Mercury lands squarely on the family car game board with the 2005 Montego, the first competitive sedan for the company to sell since the original Sable debuted nearly two decades ago. When the 2005 Mercury Montego goes on sale later this year, it joins its corporate twin, the 2005 Ford Five Hundred, in the battle for import sedan buyers.

Several compelling reasons exist to consider the new Mercury Montego over established models like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry when the time comes for a new family sedan.

The 2005 Mercury Montego is larger inside than its competitors, yet trim and tidy on the outside. Rear seat occupants will be especially happy, since the Montego boasts class-leading headroom and legroom. Plus, the Montego is blessed with high H-points, which refers to the pivot point of the human hip. A high H-point makes it easy to get into and out of a vehicle. The trunk measures 21 cubic feet of cargo space, enough to carry three more golf bags than passengers. To enhance utility, the rear seat is a split folding design, and the front passenger's seat also folds down to accommodate long items.

Loosely based upon the Volvo S80 luxury sedan, the 2005 Mercury Montego employs many Volvo design and engineering principles to keep occupants safe. The front architecture manages crash energy by deflecting it away from the passenger compartment, and the Montego's side structure is modeled after the Volvo Side Impact Protection System (SIPS).