2006 Mercury Milan Sedan Premier

Susan Frissell

An all-new entry for Mercury in 2006, the Milan is advertised as an affordable upscale mid-size sedan. We test-drove the Milan recently and although it has some redeeming features, didn't find it especially outstanding.

Hoping to appeal to a younger crowd, Mercury is revamping its lineup in hopes of attracting import sedan buyers. Mercury isn't bashful about saying the Milan is directed at the Generation X customer. We think it's going to have to offer a little more distinction to pull them away from their coveted Acuras, BMWs and Hondas.

The Milan has a pleasing ride, is quiet and takes care of the business of everyday driving just fine. Mercury claims Milan's interior has consists of "quality" materials, making it stand out from the "plain vanilla" mid-size sedans. The interior, we thought, was unmistakably Ford, with familiar dash and appointments.

Milan is a good looking sedan and I was approached more than once when parked. One man raved about it, was thoroughly impressed by Milan's trunk capacity and thought it better looking than its stablemate the Ford Fusion. Milan looks better in the artist's renderings than on the street. That's not to say it isn't a good looking automobile. It is. We found the its edgy-ness to our liking, and its rear-end is distinctive.

Mercury has often been thought of as the upscale brand in the Ford family. We haven't driven the Ford Fusion yet so we can't make the claim that this is still true. The Milan is the more staid of the two, we're guessing, Fusion offering a performance model.

Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional 3.0-liter DURATEC V-6 engine. We recommend this engine as it seemed adequate. Not having tested the I-4 standard engine we can't comment. We weren't impressed with Milan's turning radius which made it somewhat difficult getting in/out of tight spots and making 3-point turns. Milan's suspension consists of independent, short and long arms with rear=facing lower control arms in front and independent, multi-link with coil-over shocks and lower control arms in the rear.

Introduced in the fall of 2005, Milan announced plans to expand its powertrain offerings with the availability of all-wheel-drive in about a year's time. In 2008, Milan will be available, as is Mercury Mariner, in a hybrid version.

Available in two models: Milan and the more well-equipped Milan Premier, all Milan models feature a six-way power driver's seat, CD-audio system, analog clock, remote keyless entry and power heated exterior mirrors.

SPECS
MSRP	$22,845; total vehicle price: $25,495
Engine	2.3-liter DOHC, 16-valve I-4, 160 hp. Standard; optional Duratec 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6, 210 hp.
Transmission	Standard 6-speed automatic transaxle (V-6); 5-speed manual or automatic on I-4 model
Wheelbase	107.4 in.
Height	55.8 in.
Length	191.4 in.
Width	72.2 in.
Weight	3,117/3,174 lbs. (I-4); 3,303 lbs. (V-6)
Wheels	17" 14-spoke machined aluminum
Tires	P225/50VR-17 A/S BSW
Fuel Economy	21/29 mpg. (V-6)
Warranty	3 years/36,000-mile warranty; 24-hour roadside assistance

Our Premier version came equipped with leather seating, 4-way manual passenger seat with lumbar, 60/40 split rear seat with armrest, A/C, tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, instrument cluster with message center, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, rear window defroster, speed-sensitive wipers, Securilock anti-theft system, and battery saver.

Options on the Milan Premier test car included the Comfort package (EATC A/C, auto lamp on/off delay headlamps, leather steering wheel with speed control, electrochrome mirror, fog lamps, compass and heated power mirror with puddle lamps, $595); Safety/Security package (side air curtain, driver/passenger air bag, anti-theft perimeter alarm, $295); traction control, $95 and audiophikle sound system, $420.

With its trademark "waterfall" grill, Milan also features a big Mercury emblem. Grille and fascia have a satin-aluminum finish to make it look richer, and the projector headlamps are wrapped over the fenders. Looking at the Milan from the side one notices the bright belt molding that accentuates Milan's profile. The rear taillamps enhance Milan's profile and are easily seen by drivers behind. The V-6 equipped Milan features twin exhaust tips.

All in all, Milan is an adequate offering from Mercury. The ride is quiet and comfortable. Entering and exiting the Milan is effortless and seating accommodates drivers of all heights. We found the quality of the doors lacking, producing a tinny sound when closing. This was a disappointment. We also found the headlights on the Milan to be dim. Driving the Milan felt like driving vehicles of year's past when needing to rely on the strength of the headlights. Adding HID lamps might be a suggestion.

And those automatic door locks drive us crazy. Not only are they a nuisance, they're loud. This takes away from any "upscale" feeling the car may be trying to convey.