soft suspension,noisy making leather

the premium sound sounds like crap when blasting metallica,the side window is up side down and is the most ugliest looking thing you will possibly see in you whole entire freaking life!!!!!! tigger is on the back window and the back window is kind of slanted in a bit and smaller than crap!!!!The gas peddal measures about a 1/2" wide and 3" tall and when the pollock stomps on it he lifts up off the seat to make sure he can get maximum throttle response and im suprised the dang thing doesnt snap in half.

dont know how much it costed and i do reccomend it for stupid pollocks.When you floor it it doesnt feel like it peels out but it squeals. It has the 3.8 litre burning oil V6 and a c4 transmission that his pollock dad put a tranny kit in.(the pollock's dad is obsessed with tranny kits and says tranny kit real dumb)anyway the car is black with stainless steel mirror housing and it has ugly metal spoke wheels along with ugly square shaped wing windows.I woulndt recommend it for people who like rounded cars but hey,what can you say? its a stpid mercury. I would much rather preffer the ford thunderbird with the right side up side window and a nice rear window.I would take a BMW isetta over this piece of junk!!!!The roof is badly dented or i should say, caved in!! because he is a polish lumberjack from the north and he put 3 massive logs on the roof of it and he thought the ugly up side down windows and ugly rear window could support all that weight. So he cut a hole through the smashed metal roof to stick his head through and he headed home to rotten wood known as pollocks ville.As he pulled in the drive way his dad was so pissed off his tranny kit went to waste so he elbo dropped the pollocks head that was through the roof and the pollock got hit so hard he went into a coma for 2 months and he had brain damage for life.

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none

V6 5 speed has plenty of power and drives well
exterior and interior designs are great looking
car handles like it's on rails

automatic models seem indecisive
4 cylinder is not worth considering
road noise

For the price the Cougar is an excellent buy and I would reccomend it highly.

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2000 Celica- V6 cougar is closer in power to the Gt but the Celica seemed to have a more sporty feel. The cougar is definitely a more comfortable car though and seems to have more interior space.

Styling
Value
Safety
Big hatchback utility
Excellent ride and handling
Smooth V6
Manual transmission available (and recommended)
Strong, rigid chassis
Side air bags (errant SUV protection)
Sophisticated traction control
Powerful brakes
Styling

Ford/Lincoln-Mercury dealer network!!!
Lurchy drivetrain
Lower seat cushion
Center console

I really like this car. It's more like a budget Accord Coupe than a Celica or Eclipse, the two cars it gets compared to most. Those two are lighter and quicker but they're smaller, and significantly more expensive.

There's a lot of good engineering in this car, including advanced traction control and ABS system, head-torso side air bags, frost and ice sensors, low NVH, etc. The chassis is very rigid, which combined with a long wheelbase and refined suspension tuning deliver a ride that's firm but never harsh, with excellent road manners in any situation. I've had it on the track where its balance and composure are excellent, though the tires are lacking dry grip. Absolutely stable at speeds over 100mph with strong enough brakes for the Autobahn.

Given that it was designed in Germany and most of the development was done in Europe, you'd expect that. What you don't expect is the price. Mine has both groups, V6, ABS, traction control and side air bags, but only cost $18,700. That's a steal - literally - Ford allegedly LOSES about $3500 on each Cougar sold in North America.

I also like the excellent cargo space the car has for its type. It swallows all my camping gear with ease and I can still see out the back window. Nothing else in its class can carry as much. The back seats are hard to get into and hostile for anyone over 5'11'', but if you fit and are fit enough to get back there, surprisingly comfortable.

Overall, it's a wonderful car and an amazing value. Highly recommended.

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Nothing quite like it in its price range, but it compares favorably with the more expensive Integra, Eclipse, Celica, and Golf GTI.

Looks great
A lot of stuff for $20K
Great interior
Big trunk space
Price

Very weak automatic V6...do not try to race anybody with the automatics cause even a Civic will beat ya.
I've had problems with the brakes, electrical system, power steering.
Uncomfortable seats.
Poor visibility.
Reliability????

Personally, I would NOT recommend this car unless you're willing to go to the dealer several times because of screw ups the car has. The automatic has a lot of lag in it and it's very slow on the get-go but the car also has good passing speed so can't complain on that one. I guess if you are planning to buy one, get a manual, and please, get the premium sound stereo. You'll get a workout with the steering on this car, but it can also be a life saver because the car is very stable and rides likes it's on rails.

attention grabbing looks, interior appearance, extremely smooth engine and transmission

small engine for a v6
rear seat is for kids
one or two minor rattles have popped up

Good value: v6, leather, abs, traction control, moonroof, 4 disc brakes, 16 inch wheels...all under 20k. Few american cars offer a dual overhead cam, 4 valves/cyl.

