Base MSRP Range: $29,310 - $35,110

Base Invoice Range: $26,601 - $31,763

MSRP As Tested: Not Available

Versions: Luxury and Ultimate Sport Utility, Luxury and Ultimate AWD Sport Utility.

Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Luxury SUV

Engine Location: Front Engine

Drive Wheels: All Wheel Drive

Engine As Tested : 4.2-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 12-valves, V-6, 201 -horsepower at 4,250rpm and 265 lb-ft torque at 3,650 rpm.

Transmission As Tested: 4-speed automatic.

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 16/22

Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger airbags, power-assisted disc brakes, ">Antilock Braking System (ABS).

Competition: Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan, Ford Freestar, Kia Sedona.

Review

Just the name conjures up old, old memories for me. Ford's ressurection of the Mercury Monterey moniker takes me back to the early 1970s.

Do you remember that great cop show set in Hawaii -- Hawaii Five-O? Steve McGarrett, the show's top cop star, used to tool around the island of Oahu in a jet black Mercury Monterey. Squealing tires was the norm for McGarrett, whether it was chasing a criminal or just taking off from a crime scene.

Another memory that's quite fond of the Mercury Monterey was that the 1972 model was my very first car. Bright yellow, with a fast-back. It was my mom's car and she gave it to me after it had been hit by a truck and was "totaled." Insurance companies used to allow you to keep a totaled car.

That Mercury Monterey was so cool, too. A 16-year-old with a car like that was cool, too. The thing got something like seven miles to the gallon, but back then a gallon of gas was a quarter. And there were gas wars all the time.

Enough about going down memory lane, here. The bottom line is that the 2004 Mercury Monterey is obviously quite a bit different than the vehicle I remember as a kid. It comes from a hearty history and is part of Ford's next step in a return to Mercury's founding philosophy of modern design and smart styling.

Let's start on the outside. The styling is distinct, but still carries the signature effects that defines Mercury. It's styling foundation is decidedly taken from the 2002 Mountaineer and the rest comes from the Mercury Messenger concept vehicle.

The Monterey is Mercury's first long-wheelbase luxury minivan. It incorporates a ton of features that you won't see on some of the other luxury minivans on the market. Stuff like Mercury's own Safety Canopy side curtain air bag system with a rollover sensor.

Other safety features include a reinforced structure to improve offset crash protection, air bags that can sense if someone is sitting in the front passenger seat, a stability enhancement system, three-point seat belts for all passenger positions and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with panic assist.

One thing I noticed about the Monterey was how quiet it was. It was hard to hear the engine turn over with the doors closed. I kept looking at the tach to see if it had started. And the quality of the lack of noise, even when on the freeway, was very comforting. You won't have to turn up the radio on the freeway for once.

The interior of the Mercury Monterey is a little plain, but functional. The instrumentation is logically laid out and is within easy reach of the driver. There are storage bins and cubby holes all over the front cabin.

I was annoyed by the alarming parking sensor that sounded whenever I put the vehicle in reverse or came within three feet of a car in front of me -- like at a traffic light. Although appreciated the spirit of the sensor and why it was created, it was still highly annoying throughout the week. At one point, my 11-year-old said, "enough already!"

The Monterey has power-operated side doors on both sides of the vehicle, which my kids -- and I -- loved. They were able to operate them with ease and actually appreciated the feature. The doors, as they opened or closed, were quite quiet. Quieter than any other vehicle I've tested.

The Monterey also has a power-operated liftgate. One thing that was really great were these larger-than-life -- but highly functional (makes sense) -- door pull handles. It actually makes the doors so much easier to open. Ford was thinking about the roughly six million people under the age of 60 suffering from arthritis on this one. Great idea.

There are a whole number of different ways to outfit the interior of the Monterey, from bench seats to captain's chairs to third row seating arrangements. The Monterey tested had bench seats in the third row, and captain's chairs in the second, and first row of seats. Having the captain's chairs in the second row of seats prevents a ton of "she's touching me" incidents from happening.

And I loved the spy mirror. The kids hated it. It's a little flip-down mirror in the roof-mounted center console area that you can flip down to spy on the kids. It's a concave mirror that's only about three inches across, but allows you to see all rear seating positions clearly and with ease. The kids were on their best behavior because of it. They knew I could see what they were doing.

Another kid-friendly feature is the use of square cupholders for juice boxes. That's cool.

I appreciated the fact that the Monterey has heated and cooled seats. Previously, cooled seating was only available on some of the luxury imports. This year, it's also available on the Lincoln LS, Aviator, Navigator and on the Ford Expedition. It's nice to see a feature like that appearing on more mainstream vehicles.

Now, for what's under the hood. The 4.2-liter V6 engine promises 201-horsepower and has the highest torque numbers for a minivan. It's mated to a 4-speed automatic. A couple more facts -- turning circle is a mere 39.5 feet, has 16-inch aluminum wheels, 25.9 inches of cargo room behind the third row of seats and get 16 miles to the gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway. All for a base price of $29,995.

The most you'll pay -- with all the bells, whistles and options -- is $35,525. Not bad for what's in the Monterey. Go take a look at one. It's worth it.

Ratings (1-10)

• Style: 8
• Performance: 7
• Price: 6
• Handling: 8
• Ride: 8
• Comfort: 7
• Quality: 7
• *Overall: 7.3

More Data

Where Built: Oakville Assembly Plant, Ontario, Canada

Major Options: Towing pckage.

Seating: 7

Number of Rows: 3

Length in Inches: 201.5

Warranties: 3 years/36,000 comprehensive warranty, 5 years/unlimited corrosion, 1 year/36,000 free scheduled maintenance, 3 years/36,000 free roadside assistance.

Weight in Pounds: 4,340.

Maximum Payload in Pounds: Not Available.

Maximum Gross Vehicle Weigh in Pounds: Not Available

Towing Capacity in Pounds: 2, 000 pounds (3,500 with towing package available later in the model year)

Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 26.0

Destination Charge: $740