Mercury has equipped the Montego with a four-wheel-independent suspension of front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link setup. When equipped with AWD, the Mercury Montego has a rear self-leveling suspension system. Four-wheel-disc brakes are equipped with ABS and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) for smooth, sure stops. To differentiate the Montego from the Ford Five Hundred, stylists have employed the signature Mercury satin aluminum waterfall grille, unique front and rear bumpers, and chrome taillight bezels. High-intensity discharge (HID) headlights are standard, as are light-emitting diode (LED) taillights. Inside, more satin aluminum trim is evident, along with lots of chrome detailing and standard leather wrapping for the steering wheel and gearshift knob. Gauges are gray-faced, with satin aluminum pointers. Mercury offers the 2005 Montego in Luxury and Premier trim levels. Both include two-tone interior décor with fake wood trim, a power driver's seat, a tilt steering wheel, heated power side mirrors, remote keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, premium sound with a CD player and power windows with driver's side one-touch up and down. The Mercury Montego Premier adds leather upholstery with a mini-perforated finish; heated front seats; 18-inch alloy wheels wearing P225/55R18 Pirelli tires; a two-user memory function for seats, mirrors and pedals; an Audiophile sound system with in-dash CD changer; Homelink universal transmitter; and a power passenger's seat. A power moonroof is available on both Luxury and Premier models. True enough, the 2005 Mercury Montego is a badge-engineered version of the Ford Five Hundred and selecting it over the car wearing the blue oval literally comes down to a matter of subjective taste. But the bottom line is that either serves as a benchmark in the family sedan class. If the Mercury Montego proves durable over time and passes crash testing with flying colors, it could be the most formidable competitor for the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry to emerge from a domestic automaker in a very long time.
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
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About Christian Wardlaw
Christian Wardlaw joined Autobytel's Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, and current serves as Manager of Content Development for Autobytel. Previously, Christian spent eight years as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Christian is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Christian has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in English. His daily drivers include a 1994 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and a 2005 Nissan Murano.
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