2010 marks the end of the line for the Grand Marquis. It has served for many years as the symbol of old school American luxury. A large, low RPM V-8 driving the rear wheels, with suspension so soft that it floats over bumps rather than absorbing them. This type of ride has appealed to an older crowd for the full 30 years that platform which powers the Grand Marquis, and its sister cars, the Lincoln Town Car, and Ford Crown Victoria, has been in production. For the last several years, it's styling has remained fairly stagnant, which to its buyers has been a good thing, as they are typically a demographic who doesn't like the idea of new and different technology being added to their vehicles.

The Mercury Mariner is the mechanical twin of Ford's Escape and the Mazda Tribute. These small SUV's make the most of the compromises made during their design. They afford the high seating position that many people crave. They offer a commanding view of the road ahead and can be filled with children or groceries, even in the winter months, when in climate weather would slow down most cars. The mariner has its share of modern amenities and technological features, although it's overall design is starting to show its age compared with class leaders such as those from Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai.

The Mercury Milan was redesigned in 2010. It is the mechanical twin of the Ford Fusion. The Fusion was rated Car of the year by Motor Trend for 2010 and since the two are identical except for their appearance, the award applies to most of what makes up the Milan as well. The main difference between the two is the Milan's more upscale appearance and more standard features. You won't be likely to see a clone of your car at many stoplights due to the small production run for the current Milan's. This is further ensured by the fact that the entire Mercury line is not long for the production world.

The Mercury Mountaineer, now in its second generation, is the only SUV in Mercury's catalog large enough to seat 7 people. While it uses a truck like body on frame chassis, it remains highly regarded in this category, much like its corporate cousin, the Ford Explorer. As with all Mercury models, if you want one, you need to act soon, as the entire brand is going to under the axe in the near future. The Mercury has sold well due to its more pleasant ride, the use of All-Wheel Drive as opposed to standard four wheel drive, and a host of standard feature upgrades. The class has become more competitive however, and the Mountaineer is starting to slip under pressure from other auto makers.

With car sales still slow in recovering from their historic lows, it's no surprise that automakers are having more trouble than usual moving their more stale products off dealer lots. For some of these cars, Intellichoice is likely a better price guide than the Monroney sticker, and yet, they all come with that new-car smell and, presumably, a full warranty. We perused through Automotive News sales reports for the first two months of 2010 and found eight examples of vehicles you probably never thought you could still buy new.

You don't need a high-riding SUV or crossover to get the winter traction benefits of four-wheel drive. There are a myriad of sedans, wagons, coupes, and even convertibles that offer four-wheel drive (usually called all-wheel drive in passenger cars) either as standard or optional equipment. We've gathered up a complete list of AWD passenger cars; the list is long and the choices are many. Although the advantages of four driven wheels are obvious in slippery road conditions, the technology comes at a cost. There is usually a cost premium associated with all-wheel drive, and almost always a fuel economy penalty as well. So for each car listed, we've indicated the extra cost of the all-wheel-drive option, or the cost differential compared with the equivalent two-wheel-drive model, as well as its EPA gas mileage ratings, and the fuel economy penalty versus the two-wheel-drive version of the same car.

I really can't think of a $33,000 sedan I'd rather be driving. Actually, the only thing I'd change is to delete the twelve-speaker Sony sound system so the price could even be a bit lower. Not everyone will be happy with the price premium of a hybrid, but the Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids are about as good as it gets. And that includes those $100,000 luxury hybrids.

Debuting at the 2008 Los Angeles auto show alongside its Fusion cousin, the 2010 Mercury Milan wraps revised powertrain offerings in a sleek new wrapper.

While the wraps on the 2010 Mercury Milan (along with its Ford and Lincoln cousins) won't come off until November's Los Angeles auto show, we caught the refreshed midsize sedan testing in the cold, dark Michigan night.

If we're all going to end up driving hybrids, the revolution should start in this class. I think the small cute-ute/crossover segment was born out of nothing but marketing departments, and these vehicles could all be replaced by hatchbacks and wagons with absolutely no ill effect. But consumers are hooked on the vehicles in this class, and there's no way the American public will turn to hatchbacks and wagons overnight. So all these small sport-utilities and crossovers might as well go hybrid and save us lots of fuel. Heck, I wish every automaker could build a small SUV with this level of refinement and fuel economy.

A card table will lie flat on the trunk floor with room to spare! That's the first comment I have to make after a 300-mile weekend in the Sable. The back seat is quite spacious, too.

There has been some speculation lately that the Ford Motor Company will shutter the Mercury nameplate, for reasons ranging from low sales to unfavorable buyer demographics (average age of the Mercury buyer is 55). For now, however, the marque continues with a limited lineup of rebadged Fords, including the four-door Mercury Sable sedan (nee Montego, twin to the Ford Taurus).

I actually like the Sable and Taurus for what they are. These sedans (and the Taurus X don't-call-it-a-wagon) offer the higher seating position so many Americans want without resorting to the weight, height, and gas guzzling of an SUV.

