Mercury Mariner

Price Paid:  $24788.00 from Cherner Mercury, VA

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Premier

Summary:
This is an okay vehicle after 20K miles. My prior vehicles were a ford explorer and a ford expedition. I loved both of these. The Mariner is decent. Low priced compared to competitors (about $3K less than the Japanese models). Would I buy it again? No. The continuously variable transmission robs a great deal of power from the engine. It gets mediocre gas mileage (mostly city driving). It has had several issues that were covered by warranty except one that the mechanic has yet to fix (the gas pump keeps turning off before it is full even at the slowest setting). The vehicle often struggles trying to accelerate at highway speeds (40 to 70 mph range). Good things include good visibility for the driver. Decent space inside for people and stuff (for a small SUV). Great radio with subwoofer. It also handles fairly well on both dry and wet surfaces. A good vehicle for non aggressive drivers (I admit I have a lead foot). I had to add an aftermarket dvd system since it was not an option with the sunroof. I really like the storage bin in the bottom of the back storage area. Good controls (would have preferred stereo controls on the steering wheel rather than rarely used speed controls. Good automatic dimming rearview mirror. Overall a decent vehicle but based on my friend's experiences with similar small SUVs I think it falls short on overall quality. I would not buy another (however my brother owns an escape, a mariner and is getting another mariner so he and his wife love them).

Strengths:
Easy to drive, good visibility, decent storage.

Weaknesses:
Weak acceleration at highway speeds. Quality issues that needed warranty repair. Tiring to drive on long trips.

Similar Products Used:
RAV4 and Highlander - both better driving vehicles