Think of the Milan and the Zephyr as your grandmother’s chocolate chip cookies; the day she made the Milan she just didn’t use as many chocolate chips as the Zephyr version, but they were still yummy.

These two new cars from Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury division are based on the (deservedly) popular “Mazda6” platform. Which means they’re much more sensibly shaped and sized than many L-M products we’ve seen in the past few years. This also means that, although they may look mid-sized from the outside, there’s still plenty of room on the inside for five adults and—if you’ll pardon the British pun—there’s a huge trunk to boot!

There’s something for everyone here. When I met up with Herb Miller over at Steve Baldo Lincoln-Mercury, I couldn’t decide which car to drive, so we took them both out. Similar, but different. That’s the first thing that comes to mind about the Milan and Zephyr. Fraternal twins, yeah, that’s it. The Milan test car had one option: the safety and security package (perimeter anti-theft alarm and some extra airbags), and it listed for just over 20 grand. The Zephyr was the top-of-the-line model with every available option, and so cost 15 grand more.

Is the Zephyr really worth that much more than the Milan? Well, let’s look at the equipment. The Milan came with the standard 2.3-liter Duretec I-4 engine and a five-speed manual transmission (I think the last Mercury I drove with a stick shift was my 1977 Bobcat); the Zephyr’s 3.0-liter, 221-hp V-6 is an option on the Milan, as is its six-speed electronic automatic transmission. In the all-important audio department, the Milan had the standard am/fm/single-CD player with MP3 capability and six speakers; nice enough, but the Zephyr came with (take a deep breath): a THX II Certified Premium Sound System with am/fm six-disc in-dash CD/MP3 with 14 speakers (including two subwoofers), 12 amplifier channels and front/rear channels. Yes, it sounded better than what I have at home, and no, you can’t even get it on the Milan. Interior accents on the Milan were done in satin aluminum, while the Zephyr’s came in beautiful light Figured Maple—which went great with the tan leather interior. Which also went great with the Dark Blue Pearl paintjob. The Milan was still attractive in its Dune Pearl (tannish-goldish) paint and two-tone cloth seats. Although I must admit, it looked more attractive when parked on the other side of the parking lot, away from the Zephyr.

The Zephyr, if you haven’t come to your own conclusion by now, has a list of standard equipment longer than your arm. The extra sound deadeners and thicker glass make it a much quieter car. The V-6 makes it a much quicker car. But both cars have much the same suspension setup, and both handle very well. Maybe not what some Lincoln and Mercury buyers might be used to, but the days of the barge-like Lincoln Town Cars wallowing down the Thruway are numbered. The folks at Ford have tired of a (finite) customer base who list the Social Security System as their main means of support. Cars like the Milan and Zephyr should work to bring down the average age of the L-M customer, and maybe even snag a few import buyers while they’re at it. That Zephyr looks mighty attractive at 35 grand when you’re comparison shopping Lexus, Acura, and maybe even lower-rung BMWs. The Milan, while not quite as flashy, should hold up well when compared to Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys. Maybe just the ticket for the younger-at-heart driver who wants to buy American. They shouldn’t go wrong with either of these two cars.

more info at: www.mercuryvehicles.com, www.lincoln.com