 About the Mercury MystiqueBecause Mercury is a division of the Ford Motor Company, the two often share similar vehicles, such as the Mystique and the Contour. The Mystique was a variant of the Contour, and both were identical 4-door compact sedans built on the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout. While the Mercury Mystique was a direct replacement for the earlier Topaz, it was discontinued only five years later in 2000 and had no direct replacement other than the Ford Focus.The Mystique was assembled in Claycomo, Missouri, and Cuautitlan, Mexico. The modest four-cylinder under the hood gave the car a powerful 125 horsepower; however, the V6 offered 170 horses. The rear offered plenty of legroom for two people, but a third person would make a snug fit. While the Ford Contour offered three trim levels... View more for buyers, the Mystique was only available in two trims: entry-level GS and upscale LS. From 1997 until 1999, Mercury offered a base model to the public. The Mystique only saw production for five years, which meant that only one generation was produced during this time. Despite that, it received a redesign in 1998 that led to several changes for both the interior and exterior. Before 1998, the Mystique had a rather plain body with rectangular headlights and small grille. The redesign in 1998 improved the look of the body by giving it round curves, angular headlamps, and an altered roofline that improved headroom in the interior. On the inside, the Mystique was given a new seatbelt for the rear center seat, new dash design, and the seats were altered to allow more rear legroom. A larger fuel tank was added to the 1999 models, plus standard second-generation airbags, aluminum alloy wheels, and revised transmissions. The standard engine was the 2.0-liter I4, but the 2.5-liter V6 was the more sought after engine because of its power and additional 5-speed manual transmission. In the five years that the Mystique was produced, it had caught the attention of buyers and critics for its power and luxury performance. From 1995 to 1997, the Mystique was featured on Car and Driver's Ten Best List;" and Automobile Magazine named it an "All-Star" those same years. While the Mystique was not mentioned at times that the Contour was gaining attention, the two may have very well shared the awards, seeing as how they were both identical cars except for slight variations in engine sizes and features. View less | |||
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