The cougar attempts to be a compact sports coupe and compete with mostly japanese names like the eclipse, integra, and celica. One benefit of the cougar is its v6. The japanese cars didn't offer a v6 until the 2000 eclipse. But the v6 is quite small at only 2.5 liters, and the resulting 170 hp is overshadowed by the top of the line of each of the three models I mentioned. However, since it is a v6, it does offer much more torque at a much lower engine speeds.

I bought it for one reason: when i test drove it, i was just amazed at how smooth the drivetrain was. Well, that and the style! When this car first came out, I couldn't believe how many looks and compliments I was getting. I've had a guy who owns a Rolls Royce compliment my car!

If you are looking for a compact 4 cylinder daily commuter...this is way cooler than the competition. If you are looking for a speedster...this car is a good start, but may need some work.

i've had the car for a year and am quite happy with it. Its very smooth and fun to drive.

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Honda Prelude, Ford Mustang

Attention grabber, quiet engine, and brisk acceleration. Mileage depends upon distance and style of driver (fast/slow}. Solid build quality and excellent brakes. 4 wheel disk with ABS.

215/50R-16 are not for snow. Slight hesitation in transmission during fast acceleration. Moderate lower back comfort for driver and front passenger. Many compliants about rear seats, but then again its a "coupe". ABS not standard.

This is not a good choice for the family nor for the person who loves to "car pool". If you have a habit of carrying alot of stuff, then pick a mini-van or SUV. But if you crave attention, brisk passing acceleration/ on-ramp acceleration, good handling in wet & dry environmental situations, decent mileage (24 hwy). Then go to the nearest Lincoln Mercury Dealer and ask for a test drive. You have to be certain that you want this car. Sure there are far better automakers: Honda Accord Coupe; Toyota Solara V6; Mitsubishi Eclipse; and Acura Integra. But they're not too much different than the Cougar and you can't find either cars for less than 20 Grand. Plus Integra doesn't have a V6...yet.

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Mitsubishi Eclipse 96'
Nissan Sentra 93'
Ford Tempo 88'
BMW 320i
Chevy Cavalier 90'

- Great value (lots of stuff for under $20K)
- Looks are love or hate
- Strong V6
- Safety (side airbags available)
- Strong brakes

- Some people may find the seats too narrow (although there is standard height adjustment), esp. the rear bucket seats.
- V6 engine tends to hang between shifts, due to heavy flywheel (takes some getting used to).
- More rattles than an import (possibly because of hatchback design)
- Looks are love or hate.

V6 pulls pleasantly but is not overpowering. Sweet exhaust note and great handling. Very good value for the dollar; if you are interested in superb handling over straight line acceleration, check this car out. Also lots of storage space. It is based on Contour platform (European design) and is available with side airbags, all for under $20K. Looks are love or hate.

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- Honda Prelude
- Mitsubishi Eclipse
- VW Jetta VR6

The V6 Model Cougar has nice power and definetely surprises some cars on the road. The interior of the car is driver centered which makes driving this car great.

The back seat doesn't a lot of head room. People over six feet tall may feel a bit cramped.

I really enjoy driving this car. The power is nice. It doesn't quite compare to Eclipse GSX or V8 Mustang 5.0's but as far as off the line speed the Cougar has jump. This car has all of the power and other features you could ever need on a car.

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Not a similar car, but my previous car was a 1990 Eagle Talon.

The new car is great. They really changed the appearance for the 2001 year. Everything is more sporty looking. The interior has different colors and they changed the center console. Metal pedels and silver cluster panel makes it a really sharp car. No problems yet.....

As for my review of my 1999 model, the amount I spent was determined on many factors. If you need help getting out of your car for legitimate reasons, such as mechanical failure, talk to your service manager.

Sharp, sporty, and still turns heads. (I still bought an extended warranty, just in case!!)

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None

The body style; color (spruce), the way it drives, seat grips my ass, shifts very smooth, pretty responsive, price was decent for a loaded sporty car

I have keyless entry and the damn truck never pops open.. I have to hit the button and open the truck w/ my hand at the same time. CHEAP! I can't see a damn thing out of the back window. The brakes squeal a lot especially when backing up. I will NEVER AND REPEAT NEVER buy another American car. I traded my Nissan in on this Cougar and it was still worth like $5,000 w/ almost 100K miles and 5 years old. This junk Cougar is worth $12,365 only a year and a half after I bought it and I paid $21,000 for it. That is just pathetic. They are cheap to fix but you lose all your money when you go to get rid of American JUNK!

If you like American and you only buy American, this car is for you. It's a great car if you plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off. I do enjoy driving it. It handles great. I live in PA so I know how it does in the snow and I am impressed considering the tires that I have on it.

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Nissan 200sx SER -- Nissan was Japanese -- need I say MORE?