Mercury Villager minivan totes new features inside, outside
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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The driver sits high in a firm bucket seat surrounded by a display of analog instruments and easy-to-reach dials and switches, fat-grip steering wheel in front and windows pegged in all directions for clear visibility.
Rack shift lever down to Drive, ease on the throttle and this streamlined mass of steal and glass reacts with a confidence-inspiring surge of power.
Steering feels quick and exacting, and in corners the suspension checks excessive body roll, while also smoothing out bumps of pavement irregularities.
Meanwhile, seats for as many as seven people fill the expansive cabin, which also adds room for cargo at the rear.
Spend a week living out of this vehicle, like I did recently while tending to mundane urban chores and piling all in the family aboard for a highway trek, and you too may come away from such experience with renewed appreciation for the multifaceted personality of Mercury's minivan.
But that's Villager's mission: Apply the comforts and ride quality of a sedan to the handy form of a minivan.
When it first rolled off a Ford factory line in Ohio four years ago, Mercury Villager became the first short wheelbase van to match Chrysler's original concept in terms of function, design, power and format.
That magic minivan equation aimed at the family market consists of ample cargo room and passenger capacity molded into the shape of a van but with vehicle dimensions small enough so it parks in a conventional garage and becomes as easy to operate as a mid-size sedan.
With Villager, Mercury delivers the right ingredients, from a flat floorboard and 7-passenger seating capacity to V6-inspired power and minicar maneuverability.
It also provides the form-fitting, quality look and feel of an import from Japan.
That's due in part to Villager's parentage, since it's a product of the joint venture between America's Mercury and Japan's Nissan.
Design concepts, engineering, production planning, powertrain and major body stampings for Villager came directly from Nissan, with Mercury supplying Villager's parts through its network, then managing manufacturing processes at the Avon Lake, O., assembly plant.
As a result, Villager becomes an American-made minivan which will impress fans of imported automotive technology.
Villager starts with a smooth exterior package designed to cheat the wind in energy-saving aerodynamic fashion.
It looks quite modest in scale, smaller perhaps than some competitors, although when measured for interior space and cargo volume Villager is actually large enough so that three adults may comfortably ride side by side on the third-tier bench seat.
That rear bench becomes one of Villager's signatures.
When time to convert Villager from people hauler to cargo carrier, the bench folds up and slides away from the cargo area after removing any center row seats.
Tracks in the floor allow the back seat to roll forward to one of three positions for carrying people, or to two places in fold-up fashion when making room for cargo.
And with rear seatback folded flat, its table-like surface contains modeled indentions which would be useful when staging a tailgate party.
An optional center bench or twin captain's chairs present more choices for arranging the cabin, while the flat frame means passengers may move forward or aft conveniently, without having to climb over a powertrain or hop up to a high rear truck-like platform.
The 1996 Villager contains generational improvements, both outside and within.
You can detect the new version at a glance because the former front strip of lights has been replaced by center-mount horizontal chrome grille flanked by aero-style corner-wrap headlamps.
Curvy new front and rear bumper fascia connect with new lower side moldings, and taillamps also look new.
More important changes appear inside Villager.
A new wraparound dashboard was installed to accommodate twin front airbags. And by adding these safety features, former pesky motorized front shoulder belts were replaced by easy-to-buckle manual straps which use height-adjustable shoulder controls mounted to B pillars.
Other modifications add up to fine-tuned conveniences, such as revised larger dials for the stereo system or backlit illumination for buttons which operate power windows, door locks and mirrors.
Overall, Villager feels very user-friendly -- and it drives like a sedan.
Power-assisted rack and pinion steering and power brakes with anti-lock control result in a maneuverable machine, while Villager's V6 engine puts up to 151 hp at a driver's command.
The 3.0-liter engine, modified from a plant once used by Nissan's Maxima, features a single overhead cam and electronic engine management system. It links to a nice 4-speed electronic automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter, also borrowed from Nissan.
Although only one powertrain is available, Villager comes in three trim choices -- entry-level GS that totals to less than $20,000; a luxury-lined LS with 2-tone paint job listing for $24,300, and the new Nautica package with center captain's chairs and leather trim for $26,400.
Features standard on base GS range from 4-channel anti-lock brakes and power steering and brakes to cloth-covered reclining front bucket seats, tachometer and trip odometer, rear-window washer-wiper and intermittent front wipers, remote release for fuel door, dual exterior mirrors and AM-FM stereo sound with cassette deck and four speakers.
Villager LS contains extra features like second-row bench seat for two, front air conditioning, cruise control, power mirrors and windows and locks, rear window defroster, 2-tone paint treatment and rooftop luggage rack.
Villager Nautica features unique exterior trim and grille, plus plush leather seating.
An extensive list of options includes a towing package, performance suspension and rear air conditioning.
1996 MERCURY VILLAGER
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| 1996 MERCURY VILLAGER VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact minivan |
| Model Options: |
Compact minivan |
| Wheelbase: |
112.2 inches |
| Overall Length: |
189.9 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 3.0-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
17/23 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 19,950 to $ 28,000 |
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