Overview & Reviews

Small SUVs like the Mercury Mariner represent one of the near-perfect compromises of the automotive world. They allow consumers to sit up high with a broad view of the road, load up children and cargo without bending and twisting, and plow through freak winter storms without stopping to put on snow chains. Yet, unlike larger SUVs, they're easy to drive, easy to park and (mostly) easy on the wallet when it comes time to refuel.

As such, having a compact sport-utility in the lineup is a must for any successful automotive brand. Mercury was a latecomer to this segment, adding the Mariner to its portfolio for 2005. Only three years later, it received a thorough cosmetic freshening and that was followed the next year by mechanical improvements. Sadly, this addition to the lineup wasn't enough to save Mercury, as the brand was gone after 2011.

A sibling of the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute, the Mercury Mariner compact crossover SUV used all the same underpinnings as its relatives, but gained unique styling touches inside and out. In general, it was a mid-pack choice for a modern compact SUV; other top crossovers typically offered greater refinement, versatility and overall performance.

Most Recent Mercury Mariner
The Mariner was sold for two generations. The more recent version was offered from 2008-'11. Compared to earlier Mariners, these newer models featured an exterior and interior makeover that improved quality.

Mercury offered two trim levels: base and the more upscale Premier. In that first year, a 2.3-liter inline-4 rated for 153 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque powered the base Mariner. The base V6 and Premier models came with a 3.0-liter V6 good for 200 hp and 193 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was available across the board.

For 2009, mechanical changes were made. The inline-4 grew to 2.5 liters and 171 hp, the V6 was pumped up to 240 hp and both were matched to a new six-speed automatic transmission. That year also saw the debut of Ford's Sync multimedia voice control system and a revised suspension that improved ride quality. In light of all that, the 2009 and later Mariners are the more desirable ones. A number of high-tech features arrived for 2010, including Ford's MyKey system (which allows parents to limit speed and audio volume for their teen drivers), a back-up camera and a nifty Auto Park feature that steers the car during parallel parking.

Although the Mariner had some desirable technology features, its subpar brakes and aged overall design were fairly apparent when compared to rivals from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota. As such, if you're shopping for a used compact SUV, we recommend that you also consider those competitors before making a decision.

Past Mercury Mariners
The Mercury Mariner was introduced for 2005 as a slightly more upscale twin to the Ford Escape. As such, the pre-2008 models suffered from poor interior materials just like the Escape. Still, this "original" model was pleasant to drive, with tight and responsive handling that only fails to impress when compared with newer compact SUVs. From '05 through '08, the Mariner was powered by either by a 2.3-liter inline-4 that made 153 hp or a 3.0-liter V6 making 200 hp -- both of which came with a four-speed automatic transmission. The '05 to '07 Mariner came in base Convenience, midlevel Luxury and high-line Premier trims. The Convenience model offered basics like air-conditioning, a CD player and power accessories, while the Luxury moved you up to a V6 engine and a few more features. The Premier's highlights included leather seating, rear parking sensors and side airbags.

User Reviews:

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  Great Value and Style - 2007 Mercury Mariner
  By PJ - September 6 - 6:03 pm

  Love my Mariner. I handles better than a larger SUV, feels peppy and stylish. Perfect for trips with the family (and large dog).

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  Tire noise will drive you crazy - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Ariel - August 17 - 5:43 am

  My husband drives an F-150 SuperCrew and it sounds like a quiet luxury vehicle compared to my Mariner. Also, I am disappointed with the lack of illumination on key controls for night driving. Unless you memorize all the controls, you are s.o.l. after dark. I had more illumination on my 10 year old Dodge Caravan.

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  SUV Lite - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Ralph from Delaware - July 16 - 3:30 am

  Quality vehicle with nice features. We replaced a Ford Escape, moving up in amenities with the Mercury. But the full-time 4WD burns gas. We average 15-20 MPG around town, 20-25 MPG on the open road - much worse than the Escape [which allowed us to switch from 4WD to front drive to save gas]. Also the Mariner is noticeably heavier and slower than the Escape with the same engine and transmission. Wish we had opted for the Hybrid! The standard tires are cheap - yielding a rough ride with lots of road noise, contributing to the poor gas mileage, and handling is not the best. Ford could have spent another $50 bucks per tire for Michelins and would have had a much better performing car.

