Overview

The Mercury Milan is a slightly fancier version of the midsize Ford Fusion sedan. The Milan is expected to go out of production after this model year, along with the entire Mercury lineup. For its final year, the Milan offers several options that give it sportier performance, according to the manufacturer.

The 2011 Mercury Milan comes in two trims: base or Premier. Standard on the base model are 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, power accessories including an 8-way driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 6-speaker sound system. The Milan Premier trim upgrades to 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, fog lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a more upscale interior trim. Options include a sunroof, surround-sound system, 18-inch wheels, sport suspension, parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, and traffic/directions information service through the voice-activated Sync system.

The 2011 Mercury Milan's standard power plant is a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, teamed with a 6-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive (FWD). It delivers 22 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. A 6-speed automatic transmission is optional on the base model and standard on the Premier trim. The Premier trim also offers an optional 240-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine, with which all-wheel drive is available. With FWD, that engine delivers 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

Standard safety features on the 2011 Mercury Milan include anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, front side air bags, and side curtain air bags. In government crash tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Milan 5 (out of 5) stars in frontal-impact tests. The Milan received 5 stars for front-passenger protection, and 4 stars for rear-passenger protection, in side-impact tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Milan a highest-possible "Good" rating in frontal-offset tests, and "Marginal" for side crash protection.

Starting MSRP for the 2011 Mercury Milan is $22,025.