CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 09/27/2006
The V6-equipped Milan Premier includes 17-inch wheels that play their part in the nice exterior appearance, as well as leather seating surfaces instead of the standard cloth. The metallic Satellite Silver paint on our test car played to the strengths of the clean, understated body lines, which rise gradually toward the tapered rear end, mimicking the taillight design of the smaller Audi A4 to good effect.
The car looks classy and, yes, European from the outside. Things are decidedly more squared-off and American in the interior, but it still works: knobs and big buttons are enough when there aren't many extra systems to control. The Milan offers almost nothing in the way of cabin electronics; Bluetooth phone integration, GPS navigation, and satellite radio are unavailable even as options.
Audiophile audio
The optional Audiophile audio system is the only nod to forward thinking, and it doesn't deliver as a technology centerpiece the way the THX system does for its platform sibling, the Lincoln Zephyr. The in-dash six-CD changer is convenient and straightforward to operate, playing through eight speakers, including two subwoofers. Rated wattage isn't advertised, but the sound is full and crisp. Digital signal processing lets occupants choose between some preset schemes focusing surround on the driver, passenger, or rear seats. A speed-sensitive volume feature can be adjusted or turned off completely.
The CD player accepts MP3 discs with no trouble and displays ID3 track details. However, the readout on the stereo face consists of a single-line LCD in a dot-matrix font, hindering the amount of information it can show. It supports folder navigation for burned CDs, although no auxiliary player input is offered.
The leather surfaces of the Milan's seats are a nice upgrade and, more than any other feature, lend the interior a sense of quality. The middle sections of the seat and back are perforated. Both front seats are power adjustable (with a manual lumbar support roller)--a six-way adjustment for the driver and four-way for the passenger.
Our car's dark charcoal interior color scheme was nice but would have been improved by the no-cost option of the wood appearance package. The metallic accents in our car looked uninviting in comparison to the look of the wood on Mercury's Web site. The textured plastics used for the wide dashboard and door panel tops were acceptable, but we preferred the materials on the Honda Accord EX we tested previously. We also noticed minor fit issues which detracted slightly from the feel of the Milan's interior, most noticeably with the dashtop storage binnacle lid, which was a little wavy and sometimes difficult to close.
One of the highlights of the Milan interior is the array of controls included on the steering wheel as part of the comfort package. The expected buttons are there: volume, source, and forward/backward for the audio system and set, resume, and on/off for the cruise control. But climate control buttons for fan speed and temperature are unexpected and most welcome, and all the controls are well located and have touch-recognizable markings.
Other controls are very clear and easy to use, with large typefaces on large knobs and buttons throughout. The main gauge cluster has very clean and legible white-on-black dials for the four analog gauges: speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, and engine temperature. These gauges feature chrome-look bezels to match the analog clock atop the center stack. A rudimentary two-line electronic readout offers trip information such as range, average mileage, and a compass indicator.
Six speeds
As with the interior, there is little beyond simplicity to appreciate in the performance of the Milan. Both the four-cylinder and optional V-6 Duratec engines feature dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, but this merely brings the Milan up-to-date and in line with all of its major competition.
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