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  2006 Mariner Premier - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By M - June 27 - 5:36 am

  Drives nice, will be even better when the dealership can balance the tires so that the tire warning will go off and the wheel wont shimmy at 55 mph

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  This was a good choice - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By John W. Mapes - June 25 - 11:16 am

  Real fun to drive although I feel its terrible on gas and the tank could be alot bigger than it is. Interior is very well planned but side seat controls are hard to access with doors closed. One problem I am experiencing is braking noise coming from both front and rear calipers, somewhat like it sounds when the brakes are worn and need replacing. Need to contact dealer on this. They are definatly dealing, with 1400 off sticker and 2750 in rebates I came in under 24000. All told, a great value I thought.

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  Dont Plan On Hanging Up Your Clothes !! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Country - June 21 - 2:46 pm

  Mercury has not designed the mariner for folks who like to travel. Too much daytime glare on the instrument panels and poor lighting contrast will leave you squinting to see the temperatures and your fuel economy indicators. Mercurys engineers left out all the interior entry & exit assist handles that made our mountaineer a delight to use. They claim its the side curtain airbags, but sit in a side air bag equipped, top of the line Lincoln and youll see plenty of handles to hang a clothes travel rod on. One stinking little pull out hook that will only hold 5 shirt hangers doesnt cut it !

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  Excellent after 100,000 miles - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By shihchi - June 17 - 10:26 am

  Bought my Mariner new in June 2008, trading in an 02 Escape w/ 150,000 miles on it. Now at 100,000 miles, the Mariner has had no problems. Avg. 26-29 mpg. "Hassle" of folding down back seats is nonexistent: requires 30 seconds. No big deal. Replaced noisy OEM Continental tires with Goodyear Assurance tires, and little, if any, road noise can be heard. Like the leather seats and moonroof. 1st gen. 4-cylinder, 4-spd auto trans. work well; I dont miss additional cubes or gears. Pop-open rear window very handy. Upscale ambience nice. Never experienced trans.-coolant leakage; recalled before any problems experienced. Seats very comfortable for all-day drives between Dallas and St. Louis.

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  Transmission. Seems to be the common denominator - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By Ken - June 9 - 2:40 pm

  Our car has been garage kept, low mileage, driven smoothly. Transmission has been a nightmare. Has been to the dealership 8 times for exact same transmission issue without long term repair. They simply reset the computer. So its obviously a software problem. They deny there is a recall or even a service bulletin regarding same, even though I have found proof otherwise. Now that its out of warranty, they want to charge $175.00 each time they "reprogram " the computer. As it turns out, a FORMER service tech explained that this involves disconnecting the battery for 30 mins. Thats it! Our dealer will not stand by any one these so called repairs, and thats the real issue. No real repair, no long term fix, no support or warranty on service. Next vehicle model will be more thoroughly researched with long history of good service ratings, likely a Subaru. UPDATE: 8-16 car remains in our possession, but sadly we cant trust it for longer trips, so it stays in the garage.

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  2010 Mariner 6 Cyl FWD - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By roth45 - June 6 - 12:14 am

  .Excellent drv & pass frt seats. I am 64" and fit well in either. Good back support. Back seats average. . Good Suspension - Great ride for short WB. . 6 cyl (240 HP) very strong running. . Have 18.5K miles so far - no mech issues. . Sunroof had major wind noise when open. Weather Tech deflector solved it. Easy Install. . Mileage 25-28 MPG at 65-70 MPH highway. 22-25 Suburban /city driving. . Max roof rack bar separation is marginal at 30"- could have been easily designed to have 36". . Installed 2" Curt Rec Hitch- medium effort.

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  Leak - 2007 Mercury Mariner
  By From NEPA - May 12 - 10:06 am

  I only have 150 miles on the Mariner. I had it only 2 days when it rained and water gushed in from the moonroof. It is currently at the dealsership for the second time for repairs on the moonroof. It is a shame when a person spends hard-earned money only to have the car that he saved for for four years leak from the begining.