The Ford Motor Company used the Chicago show to reaffirm its commitment to Mercury by announcing that the brand will roll out four new products over the next four years. First up is the Monterey minivan this fall. Based on the Ford Freestar (nee Windstar) platform, the long-wheelbase Monterey features Mountaineer-inspired exterior styling (waterfall grille), heated and cooled front seats, side-curtain air bags, and, of course, the now ubiquitous disappearing third-row seat that was pioneered by Honda. The Monterey gets a 4.2-liter engine, which is an upgrade option on the Freestar. It also appears to set a new Mercury record for the amount of satin-aluminum-look trim used on a single vehicle: Mercury designers opened the valve of the satin-aluminum spray tank and let loose all over the exterior and interior.

Mercury's Messenger concept brings good news of the resurgence of Ford's neglected Mercury brand. Designed to show that the future of Mercury will be more than just brushed metal trim, the Messenger is a striking two-seat coupe that seems clearly influenced by the Cougars of the late sixties, while the teardrop shaped roofline and greenhouse recall Ford's own GT concept supercar. Underneath the long hood with twin air scoops is Ford's familiar 4.6 liter V-8 which powers the rear wheels. A simple and uncluttered interior with seats mounted to the center tunnel—a feature first seen in the 2001 Ford 49 concept—echoes the restrained exterior. Although there are no plans for production, the headlamps atop grille elements will be the new face of Mercury.

Celebrating its pearl anniversary, the Mercury Grand Marquis is the archetypical American highway sedan. Its trademark rear-wheel drive, V-8 engine, cushioned ride, and bench seating lend themselves perfectly to putting away long stretches of interstate highway with the cruise control on. It's a car that appeals to those who have fond memories of old Detroit and its big, powerful, and affordable vehicles--an audience that started driving well before the Grand Marquis's 1975 introduction.

With the great success of the Ford Escape Hybrid, it is understandable that Mercury would want to rush its version to the market a whole year ahead of schedule. Available this fall as a 2006 model, the Mariner Hybrid uses the same combination of a 2.3-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor found in the Escape. It is capable of a claimed 33 mpg in city driving, just like the Escape. Unlike the Ford, which can be had as a front-driver, all Mariner Hybrids will be all-wheel drive and of one trim level. The Mariner Hybrid also benefits from slightly more upscale appointments and styling.

With the great success of the Ford Escape Hybrid, it is understandable that Mercury would want to rush its version to the market a whole year ahead of schedule. Available this fall as a 2006 model, the Mariner Hybrid uses the same combination of a 2.3-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor found in the Escape. It is capable of a claimed 33 mpg in city driving, just like the Escape. Unlike the Ford, which can be had as a front-driver, all Mariner Hybrids will be all-wheel drive and of one trim level. The Mariner Hybrid also benefits from slightly more upscale appointments and styling.

After four years in its current skin, the time has come for a mild redo of the Mercury Mountaineer. More precisely, the time is this fall, when the revised 2006 Mountaineer arrives in showrooms (along with the Ford Explorer, of course). The Mountaineer's changes are both mechanical and cosmetic. Taking the mechanical first, the most noteworthy is a more powerful, optional V-8. Still at 4.6 liters, the new SOHC engine has three valves per cylinder and greatly increased output: 292 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque (up from 239 hp and 282 lb-ft). The new V-8 also mates to a new automatic transmission, with six forward speeds instead of five. All this provides added incentive to bypass the Mountaineer's base powertrain, a 210-hp 4.0-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic, both unchanged for '06. Further mechanical tweaks were visited upon the frame (strengthened), the suspension (retuned), and the brakes (enlarged).

Mercury's new mainstay compact sedan arrives this fall as the near twin to the Ford Fusion and the very close sibling to the Lincoln Zephyr, both unveiled last month at the Detroit Auto Show. The Milan, pronounced like the runway capitol of Italy (mih-LAHN), not the like-named drag-strip capital of Michigan (MY-lin), takes up where the late, unlamented Mercury Mystique left off in 2000.

Mercury's new mainstay compact sedan arrives this fall as the near twin to the Ford Fusion and the very close sibling to the Lincoln Zephyr, both unveiled last month at the Detroit Auto Show. The Milan, pronounced like the runway capitol of Italy (mih-LAHN), not the like-named drag-strip capital of Michigan (MY-lin), takes up where the late, unlamented Mercury Mystique left off in 2000.

Mercury will build a new production crossover in 2007, and the Meta One concept is one of our first glimpses at what it could be. For an even earlier preview of the Mercury crossover, look no further than the current Ford Freestyle, on which the Meta One is based.

Mercury will build a new production crossover in 2007, and the Meta One concept is one of our first glimpses at what it could be. For an even earlier preview of the Mercury crossover, look no further than the current Ford Freestyle, on which the Meta One is based.

Mercury will build a new production crossover in 2007, and the Meta One concept is one of our first glimpses at what it could be. For an even earlier preview of the Mercury crossover, look no further than the current Ford Freestyle, on which the Meta One is based.

You can't say Mercury isn't trying. Ford Motor Company's wayward little brand has a parade of new products on the way. Sure, they're mildly reworked versions of blue-oval-badged vehicles, but they all look good, and that's got to count for something. The Mariner compact sport-utility leads the charge this fall, with all the things that have made the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute successful behind a remarkably handsome new face. Choose front- or "Intelligent" all-wheel drive and four- or six-cylinder power. A year later, look for the gasoline-electric Mariner Hybrid, able to return between 35 and 40 mpg in the city.