Used 2007 Mercury Mariner

The Mariner shares its body, engine and interior with the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. Of the three, the Mariner is arguably the most handsome, with a heavy dose of Mercury’s new styling esthetic making the little SUV look more contemporary than its siblings. The Marnier is a roomy, affordable and nicely equipped compact SUV, offering seating for five, a choice of a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine or a powerful V6 teamed with an automatic transmission and the option of part-time four-wheel drive. That having been said, the Mariner rides atop an aging platform, lacking features found on newer compact SUVs, such as a third-row seat, DVD navigation and stability and traction control.

Step-in height for a four-wheel-drive Mariner is greater than expected, but it’s spacious and comfortable inside. Visibility is clear all-around. Acceleration with the V6 is quite spirited. In fact, it might accelerate more quickly than you first expect. Shifts of the automatic transmission are barely noticed. Downshifts are prompt, but higher-speed pickup is on the tame side. Nicely maneuverable, like the Escape, the Mariner is a little less sporty. The ride can become less comfortable when the pavement becomes impaired, but control is seldom affected.

Unlike some compact SUVs, the Mariner isn’t cramped inside. Front-seat space is more than ample in every dimension. There’s more room in back than in some larger vehicles, and even the center position is tolerable. Like Ford’s Escape, the Mariner has controls that are logically and conveniently positioned, but Mercury’s upscale interior color scheme and choice of materials make it the hands-down favorite. The floor-mounted gearshift lever moves easily and is well-marked, with a handbrake lever to its right. Two solid cup holders sit next to the driver. Cargo space is large and well-shaped and, for ease of loading, the back window opens separately.

Although the Mariner’s grille is modest in size, its thick vertical bars and assertive rectangular shape give this SUV a strong focal point up front. That alone helps give it a presence different from the Escape, enhanced by the big U-shaped air intake below the grille. Integrated fog lamps sit below distinctive headlamps. Bodyside cladding provides some protection against parking-lot dings. Front fenders hold turn-signal repeater lamps, and shrouded tail lamps have little horizontal grilles. The keyless entry pad on the driver’s door is handy when carrying the remote fob is not an option, such as when boating, jogging or hiking.

Front-End Look
The Mercury vertical-bar grille treatment gives the Mariner a classier appearance than that of the Ford Escape.

Reverse Sensing System
Once you’ve become accustomed to this feature you might wonder how you got along without it for so long.

The Convenience model has a fairly sizable complement of features, including a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine, four-speed automatic transmission, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, cruise control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), fog lamps, keyless entry with driver’s side keypad, power mirrors, power windows, AM/FM stereo with CD and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The Luxury trim adds a 3.0-liter V6 engine and a six-way power driver’s seat. The Premier models add heated side mirrors, six-disc CD changer with six speakers and a subwoofer, leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, side-impact and head-curtain airbags, Reverse Sensing System and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Notable options include Intelligent four-wheel drive, Dynamic Airbag Package (side-impact and head-curtain airbags), rear cargo cover, tow package, power moonroof and roof rails with crossbars.

Like its twin, the Ford Escape, we recommend the four-cylinder engine for those seeking maximum fuel economy. The 2.3-liter is pretty quick off the line and provides good low-end torque. Unfortunately, unlike the Escape, the Mariner’s four-cylinder engine cannot be mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The V6 is more than adequate to move the Mariner quickly, but is available only with an automatic transmission and gets slightly worse fuel economy.

2.3-liter in-line 4
153 horsepower @ 5800 rpm
152 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/26 (FWD), 21/24 (4WD)

3.0-liter V6
200 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
193 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4850 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/24 (FWD), 19/23 (4WD)