The Milan is Mercury's entry into the highly competitive midsize sedan segment, taking a slightly higher more prestigious spot than the mechanically identical Ford Fusion in the Ford brand hierarchy. Both the Milan and Fusion are based on the Mazda6 chassis, and derive their sporty (relatively speaking) handling responses from that car.

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The Milan differs from its Ford cousin with unique front and rear fascias that provide a stylish and sophisticated aura, distinct headlights and LED taillights, a modified suspension, and an upgraded interior. The Milan fills the gap in the Mercury lineup previously held by the Mystique and former Sable.

Like the Ford Fusion, Mercury's Milan received a complete overhaul for the 2010 model onward. At the rear, the taillight cluster has been handsomely reconfigured, though the overall shape remains the same. Up front, the Milan has a larger grille, restyled headlights, and a more aggressive front fascia.

"Our approach was to build upon the Milan's strengths â€' to improve rather than reinvent," said chief designer Darrell Behmer. "From a design standpoint, we wanted to clarify the design, making it cleaner and more modern."

The two-tone look of the interior continues as a Milan signature, with satin-aluminum accents and a wood finish around the center stack add to the upscale look. The Milan features Dark Charcoal Black, Medium Light Stone and Camel as interior choices through the Premier Series, which includes embossed leather.

An improved seat design with a new perforation pattern has been implemented. The seat contour itself was also revised, with more side support to help create a softer seat overall.

Aside from the hybrid model, customers can chose from two regular gasoline engines. The entry-level 2.5-liter four-cylinder model delivers 175 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, while the 3.0 liter V6 puts out 240 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque for a sportier driving experience. The performance-orientd 3.5-liter V6 available with the Fusion Sport is not offered to Milan customers.

Two trim levels can be specified with the Milan, base and premier. Base comes equipped with the essentials: a single CD player with MP3 capability, cloth seats, and six airbags (dual front, dual front side impact, and dual curtain). Premier adds leather seating, a premium sound system with an in-dash 6-disk CD changer, and 17-inch machined aluminum wheels to the mix. Options include a touch screen navigation system, a new hands-free system dubbed "Sync" that allows the driver to make phone calls or control the audio system via voice commands, and a wood trim package that adorns the interior with mahogany wood trim.

All-wheel drive was added as an option for 2007 and provides all-weather capabilities for customers trapped in the snow belt.