rows of seating are also standard, and the AdvanceTrac stability and traction control system, which incorporates a panic brake assist feature, is optional. The Monterey earned five stars across the board in NHTSA front- and side-impact crash tests, and picked up a "Good" rating (the highest), as well as a "Best Pick" designation, in 40-mph frontal-offset crash testing by the IIHS.

Mercury designers equipped the Monterey with a shapely dash and steering wheel. It's an attractive ensemble, but many of the materials used are subpar for this segment. The fold-flat third-row seat allows for flexible use of the interior space, but unfortunately, the seat folds only as a single piece, rather than allowing a 60/40-split as in most other minivans. Legroom in the second row can be tight for adults and children alike, and the seats themselves are hard to remove when you need to make way for large amounts of cargo.

With driving characteristics nearly identical to those of the Ford Freestar, the Monterey offers adequate power and a comfortable ride. Handling capability is also satisfactory, but ride quality is not quite as composed as that of minivans with true fully independent suspensions. The Monterey's torque-rich engine provides plenty of initial grunt, but runs out of breath at higher engine speeds and turns in disappointing fuel mileage.

The recent rating results from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mean that since 2001, more than half of the Lincoln-Mercury product line-up have been awarded five-stars for the fourth straight year. Monterey, Mercury's first long wheelbase minivan, is the second Mercury minivan to receive the government's top safety honors.

"Five-star safety ratings validate that our products continually perform well in crash test programs," said Darryl Hazel, president of Lincoln-Mercury. "By expanding with even more advanced safety solutions like Roll Stability Control™, our vehicles offer customers more safety choices than ever before."

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) provides safety ratings for front seat driver and passenger occupants in a frontal impact. The test consists of crashing the vehicles into a fixed concrete barrier at 35 mph, creating essentially the same conditions as two identical vehicles colliding head-on while each is traveling at 35 mph.

Scientists then examine impact data provided by instrumented and seatbelt restrained crash dummies inside the vehicle during the test. Five stars indicate the highest government frontal crash safety rating for a vehicle, which correlates to a 10 percent or less chance of any serious head or chest injury occurring in the crash test.

The Grand Marquis, Mercury's longest-running, best-selling vehicle, received its ninth consecutive five-star safety rating (1996-2004). With more than 2.7 million units sold since 1975, Grand Marquis, along with the Ford Crown Victoria, share the most five-star government safety ratings earned by a large sedan.

Beyond the Grand Marquis, Navigator and Town Car share top safety honors for the fourth straight year (2001-2004). The Lincoln Navigator and the Ford Expedition were the first and remain the only full-size domestic SUVs to earn the highest safety ratings in U.S. government frontal crash testing. The Lincoln Town Car was the first car in history to receive the highest possible five-star safety rating from NHTSA in five safety categories. The Mercury Marauder maintains its top safety honors for the second consecutive year.

"Safety is a top priority at Ford Motor Company and Lincoln-Mercury", said Hazel. "The five-star ratings are a tribute to our vehicle development community. Their efforts are award-winning and industry-leading."