Mercury Monterey First Drive
Introduction
The Monterey is the successor to the Villager, which was a Nissan product. The Monterey is an upscale version of the Ford Freestar, itself an evolution of the Windstar. The standard 4.2-liter V6 is noisy and unrefined. The ride is a bit unsettled, but handling is secure. The Monterey features a third-row seat that folds flat into the floor. The second-row seats are too low. The optional head-protection curtain air bags cover all three rows. Stability control and adjustable pedals are available, as well as parking-assist warning sensors. Crash-test results are impressive.