2002 Mercury Cougar

The 2002 Mercury Cougar receives new exterior paint colors and the optional Convenience Group that included cruise control and illuminated keyless entry is now standard. It also added a standard rear window wiper.

Standard features for the 2002 Mercury Cougar include 15-inch alloy wheels, remote trunk release, remote keyless entry, variable intermittent windshield wipers, rear wiper, rear defogger, power door locks, and heated power mirrors. The Sport Ultimate trim adds a power steel sunroof. It's eye-catching with a sculpted front-end and rounded rear-end. The headlights have the appearance of cat’s eyes and the large triangular-shaped taillights give it character. The rear has small triangles to denote where to apply the jack if consumers need to change a tire. It also has side markers that serve as turn signals to alert drivers who are driving along the side. The hatchback design and split-folding rear seat will provide consumers with ample storage space for a compact coupe. However, the lift-over is quite high, and it makes loading/unloading the cargo area difficult.

The 2002 Mercury Cougar base trim has bucket front seats, power steering, air-conditioning, and cloth upholstery. Other standard features include four-speaker AM/FM CD stereo system, tilting steering wheel, split-folding rear seatback, external temperature display, and manual rear-seat entry. The Sport trim adds leather-trimmed tilt steering wheel, height-adjustable driver seat. The Sport Premium adds six-way power driver bucket seat with height adjustments and power lumbar support. The cockpit is conventional. The dashboard is stylized to the point of confusion. The audio controls are mounted low and the air flow through the vents is weak. It's laden with cheap-looking plastics. The passenger seat slides forward to allow easy access to the rear seats. The front bucket seats are contoured and provide good lumbar support, but it's not very comfortable. The front offers adequate leg and head room. The rear seats are too small for adult passengers to be comfortable. Head and legroom is very limited, but space underneath the front seats provides a little extra room for your feet. The insulation does not dampen road and exhaust noise.

The standard engine for the 2002 Mercury Cougar is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 125 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. The other models come standard with a 2.5-ltier V-6 engine that makes 165 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque; this engine is also optional for the base model. All Cougars have front drive and a five-speed manual transmission as standard. The automatic transmission is optional for all models. It handles very well and feels stable at higher speeds. The four-cylinder engine is surprisingly peppy, but has mediocre passing power. The V-6 engines have more power, but shifting with the manual transmission is quirky. The automatic transmission is acceptable but seems to search for the right gear at times. The Sport are quite harsh on any pavement that isn’t completely smooth. The base suspension is only a little more comfortable. Stopping power is adequate, but the brake pedal feels mushy on some models and precise on others. Handling is agile, but the steering feels heavy.

The 2002 Mercury Cougar's standard safety features include power ventilated front/solid rear disc brakes, engine immobilizer, and electronic Brake force distribution. The Sport Ultimate trim adds anti-lock braking system (ABS), anti-theft alarm system, and traction control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave three stars for side front and rear passenger crash protection.

• Unique exterior styling
• Large cargo area
• Decent fuel economy

• Four-cylinder engine has slow acceleration
• Heavy-feeling steering
• Subpar interior materials
• Inadequate rear seat room
• Rear visibility is hampered

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