1999-2002 Mercury Villager: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Mercury's front-drive minivan got a major makeover for 1999, including fresh sheetmetal, a bigger engine and a newly standard sliding door on the driver's side. Villager was available in three models: base, luxury Estate, and Sport. Wheelbase was unchanged, but the body grew by 4.6 inches in length and 1.2 in width, gaining 9.6 cubic feet of interior volume. Sole engine was Nissan's 3.3-liter V6, delivering 19 more horsepower and 26 more pound-feet of torque than the previous 3.0-liter. A 4-speed automatic was the only transmission. Seating up to seven, all Villagers had two sliding doors, neither of them power-operated. A third-row bench slid on built-in floor tracks. Dual integrated child safety seats were optional with the second-row bench. The revamped interior contained extra storage bins and nets. Estate and Sport models added a two-position rear parcel shelf that could hold up to 30 pounds and adjusted to several heights. Previously standard, antilock brakes dropped to an option. Side airbags were not available.