Make mine a Mercury Milan

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

The most knowledgeable and experienced driver in my family is my daughter who is a mystery shopper. She drives all over the country and probably spends more time in a car than the average truck driver. She puts her car to the test, often hauling a trailer and driving in difficult weather.

Her first impression when I picked her up in the racy red Mercury Milan was,"Wow, Mom, this interior looks like an Italian racing car." I could tell she was impressed. First impressions count

And although this car looked sporty, it was perfect for a new grandmother like me. Big trunk for all my stuff, easy to park and stylish enough to get admiring glances from family and friends. Although I only had this car to test drive for a week, it really felt like it was mine.

Red and Racy

I really found myself identifying with this car. I wore my red hat, my red glasses and lots of red things that usually don't make it out of the closet very often. (I am not a red hat lady)

More than Just a Pretty Face: Form follows Function

Milan is more than just a pretty face. The elegant exterior design was created specifically to provide function as well as form. Milan customers want a car that has the flexibility to accommodate all of their needs.

Highlights of Milan’s functionality include:

Mercury Sync - an industry-exclusive, voice-activated, hands-free, in-car communications and entertainment system. Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, the system fully integrates mobile phones and media players into the vehicle using Bluetooth technology and USB connectivity (late availability).

A newly available ambient lighting system (late availability) offers the option of illuminating the front and rear footwells and front cupholders with any one of seven colors. The driver or front passenger can choose from red, orange, blue, indigo, violet, green and yellow. This piece of trivia is just one example of how well Mercury understands its customers. Studies show that the most important factor in choosing a car is cup holders. Obviously offering in multiple colors is a big plus

Reverse Sensing System is added to Milan’s options list for 2008 as well.

The large rear door, extended back to the C-pillar, allows easier access for all rear-seat passengers.

A roomy 15.8-cubic-foot trunk with flat-load floor and low liftover height is one of several easy-to-use storage spaces in the vehicle. This matters to me, because I am short.

Class-exclusive standard 60/40 rear fold-flat split-seats with spring assist allow for easy packing for long items and best-in-class storage space for the Milan.

The standard fold-flat front passenger seat capability, accommodating extra-long items is hassle-free, as well.

A standard audio input jack and available Audiophile in-dash six-disc CD player provide premium entertainment and connectivity.

Good values and a good Value

I was pleasantly surprised by the sticker price on this car. Not only was it well-priced, but it got good mileage that meant it would keep on saving at the gas pump.

Mercury Milan challenges the perceptions of what an exceptional mid-size car should be by combining distinctive, sophisticated styling, an expressive, modern interior and segment-leading quality, all at an unexpected value.

Technically Perfect

For 2008, Milan gives tech savvy customers even more to love with the Mercury Sync™ communications and entertainment system featuring industry-exclusive, voice-activated, hands-free, in-car connectivity.

Mercury’s mid-size sedan is available in Milan and Milan Premier arrays.  

Safety and Security

On Milan, safety is a priority, as evidenced by receiving the highest individual ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for frontal and side impact crash test performance. In addition, Milan achieved a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) five-star rating for driver side-impact crash safety. For 2008, Milan maintains this strong stance on safety, adding a standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to the already outstanding set of features.  

In addition to TPMS, other standard safety features on Milan include:

Ford’s Personal Safety System ®. This suite of standard safety features includes dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front seat occupants, safety belt pretensioners, seat weight sensing system for the passenger seat and crash severity sensing. Side air curtains are also standard on all Milan models.

Safety with family in mind. Milan has the safety of its youngest passengers in mind with child safety locks on rear doors and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child restraint safety system.

Belt-Minder® for driver and front passenger. Milan also comes equipped with standard side impact air bags for driver and front passenger, side impact air curtains for both first and second rows and anti-lock brakes.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and automotive writer who is a proud member of the Texas Auto Writers Association. Read her stories on www.carladynews.com, www.travellady.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com