Mercury Milan Review Car Review

Milan is the fashion capital of Italy. Step off the tourist trail and it’s a combination of industrial parks and urban sprawl with only slightly more charm than Trenton, New Jersey. Still, you have got to give Ford’s beleaguered near-luxury division credit for naming their hecho-en-Mexico Fusion derivative after the home of Alfa Romeo, rather than resorting to the alphanumerics afflicting Lincoln’s take on the same model. But the question remains: is Mercury’s glammed-up Fusion a credible fashionista or an industrial waste?

The Milan's grill is the most striking difference between Mercury’s mid-market sedan and the car upon which it's based. While Ford decorated their front wheel-driver’s front room with Venetian blinds, Mercury opted for verticals. Less obviously, the Milan’s lower front fascia is more pronounced, the bright work less blingy, the wheels statelier and the rear lights look less like an aftermarket afterthought.

Subtle as they are, the changes work. The Milan projects greater maturity and wealth than its FoMoCo donormobile. Compared to the redesigned Toyota Camry, whose front-end looks like a saggy-nosed boxer after years of cartilage pulverizing abuse, the Milan is elegantly beautiful.

Color has a Jekyll and Hyde effect on Milan’s mien. The more vibrant hues– Redfire Red, Ebony Black and Dark Blue Pearl– establish a welcome contrast to the crystalline headlight cluster, windows and chrome accents, projecting the requisite eau de upmarket. Conversely, the bland non-color tones– Charcoal Beige, Dune Pearl, Light Tundra, Satellite Silver, Silver Frost or Tungsten Silver— create a pale and pasty pallet of pernicious pabulum.

interior2.jpgThe Milan’s interior is proof positive that the domestic auto companies know how to design and assemble a comfortable, graceful and ergonomic interior. OK, the panel gaps around the dash top cubby were inspired by the Land Rover Discovery. And most of the luxury stuff that should be basic (automatic climate control, heated seats, leather wrapped steering wheel with secondary controls, etc.) is optional and, therefore, bumps the price towards the Lincoln Fusion homonym. But there are some nice touches.

The Milan’s center-mounted analog clock is so-not-plastic and the wood is. Kudos to Ford Mercury for the clever center storage bin that combines an MP3 jack, Nintendo-friendly power point and change holder.

Oh, another quibble: the Milan’s elegant monochromatic gauges could use a touch of red, as in REDLINE. While it’s not a concern when driving a Milan equipped with a five-speed automatic, pistonheads opting for stick shift (available on the four cylinder engine) must rely on their ears to avoid triggering the engine’s self-preservation software.

06mercurymilan_12.jpgAs with the Fusion, the Milan comes in a choice of a 2.3-liter in-line four or a 3.0-liter Duratec V6. The Milan’s four-cylinder mill produces a class appropriate power (160hp @ 6250rpm) and economy (23/31mpg). The perky four-pot revs effortlessly and remains suitably hushed even under full throttle blasts. The manual transmission’s 3.31:1 first gear ratio is a little too much for an engine whose 150ft.-lbs. peak torque doesn’t arrive until 4250rpm. Translation: unless you rev the engine and dump the clutch north of 3000rpm, you get no accelerative response whatsoever.

The V6 delivers an altogether different driving experience. Mated to a six-speed slushbox, the Milan’s six-cylinder engine puts Toyota’s, Nissan’s and Honda’s silken mills to shame, redefining smooth, effortless, frugal and dependable power for the entire mid-size market.

Just kidding.

Don’t get me wrong: the Duratec is a fine engine. But discriminating buyers will notice that the Milan’s 221hp motor quickly runs out of puff, especially compared to Honda Accord (244hp) Toyota Camry (268hp) and Nissan Altima (270hp). The Ford's mill is also a pretty thrashy unit, with a decidedly downmarket sonic signature.

While the Milan’s mechanical anemia should eliminate torque steer, it doesn’t. Under hard acceleration, the front end rises like a powerboat as the forward donuts scrabble for purchase. For some less adrenal (read: older) buyers, it’s no biggie. These comfort-oriented customers will be satisfied with the Milan’s magic carpet ride. Thanks to its sophisticated short and long arm (SLA) front and multi-link rear suspenders, the Milan surmounts highway irregularities with near-Camry refinement. How great is that?

06mercurymilan_31.jpgOn the fun-to-drive spectrum, Milan carves corners with Accordian poise and precision. The mid-sized Merc doesn’t beg to be whipped, but when your inner hooligan tempts your soul, the Milan has enough spring in its step to keep heading in the right direction.

I asked my Mercury handler why buy a Milan over a Ford Fusion. “Why eat with a plastic fork when you can dine with a silver spoon?” I reckon that depends on what you’re eating. And even if we accept the analogy, the Milan is, at best, a silver plated-fork.

Bottom line: for a little extra coin (around $600) over the Fusion SE, you buy a few optional trim choices and a nicer looking ride. And that’s about it. That doesn’t sound very glamorous to me.

source :www.thetruthaboutcars.com