Although Ford has officially sounded the death knell of Mercury, electing to focus more on its Lincoln brand, the company will still produce a 2011 version of its midsize sedan, the Mercury Milan. After undergoing a dramatic overhaul in 2010, preliminary reports indicate that the 2011 model will be a carryover from last year, with only the addition of MyKey and integrated spotter mirrors as new standard features. The 2011 Mercury Milan will again offer Base, Premier, and Hybrid trim levels. The 2010 redesign addressed previous power deficiencies. The Base and Premier sedans now get power from a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) DOHC engine with 175 hp at 6,000 rpm and 172 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The base Milan includes a standard six-speed manual transmission with overdrive and offers a respectable 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. An available six-speed automatic transmission for the Base (standard for the Premier) ups the mileage estimates to 23 city/34 highway and 22/31 for the Premier. The V6 Premier trim adopts a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission and drops the mileage estimates (18 city/27 highway), but increases power, with the 3.0-liter 24-valve flex-fuel engine reaching 240 hp at 6,550 rpm and 223 lb-ft of torque at 4,300 rpm. The Premier is also available in a V6 AWD trim, which delivers an estimated 18 mpg city/25 highway, while maintaining the power of the front-wheel drive V6. Although last year’s model improved the power of the Milan, the I4 still drew fire for noise – an issue that could continue in 2011. The Milan Hybrid pairs a permanent magnet electric motor with a nickel-metal hydride battery and an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter I4 hybrid engine. The Hybrid offers an Aisin powersplit e-CVT automatic transmission and, although last year’s hybrid was criticized by some for slow acceleration, mileage estimates reach an impressive 41 mpg city and 36 highway, while the engine offers a net 191 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque. Although the 2010 Milan suspension was criticized by some reviewers as too soft, others considered it a comfortable, “creamy” ride. The 2011 should include the same suspension system, using a double-wishbone independent front suspension with stabilizer bar and a multi-link independent rear suspension. Standard variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering should continue in all trim levels. Outside, the base Milan will ride on 16-inch aluminum wheels, or optional 17-inch wheels with silver paint. The Premier trim level comes standard with 17-inch aluminum wheels with premium paint (17-inch aluminum wheels are also standard on the Hybrid Milan). The Base offers halogen headlamps, while the Hybrid and Premier trims provide automatic bifunctional halogen headlamps that turn on with reduced light (e.g., in a tunnel, at dusk). LED taillights should continue to be a standard feature on all Milan trims for 2011, as well as power-adjustable, heated side mirrors with security approach lamps and integrated spotter mirrors (small convex mirrors in the corner of the side mirror, which eliminate a traditional blind spot for drivers). Dual chrome exhaust tips, speed-sensitive windshield wipers and solar-tinted glass should round out the standard features for the trims. Fog lamps should continue to be standard for the Premier and Hybrid trims, but remain an option for the Base. The fashion-inspired VOGA package upgrades the look of the Premier, both inside and out. The package adds the VOGA logo to almost everything (including hubcaps, embroidered front seat backs and floor mats, and rear badging), and provides chrome accent finishes to the grille and rear decklid, 17-inch chrome wheels, and cashmere-colored door trim inserts and leather seats. Mercury Milan’s 2010 update also addressed prior critiques of the car’s interior, namely, its plain appearance and outdated controls. The redesign earned praise from reviewers for its style, ergonomics and attractive instrument panel. All trims will continue to seat five with front bucket seats and a bench (60/40 split) rear seat to offer 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space. Unfortunately, the Hybrid’s fixed rear seat reduces the available storage in the trunk to 11.8 cubic feet. The cloth-covered seats in the Base trim offer eight-way power driver adjustments with lumbar support and two-way manual passenger adjustment. The leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel integrates cruise and audio controls. Other standard features in the Base will include power door locks and windows, a SecuriCode keyless entry pad, single-zone filtered air conditioning and two 12-volt power outlets. Premier trims will upgrade the seating with leather-trimmed heated front seats (an option in the Hybrid, which comes with standard cloth), power ten-way driver’s seat and four-way passenger seat control, plus dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control (all standard in the Hybrid as well). The instrument panel appearance varies by trim, with the Base offering the “Delta silver” instrument panel, as opposed to “Premier metallic” detail on the higher-end trims, and the Hybrid’s “HEV delta” detail. The Hybrid’s LCD panel displays its SmartGauge with EcoGuide (which allows the driver to select from four different levels of information about the performance of the vehicle). Electrochromic, auto-dimming rear-view mirrors with a microphone for the SYNC system (available for the Base) should continue to be standard for the Premier and Hybrid trim levels. The Premier and Hybrid trim levels should maintain the SYNC system as a standard feature in the 2011 Milan (an available option for the Base). SYNC provides voice-activated control of most MP3 players and Bluetooth phones, allowing for hands-free calling. Other standard entertainment equipment for the Premier and Base trims appear in the form of an AM/FM stereo with single CD player, six speakers, and MP3 capability (the Hybrid upgrades the system with a 6-CD changer). Six months of Sirius satellite radio should continue to be provided for all trims, and a voice-activated navigation system is an option for all but the Base. The Premier and Hybrid trims should also have available upgrades to a Sony audio system with Dolby DAEP surround sound. Other technology is available for the Premier and Hybrid trims in the Mercury’s Driver Vision package. Offering a rear-view camera, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS, which alerts drivers to vehicles in a blind spot by flashing an LED in the corresponding side mirror), and cross-traffic alert (activates an audible alert with the LED when reversing and another vehicle is in a blind spot). These features should continue to improve driver safety. The 2010 Mercury Milan received high marks for safety from the NHTSA, earning five stars for frontal crash tests and front seat side-impact crash tests (four stars for the rear seat’s side-impact crash). Standard safety features should continue to include four-wheel antilock disc brakes, AdvanceTrac electronic stability with traction control, dual-stage front, side-impact and side-curtain airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, and the S.O.S. post-crash alert system, which activates the flashers and horn after airbags or seatbelt pretensioners are deployed in a crash, helping to alert emergency vehicles to the crash location. Reportedly, the MyKey system will be new to the standard safety feature lineup in the 2011 Milan. Particularly appealing to the parents of teenagers, MyKey allows owners to cap the top speed of the car at 80 mph, limit the audio volume in the car, provide earlier low-fuel warnings and sound frequent, persistent chimes to remind about seatbelt use, among other programmable features. Although Mercury’s days are numbered, the 2011 Milan will continue to offer the strengths and weaknesses of its 2010 predecessor, offering an affordable, stylish midsize family sedan with admirable handling, comfort and performance, albeit with the drawbacks of a loud I4, or a somewhat sluggish Hybrid.