The midsize sedan market is the most hotly contested class in the United States auto market owing to the popularity of sedans. In fact, midsize sedans are the best selling vehicles of major car brands. For Toyota, the Camry is the best selling model in their lineup. The same can be said for Honda with the Accord and Nissan with the Altima. These popular vehicles have long been known to combine performance, durability and fuel efficiency perfectly and in just one vehicle unit. That is why going up against these models is a tough job for any car model.
But the Mercury Milan is doing just that and it is facing the most popular Asian models in the market.
The Milan's exterior gives it a strong character of its own and does not follow in the lead of the Accord or the Camry. It has delicate design cues that make it one of the most conservatively designed vehicles in its class. While it shares its platform with the Ford Fusion and the Lincoln MKZ, the Milan has a character of its own and adds to the exterior styling of its two siblings.
Some of its exterior design cues worthy to be noted are its chrome-accented twin tailpipes and its 17-inch multi-spoke wheels which complement the tailpipe perfectly. There are two trim packages for the Mercury Milan - the base model and the Mercury Milan Premier which come with a navigational system and an interior trim package.
The power of the Mercury Milan, both for the base model and the upgraded Premier, comes from an in-line four-cylinder engine. The I-4 is rated to produce as much as 160 horsepower. For the Premier, another engine is offered to increase the vehicle's power output. The additional engine offered is a V6 which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission which transfers the power produced by the engine to the drive wheels smoothly. The power produced by the engine, either the inline four-cylinder or the V6, can be enhanced further by the use of aftermarket parts such as systems. The base model is configured as a front wheel drive but an upgrade to a V6 engine will get you an all-wheel drive configuration. This configuration comes in handy when battling serious road conditions where good traction is needed.
What the Milan has over its top selling competitors is its interior space. The Milan can seat five persons comfortably. Its cabin provides good leg space and more headroom than other sedan in the market. Furthermore, the construction of the Milan's platform and its engine bay reduces the amount of vibration and noise entering the inside of the vehicle.
As far as the vehicle's entertainment system is concerned, the Milan may not have the most advanced audio system but it offers the basics of in-car entertainment as we know it today. In fact, the "basic" audio entertainment that the vehicle has is a six-CD in-dash changer with a digital readout and MP3 functions. This entertainment system can further be enhanced by additional speakers. Overall, the Milan may not take the limelight away from heavy hitters such as the Camry or the Accord but it is a good choice for those who want a different car from the rest of the commuters but at the same time have a car which has a good performance, durability and fuel efficiency.
