Mercury Monterey becomes a new minivan stocking premium gear
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CHICAGO, Ill. -- A surprise at the Chicago Auto Show concerns the unveiling of a sleek new minivan for the Mercury brand.
It looks big and bold with an aggressive face and sharp contemporary lines on the body featuring taut planes and keen edgework in high-tech style.
And it is big, thanks to a wheelbase stretching for ten feet and a package that's close to 17 feet long and over six feet wide by almost six feet tall.
This grand scale for the minivan creates generous space in a passenger compartment with room for three tiers of seats, including twin buckets pitched up front, a second row with two captain's chairs that fold up with one-hand convenience and a rear bench for two which flips and folds down into the floor to form a flat surface for packing more cargo aboard.
The new minivan, designed as a luxurious and larger replacement for the former Villager minivan, is called Monterey and it appears as a 2004 model in Mercury's line.
Note that the minivan's name begins in the letter 'M' to conform to nomenclature for future Mercury models in the pipeline like Montego and Mariner.
For Monterey, the exterior design adopts some of the styling points of Mercury's Mountaineer sport-utility vehicle. The Mercury signature waterfall grille mounts up front with satin aluminum highlights as flanks wear monochromatic body cladding.
On the inside, Monterey represents the luxurious side of minivan design with premium features on hand as standard equipment such as twin-zone climate controls, power-adjustable pedals with memory settings and sensors on bumpers fore and aft as a parking guide for forward and reverse directions.
As a luxury vehicle, Monterey feels good to steer and it rides comfortably for passengers.
The driver sits high in a cushy bucket facing a padded steering wheel and the dashboard instrument cluster with expansive views through a tall wrap of windows encompassing the road scene in a superior design.
On tap is significant throttle power from a torque-strong V6 engine so you can step on it to zip this hefty load ahead in traffic.
Actually, it acts lively at all speeds and accelerates briskly from a stoplight start.
And it has so much sound-damping material concealed in body cavities that external noise from road and traffic is stifled to set up a cabin environment that's tranquil and quiet.
The structure of Monterey seems solid when set to motion, with suspension elements supporting all weight and bracing in the corners to keep from tipping sideways or wallowing in discomfort.
Suspension components consist of MacPherson struts in front and a semi-independent twist beam in back with integrated torsion bar.
Monterey also provides an extensive assortment of safety systems to protect passengers, including Ford's computer-controlled Personal Safety System.
That equipment can instantly analyze the type and intensity of a frontal crash at the onset and react by deploying different safety devices in a manner appropriate for circumstances of the particular collision.
In addition, a side curtain air bag system called a Safety Canopy is available with the shield extending to all three rows of seats.
Brakes show a disc at every wheel, as tied to an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD).
Further, there are active safety devices aboard -- either optional or standard, depending on trim -- like a panic brake assist (PBA) system, traction control system (TCS), Ford's AdvanceTrac anti-skid mechanism, and the reverse sensing system.
The reverse sensing equipment works with sensors in the front and rear bumpers to detect solid objects in the path of the minivan.
When approaching such an impediment -- another vehicle, perhaps, or a tricycle in the driveway -- a cabin audio speaker transmits a series of high decibel beeps to alert the driver. These beeps increase in frequency until the bumper closes to within a few inches, when the signal becomes a constant tone.
Power to motivate Monterey stems from a front transverse-mounted V6 engine oriented with a front-wheel-drive (FWD) system.
The engine, a new design with displacement of 4.2 liters, develops 201 hp at 4250 rpm plus torque of 263 lb-ft at 3650 rpm.
A smooth-shifting four-speed automatic transaxle links to the engine.
Mercury makes the Monterey in three different trim segments with labels of Convenience, Luxury and Premier.
The Convenience version brings the automatic transaxle and ABS with twin-zone climate controls and forward and reverse park assist, a tilting steering wheel with cruise control toggles, seats upholstered in fine fabrics and the third-row bench that folds down into the floor or also tips backward to create a tailgate bench facing the rear hatch.
With this entry-level model the side-impact air bags and Safety Canopy become optional items.
Monterey Luxury edition adds leather upholstery on all seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel pegged with audio controls, the power-adjustable pedals, plus power sliding side doors, side air bags and the Safety Canopy.
In addition, the Luxury model comes with memory functions for mirrors and pedals and the driver's seat, an anti-theft system, dual-zone electronic automatic temperature controls, a floor console for the front row, reading lamps on the third row, and roof rails in black.
A DVD-based entertainment system for rear tiers of seats is optional on the Luxury edition, along with self-sealing tires and the AdvanceTrac anti-skid system.
Deluxe Monterey Premier trim has it all -- heated and cooled front seats with lumbar adjustments on both, perforated leather covering first and second rows, the AdvanceTrac stability controls, and aluminum wheels in a split-spoke design plus roof rails in satin aluminum.
Mercury sets Monterey's MSRP figures in a range from $29,995 to $35,525.
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| 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
6-person luxury minivan
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| Model Options: |
6-person luxury minivan
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| Wheelbase: |
120.8 inches
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| Overall Length: |
201.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 4.2-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
ABS/EBD
opt. AdvanceTrac/TCS/PBA
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
+ 6 (side curtain)
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| Gas Mileage: |
16/22 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 29,995 to $ 35,525 |
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