30 Days Of 2013 Ram 1500: Heading West
Our 30-Day 2013 Ram 1500 has made its way safely to our Little Rock bureau. If you're following our... Read More
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Likes:
- Clean, modern styling
- Great handling
- Leading-edge SYNC interface
Dislikes:
- Fuel economy lags behind class leaders
- V-6 isn't as powerful as rival engines
The Mercury Milan enters the 2009 model year with some important changes that broaden its aesthetic appeal as well as its safety and efficiency. While mechanically identical to the Ford Fusion, it sports a cleaner exterior and a new-for-2009 Voga Series that takes it one step up from its more mundane cousin.
The 2009 Mercury Milan comes in many flavors and can be equipped to meet just about anyone’s needs. It is available with front- or all-wheel drive, four- or six-cylinder engines, and manual or automatic gearboxes, although they aren’t all interchangeable. If you want all-wheel drive, you’ll have to pony up to the V-6 engine, and if you like to shift your own gears, the only combination available is the four-cylinder front-wheel-drive model.
The 2.3-liter, four-cylinder base engine delivers 160 horsepower, and the 3.0-liter V-6 cranks out 221 hp. The base engine can be matched with a standard five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, while the V-6 comes with a standard six-speed automatic. The automatic transmission doesn't allow manual shifting other than "drive" and "L." Fuel economy is 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway on four-cylinder Milans with manual transmissions, ranging down to 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway with all-wheel drive. That leaves the Milan pulling up the rear on the mpg competition, even compared to some larger sedans. However, the new-for-2009 Hybrid version posts class-leading fuel economy and is covered under a separate review.
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