Thom Blackett’s Opinion of the 2006 Mercury Milan’s Quality:
Materials used to build the 2006 Mercury Milan appear to be of high quality, but the overall craftsmanship needs a little more attention. Inconsistent gaps are evident around the dash, panels on the rear of the center console are uneven, and the door window sills, A-pillar covers, and instrument panel all feel loose. The exterior was also marred by minor build quality problems, including differing gaps on the left and right side doors, lower rear doors that don’t fit flush with the body, and a tweaked trunk lid.

Making up a bit for the build quality concerns were the padded, matte plastics with matching grains used throughout the interior, the leather that was sub-premium but perfectly acceptable for a $25,000 sedan, solid switchgear, and the durable hard plastics that were limited to less visible areas.

Ron Perry’s Opinion of the 2006 Mercury Milan’s Quality:
Details make the difference, and Mercury’s attention to detail helps give the Milan a luxury feel. Fit and finish is better than on the Ford Fusion and the trim pieces Mercury has chosen give the cabin a modern feel. No squeaks or rattles interfered with my drive and wind noise was minimal. The quality of the leather needs to be stepped up, though, to compete against others in this class.

Outside fit and finish is better than expected and there were no loose or sloppy parts found on inspection. The lack of a trunk pull handle just doesn’t cut it on a car in this category, or in fact, on any car these days.

Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the 2006 Mercury Milan’s Quality:
Sometimes, it’s too easy to see where FoMoCo beancounters went overboard to maximize the Milan’s profitability. Take, for instance, the exposed screwheads inside the door panel pulls, the cheap-feeling leather upholstery, the excess gloss to some of the interior’s bits and pieces, the lack of a handle on the inside of the trunk lid to assist with closing. But generally speaking, the Milan comes across as a convincingly upscale car, and is more refined than midsize entries from Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and others.