1999-2002 Mercury Cougar
The Mercury Cougar was a proud car, built like a battle cruiser, with close ties to it’s cousins the Mustang and Thunderbird. It’s heritage rich in seemingly water-worthy, V8 powered, big ass cars. Until 1999…
1999, when Mercury put out a sport compact, 4 and 6 cylinder powered, bastard of a civic and a contour. Another Detroit company had befouled the name of a muscle car by putting it on a compact.
May 11, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Sorry to disagree but I happen to own a 2002 Mercury Cougar and Its been a great car thus far. I’ll give you you’re due… the new edge cougar is underpowered, the rear seats are only good for a person 5’5 and below and there wasn’t much room for modification. That being said, my cougar is at 95,000 miles and still going strong. I’ve managed to do a number of inexpensive upgrades but also managed to get to 36.5mpg highway. The main reason the cougar was a fail was the mercury name. It handles like a dream in the twisties and its got plenty of top end for the highway. Mod the suspension, brakes, and ignition… add a cai and a jet chip and youve got a decently quick ride that gets the mpg of a 4cyl and ill spank a stock mustang all day long in the curves without having to worry about him catching up. Do it all the time to my friends mustangs
May 12, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Well I happen to own a new Mustang and I’d put it against your Cougar in anything but gas mileage. HAHA
Thanks for the post though. I do appreciate your opinion. I imagine that due to the lower wieght of the new cougars they probably corner better than the old ones. I owned a 1995 (with a V8) and it was a boat. But that’s what I loved about it.