Mercury Milan Review

2010 Mercury Milan Premier Sedan Shown

The Mercury Milan is a relatively new midsize sedan. With the car's stylish interior and exterior design, sporty attributes and affordable price, Mercury hopes to attract younger buyers interested in something more prestigious than the average economy or family car.

As the corporate twin to Ford's Fusion, the Mercury Milan shares much of that sedan's architecture, drivetrain specification and safety technology. Thanks to this mechanical heritage, the Milan provides nimble handling and adequate interior space for five adult passengers. The main difference between the two cars is that the Milan is more upscale in appearance and typically comes with more standard features.

While the Milan may not be the first car that comes to mind when you think of family sedans, that doesn't mean it's not a worthy entrant in this hotly contested segment. In fact, its sporty handling puts it a notch above the dynamic norm, though its unremarkable and somewhat coarse power plants hold back the otherwise capable chassis. The Milan also features a sensible interior layout, and its price tends to be lower than those of traditional class leaders. As an alternative to other mainstream models, the Milan is definitely worth a look.

Current Mercury Milan

The current Mercury Milan is available in two main trim levels: base and Premier. The base model rides on 16-inch wheels and includes items like air-conditioning, an MP3-compatible CD stereo, a six-way power driver seat, a split-folding rear seat, cruise control, full power accessories and keyless entry. Antilock brakes, front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are also standard.

The Milan Premier trim adds 17-inch wheels, a CD changer and leather seating. Major options for the Milan include a sunroof, an upgraded audio system, a navigation system and a Comfort Package that adds additional convenience features. The Microsoft-developed Sync multimedia integration system is also available.

For standard power, the midsize Mercury Milan relies on a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 160 horsepower. The engine is connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission, and a five-speed automatic is optional. A 221-hp, 3.0-liter V6 is optional. It comes with one transmission, a six-speed automatic. Most Milans sold are front-wheel drive, but an all-wheel-drive version with the V6 is also available.

On the road, four-cylinder models provide adequate power but lack the vigor of similarly equipped competitors in this class. Acceleration is much improved with the V6, though this engine makes its best power higher in the rpm range, at which point it becomes a bit too boisterous.

On the plus side, reviewers have noted that build quality is generally solid. Up front, the seats are well shaped and supportive, and all but the tallest adults will be content riding in the Milan's spacious backseat.

Past Mercury Milans

The Mercury Milan debuted as an all-new model for the 2006 model year. There have been some significant changes over the course of its model cycle. Antilock brakes, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags were optional on 2006 Milans and became standard on 2007 models. All-wheel drive, also unavailable in 2006, was made available on V6-powered Milans in 2007. A DVD-based navigation system first appeared on the accessory list in 2007, and the optional Microsoft Sync system was first offered in 2008.

Resale value is not particularly strong, so a low-mileage used Milan could yield considerable savings. However, buyers should take note of the above-mentioned year-to-year changes before deciding to buy used.

SELECT A SPECIFIC MERCURY MILAN MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.