2007 Mercury Monterey Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviewers said the ‘07 Mercury Monterey has fairly comfortable seating for seven and ample cargo room, as well as excellent forward visibility. The Mercury Monterey's strong point is safety; this model scored well in crash testing. Among the options reviewers liked are an electronic stability control system, self-sealing tires and a unique seat-cooling system.

What the reviewers don't like:
Most experts said the Mercury Monterey's acceleration, handling, interior design and overall quality do not measure up to the competition. This model's engine has been described as underpowered, its gas mileage isn't exceptional, and some reviewers said interior fit and finish is sub-par. Reliability is so-so, but historical owner satisfaction scores are very low.

2007 Mercury Monterey review highlights

Reviewers agreed that the Mercury Monterey falls short compared to the top-rated Honda Odyssey (price when new: $25,645 to $39,095) and Toyota Sienna (price when new: $24,155 to $37,665) minivans. Overall, reviewers liked this minivan about as much as they did the Ford Freestar (which isn’t saying much). Engine, handling, fuel economy and the interior fall short of the class-leading minivans, according to the majority of reviews. Safety features and crash-tests scores are good, but owner satisfaction ratings are low, and reliability is just average, with low resale value.

In past years, the Mercury Monterey competed size- and price-wise with other full-size minivans. Editors at Edmunds.com did the best job comparing the 2007 Monterey with the same year’s competition from Honda and Toyota. Consumer Reports last tested the Monterey minivan in 2004, and Car and Driver magazine's latest review also covered the 2004 model. Automotive.com ran a detailed review for the Mercury minivan in 2006, which focused more on features than performance. Model year 2007 was the last production year for the Mercury Monterey.

Also see full report: Minivans

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Edmunds.com
2007 Mercury Monterey Review
Editors of Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com didn't test the Mercury Monterey head-to-head with other minivans, but made some comparisons to 2007 competitors. This review is well balanced and includes a discussion of past model years -- helpful if you're considering an earlier version of the Mercury Monterey.

2. Consumer Reports
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2007 Mercury Monterey Review
Editors of Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports never actually tested the Mercury Monterey, but its sister vehicle, the Ford Freestar, was road-tested in 2004. Both were discontinued following the 2007 model year. Especially valuable is Consumer Reports survey data, which covers owner satisfaction and vehicle reliability.

3. Automotive.com
2006 Mercury Monterey Review
Editors of Automotive.com

Automotive.com reviewed the Mercury Monterey in 2006, focusing more on features than performance. The writers were positive enough about the Monterey, saying it's a solid performer, but they conceded it has been outclassed by newer minivans.

4. Consumer Guide.com
2007 Mercury Monterey Review
Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

ConsumerGuide.com doesn't produce article-type reviews. Rather, ratings are broken down into charts and numerical scores, and minivans aren't compared to the competition directly. However, ConsumerGuide.com is one of the best places to get info on specs, options and engine information, along with pricing.

5. Car and Driver
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2007 Mercury Monterey Review
Editors of Car and Driver

In this very short capsule review, Car and Driver magazine reviewers were not kind to the Monterey, saying it feels old and outdated. This short mini-review wasn't especially detailed; editors didn’t fully review the Mercury Monterey after 2004.

Also see full report: Minivans