What year did the Ford Contour come out?
The Ford Contour first appeared as a 1995 model-year sedan, with production beginning in 1994. It was Ford's Mondeo-derived mid-size car sold in North America alongside the Mercury Mystique, and it remained in the U.S. market through the 2000 model year.
Origins and release timeline
To map its rollout, here are the key milestones in the Contour's introduction and sales.
- 1994 — Production begins in North America for the Contour and its Mystique twin, ahead of the 1995 model year.
- 1995 — Contour and Mystique go on sale as 1995 model-year vehicles, replacing the Tempo in Ford's lineup.
- 1998 — Mid-cycle refresh brings updated styling and features to the Contour and Mystique.
- 2000 — Last model year for the Contour and Mystique in the U.S. and Canada as Ford shifts its lineup toward newer designs.
In summary, these milestones show the Contour's launch timeline: production started in 1994 for the 1995 model year, and the model continued through the 2000 model year in North America.
Lifecycle and market context
The Contour was built on Ford's Mondeo-derived platform and represented Ford's effort to offer a mid-size sedan in the North American market during the late 1990s. Along with the Mercury Mystique, it reflected Ford's strategy of leveraging European engineering for U.S. models. After 2000, Ford gradually phased out the Contour/Mystique lineup in favor of newer designs and other mid-size offerings, while Mondeo-based models continued in other markets outside the United States.
Global and market notes
Globally, the Contour's European counterpart continued under the Mondeo name in many markets, illustrating how Ford used shared platforms across regions. In the U.S., the Contour's lifecycle ended as Ford redirected resources toward newer sedan designs in the 2000s.
Summary
The Ford Contour debuted for the 1995 model year, with production beginning in 1994, and was sold in the U.S. through the 2000 model year. As a Mondeo-based mid-size sedan, it marked Ford's attempt to offer European-inspired engineering in North America during the late 1990s, before being phased out in favor of newer models.
Is the 1999 Ford Contour reliable?
As a whole, consumers found the vehicle's comfort and reliability to be its strongest features and styling to be its weakest. 143 out of 419 of owners (34% of them) rank the 1999 Contour five out of five stars. Overall, consumers seem aligned in their opinions of the 1999 Ford Contour.
What years did they make the Ford Contour?
The Ford Contour was produced for the model years 1995 through 2000. It was discontinued after the 2000 model year due to declining sales.
You can watch this video to learn about the Ford Contour SVT's performance: 1mAntique TAGSYouTube · Apr 8, 2022
- Production: The car was sold in North America for a single generation, from 1995 to 2000.
- Discontinuation: Ford stopped production of the Contour after the 2000 model year, and its place in the lineup was replaced by the Ford Taurus SE and the Ford Escort.
- SVT Version: The high-performance SVT Contour was available from 1998 to 2000.
This video explains the history of the Ford Contour: 1mMy Old CarYouTube · Jan 28, 2023
What car replaced the Ford Contour?
Focus
The first generation Mondeo was replaced in 2000, by the larger second generation; in the United States and Canada, the Contour/Mystique were replaced initially by the Focus and later the Fusion.
How rare is a Ford Contour SVT?
Just 11,500 SVT Contours were made through 2000.
