Best family car overall 2009 Honda Accord *Est. $20905
Best budget family car 2009 Hyundai Sonata *Est. $18700
"Fun to drive" family sedan 2009 Mazda6 *Est. $18550
Large family car 2009 Toyota Avalon *Est. $27845

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2009 Mercury Milan

*Est. $21,180 to $27,800

Reviewed April 2009

Affordably priced
Reputation for dependability
Favorable crash-test results
Roomy cabin
Available all-wheel drive
More upscale interior than Ford Fusion
More standard features than Fusion

More expensive than Ford Fusion
Mixed reviews for performance
Unimpressive fuel economy with V-6

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Our Analysis

Experts say the Mercury Milan is a solid budget choice, but not as good a value as the less expensive, more fuel-efficient Hyundai Sonata (*est. $18,700 to $26,550). Interestingly, the Milan gets slightly higher marks in road tests than its sibling, the Ford Fusion (*est. $19,270 to $27,675), even though the two are identical beneath the skin. Like the Fusion, the Milan's biggest strengths are its dependability, safety and comfort. Owners have reported very few problems with these cars over the past few years, and they both earn good scores in all crash tests (although electronic stability control is a $495 extra-cost option). Some testers say two adults fit comfortably in the backseat, while others say it's adequate for three.

Although the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan are built on the same platform, with the same engines and transmissions, critics call the Fusion boring to drive, but they're more likely to praise the Milan's handling. Some say the Milan's engines are underpowered, while others say the optional V-6 provides plenty of oomph.

The Mercury Milan certainly feels more upscale than its Ford-branded fraternal twin, most critics say, with its brushed-aluminum interior trim and soft-touch surfaces. Edmunds.com disagrees, however, calling the Milan's cabin materials "mediocre," but editors do say the Milan's real clock with hands is a classy touch. Critics also find the Milan's exterior styling attractive, unlike the Fusion's, which reviews say looks uncannily like a disposable razor.

While the Fusion offers a pared-down base model for less than $20,000, the entry-level Mercury Milan I4 (*est. $20,320) includes features that are available only on upper-level Fusions, such as a fold-down front passenger seat and satellite radio. The Mercury Milan Premier trim (*est. $23,410) adds leather seating and automatic temperature control, among other features. It also makes some of the entry-level version's options standard, including the Sync voice-activated music and phone system and six-disc stereo. Options on the Premier trim include heated seats and a voice-activated navigation system. The Milan V-6 (*est. $22,995) and Premier V-6 (*est. $24,870) offer the same features as their base-engine counterparts, only with a thirstier, more powerful engine.

The Mercury Milan's standard 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine posts 23 mpg in mixed driving (20 mpg city/28 mpg highway with the automatic, or 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway with the five-speed manual transmission). Reviews don't find that particularly impressive, considering that the better-reviewed Hyundai Sonata and Honda Accord (*est. $20,905 to $28,955) both deliver 25 mpg overall. An optional 221-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission provide more power, but fuel economy falls to 21 mpg combined (18 mpg city/26 mpg highway), Adding all-wheel drive guzzles even more gas (17 mpg city/25 mpg highway/20 mpg combined) and adds another $1,850 to either V-6 Milan's sticker price.

Most experts leave the Mercury Milan out of their family-sedan comparison tests -- they pick its sibling, the Ford Fusion, instead. ConsumerGuide.com does test both the Milan and the Fusion; if you're deciding between the two, this source does the best job explaining their few differences. Edmunds.com also briefly compares the Milan and the Fusion, but neither of these sources ranks the Milan against a vast array of family sedans as Consumer Reports does. Reviews at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and Cars.com are much briefer than the best write-ups. Other sources rate the Milan in specific categories, such as safety, fuel economy or reliability.

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2009 Mercury Milan

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Consumer Reports carefully tests each aspect of the Mercury Milan, from its performance and comfort to its long-term reliability. Experts here also compare the Milan directly with most other family sedans.

Review: Mercury Milan, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

2. ConsumerGuide.com

ConsumerGuide.com likes the Mercury Milan slightly better than its twin, the Ford Fusion, but the Milan still doesn't make the Recommended list here. Although editors say the Mercury Milan has a nicer interior and more standard features than the Ford, and it earns similarly average scores on just about everything else.

Review: 2009 Mercury Milan: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

3. Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com finds the Mercury Milan nimble, but with "mediocre" cabin materials -- completely the opposite opinion of most other reviewers. Experts here say the Milan's exterior styling is what sets it apart from the nearly identical Ford Fusion.

Review: 2009 Mercury Milan Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

4. SaferCars.gov

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests the 2009 Mercury Milan. The Milan and its twin, the Ford Fusion, both earn good scores, and testers find the all-wheel-drive Fusion/Milan is less likely to roll over than the front-wheel-drive version (which itself earns a good rollover score).

Review: 5-Star Safety Ratings, Editors of SaferCar.gov

5. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Both the 2009 and 2010 Mercury Milan/Ford Fusion models are Top Safety Picks at IIHS. They earn the highest score of "good" in every crash test, but editors note that electronic stability control is an added-cost option.

Review: Midsize Moderately Priced Cars, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

6. FuelEconomy.gov

This chart shows how dozens of midsize cars, including all versions of the Mercury Milan, compare in terms of their Environmental Protection Agency-estimated fuel-economy ratings. You can click on each car for more detailed information.

Review: 2009 Midsize Cars, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov

7. Kiplinger Personal Finance

The Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion are Top Safety Picks for 2009 at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. The Mazda6 is the top overall pick in this price class. These short reviews include helpful cost-to-own data.

Review: Kiplinger's 2009 Auto Buying Guide: Sedans $20,000-$25,000, Editors of Kiplinger's Personal Finance

8. Cars.com

The Mercury Milan is a Cars.com Best Bet, but the site provides no full review, only a pros and cons list. Editors find several things to like about the Milan, but they do note its "lack of personality" and "inconsistent" automatic transmission -- both common complaints in other reviews of the nearly identical Ford Fusion.

Review: 2009 Mercury Milan, Editors of Cars.com

9. J.D. Power and Associates

The Mercury Milan gets better reliability ratings than its twin, the Ford Fusion, in this owner survey. The Milan has been "among the best" midsize cars for overall dependability, according to owners who bought their cars in 2006.

Review: 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study -- Midsize Car, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates