Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Mercury Milan Makes Major Strides

Fuel prices are a factor when it comes to new vehicle purchasing decisions. So is safety, as well as styling, performance, comfort, technology and to a large degree, reliability.

On all fronts, the Big Three have made significant strides in producing cars that are capable of competing in the global market.

As I see it, the biggest challenge is getting people into the showroom to take a test drive. Like I mentioned earlier, driving is believing.

The 2008 five-passenger, mid-size Mercury Milan is no exception.

It has the look and feel of a $40,000-plus vehicle, but with a base price starting below $20,000.

The Milan also provides consumers with a number of options. For starters, it’s available in either front- or all-wheel drive.

You also have a choice of two pretty impressive powertrain options.

A 2.3-liter I-4 engine (160 horsepower/156 lbs.-ft. of torque) requiring regular unleaded gasoline is mated to either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. When coupled with the automatic, it has an EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and is rated as a Low Emissions Vehicle. When coupled with the manual transmission, it has an EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway.

Buyers also have the option of a 3.0-liter V-6 engine (221 horsepower/205 lbs.-ft. torque) mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Also requiring regular unleaded gasoline, it has an EPA fuel economy rating of 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway (one mpg lower for AWD models) and is rated as a Low Emissions Vehicle.

Let’s talk safety for a minute. The 2008 Milan has received the highest individual ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal and side impact crash test performance. It has also received the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s five-star rating for driver side-impact crash safety (the highest rating given).

Standard safety features include tire pressure monitoring system, Ford’s Personal Safety System which features dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags, thorax side airbags for front seat occupants, side air curtains, rear door child safety locks, LATCH child restraint safety system and Belt-Minder, to name a few. It’s also loaded with convenience features, including Ford’s new Sync hands-free communication and entertainment system.

The 2008 Milan is a great mid-size vehicle. For those in the market for a new car, this is a terrific vehicle with an outstanding warranty that should be added to the test drive list.

Source: waxahachiedailylight.com

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