2009 Mercury Milan Review

Predictably, the Milan and Fusion share similar strengths and weaknesses. Like its blue-oval brother, the Milan is based on a stretched version of the outgoing Mazda 6 platform, which enables the midsize Mercury to combine the 6's athleticism with appreciably more passenger room. Unlike many of its competitors, the Milan also offers all-wheel drive on V6-powered models, a significant selling point for shoppers residing in colder climes. And we can no longer criticize Mercury for skimping on stability control -- it's available on every 2009 Milan. The optional Sync multimedia interface, a Ford family exclusive, is another feather in the Milan's cap.

There's only one area where the Milan could really use some improvement, and that's under the hood. Neither the base four-cylinder engine nor the optional V6 make the refined noises we expect to hear in modern family sedans, and they're down on power, too. This would be easier to swallow if there were a payoff in efficiency, but there's not -- the Milan's fuel-economy numbers are middling at best. Otherwise, though, the Milan is quite enjoyable from behind the wheel, featuring above-average handling along with a commendably cushioned ride.

There's no doubt that the 2009 Mercury Milan is a solid all-around midsize sedan. Trouble is, perennial favorites like the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima offer superior four- and six-cylinder engines while matching the Milan in all other respects, save for the Milan's available AWD. However, the Milan is more affordable than those models, and it is fully competitive with similarly priced competitors like the Chevy Malibu, Hyundai Sonata and Saturn Aura. If you don't want to pay top dollar for your next family sedan, the Milan is certainly worth a look.

The 2009 Mercury Milan's base 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is rated at 160 horsepower and receives Partial-Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) certification in California and other California-emissions states. It's paired with a standard five-speed manual transmission in the base four-cylinder Milan, while a five-speed automatic is optional on the base model and standard on the Premier.

A 3.0-liter 221-hp V6 is optional on both the base and Premier trims. All V6-equipped Milans receive a six-speed automatic transmission, which is notable for limiting drivers to just two forward-gear gates ("D" and "L"), though many drivers probably won't miss the additional manual control. Four-cylinder Milans are front-wheel drive, while AWD is optional on V6 models.

© Source: edmunds
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