NEW MERCURY MOUNTAINEER
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Car and Driver website visitor rankings:
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| Here's how our visitors have reviewed this vehicle. |
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Average Rating |
| Overall |
7.99 |
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| Vehicle Styling |
8.38 |
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| Braking |
8.6 |
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| Handling |
7.21 |
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| Fuel Economy |
5.44 |
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| Interior Comfort |
8.12 |
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| Acceleration |
9.08 |
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| Dependability |
8.2 |
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| Fit and Finish |
7.76 |
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| Transmission |
8.09 |
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| Ride |
7.46 |
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| Rating Scale: 1= worst 10= best
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| To read other User Road Tests or to submit your own review click here |
(Read more of Car and Driver's review here)
| Editors'' Review |
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 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
Stylish and safe with seating for seven, the Mercury Mountaineer is a good bet for family shoppers who want a little bit of everything in their SUV.
Pros
Excellent ride and handling characteristics for a truck-based SUV, strong optional V8, comfortable cabin with user-friendly layout, good crash test scores.
Cons
Some low-grade materials, low resale value, confusing controls on highline models, poor fuel economy.
What''s New for 2004
Second-row bucket seats are available on Luxury and Premier models; a tire-pressure monitoring system is now standard on these models. The Advance Trac stability control system is a late-availability option on two-wheel-drive Mountaineers. The upgraded Audiophile sound system with in-dash CD changer is optional on Luxury models, while Convenience models no longer offer a cassette player. Finally, power-adjustable pedals are a new option on the Convenience model.
Overview
Introduction:
During the SUV boom of the mid-1990s, Ford realized it could sell more high-profit, luxury-laden Explorers if they were badged as Mercurys. Thus, the Mountaineer was created for 1997. Like most other Mercurys, this SUV was a restyled, repackaged version of a Ford, with unique front and rear styling and slightly different equipment. Since then, the Mountaineer has been a modest sales success. It also managed to escape the Explorer rollover debacle of 2001 with its image relatively unscathed, positioning it nicely for sales success with the 2002 redesign. As the Mountaineer is virtually identical to the Explorer in terms of hardware, your choice between the two essentially comes down to styling. The Mountaineer is a slick-looking truck with a slightly upgraded interior, but the more pedestrian Explorer offers a wider range of configurations. Most notably, the Mercury is available only with rear-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), so those who need a dual-range four-wheel-drive system for off-roading will have to go with the Ford. However, the Mountaineer comes standard with third-row seating making it a solid choice for those seeking a versatile family vehicle.
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For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
The Mountaineer is offered as a four-door SUV with three trim levels: Convenience, Luxury and Premier. Convenience is well equipped with such features as 16-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, a roof rack, front captain''s chairs with power adjustments for the driver, a third-row seat, air conditioning, a CD player, cruise control and power windows, mirrors and locks. Leather upholstery and a rear air conditioner are optional on the base model. Luxury models receive 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather, a power front-passenger seat, heated front seats, seat memory and power-adjustable pedals for the driver and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The top-of-the-line Premier adds a power sunroof and an upgraded 290-watt stereo with an in-dash CD changer. Notable options on the Luxury and Premier include a DVD entertainment system for rear-seat passengers and a quad seating with second-row captain''s chairs.
Powertrains and Performance:
As on the Explorer, the standard engine is a 4.0-liter single-overhead cam V6 good for 210 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. An optional 4.6-liter V8 is rated for 239 horsepower and 282 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is available with either engine. Properly equipped, a Mountaineer can tow up to 6,980 pounds.
Safety:
Four-wheel antilock disc brakes are standard on all models; Luxury and Premier models come with power-adjustable pedals and a tire-pressure monitoring system (the pedals are optional on Convenience models). Standard on the Premier and optional on other Mountaineers is a security group with a reverse-sensing system and a Safety Canopy System that adds head airbags and rollover protection sensors. In government crash tests, the Mountaineer received a four-star rating for the driver and a perfect five-star rating for the front passenger. In IIHS frontal offset crash testing, the Mountaineer earned a "Good" rating (the highest possible) and was named a "Best Pick."
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For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
The interior is simple and straightforward in design, with room for seven adults and comfortable seats that offer a commanding view outward. Some controls are placed in odd locations and are difficult to use, and not all of the materials impart a sense of quality. With the third-row seat folded, the Mountaineer offers 44.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity; drop the second-row seats, and you''ve got 81.7 cubes at your disposal.
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For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
More softly tuned than the Explorer, the Mountaineer is designed to spend far more of its time on the pavement than on the dirt. A four-wheel independent suspension gives the Mountaineer a firmly buttoned-down ride and keeps the tires in contact with the road surface even over rough bumps. Either engine is powerful enough to keep up with traffic, but the V8 is more refined and offers more grunt off the line. Handling is excellent, as the Mercury feels predictable and stable in corners and higher-speed turns. The all-wheel-drive system works well, but regular off-roaders should look to the Explorer''s traditional dual-range 4WD system.
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For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
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