2001 Mercury Cougar: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Cougar adds two midyear trim packages and shelves plans for a high-performance model. The base 4-cyl Cougar comes only with manual transmission, the plusher V6 model gets manual or automatic. ABS and front side-airbags are optional. Sport Group option for V6 model includes rear disc brakes (vs. drums) and 16-inch wheels in place of 15s. Front fascia, grille, steering wheel, and instrument faces are altered for '01. C2 and Zn are new trim packages, while plans for a 195-hp V6 Sport model are dropped.

COMPETITION

The current Honda Prelude has been around for a few years but it has plenty of power, excellent road manners, and gets reasonable fuel economy. If Prelude is a little too expensive, take a look at our other Best Buy the Volkswagen New Beetle. It offers interesting styling and a nice mix of comfort, performance, and economy.

If raw performance is what you are after we Recommend the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Pontiac Firebird. Not as pleasant to live with on a daily basis, these cars offer a lot of bang for your buck. New last year, the fun-to-drive Toyota Celica also earns the Recommended nod with its reputation for reliability.