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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  I got more than I had expected. - 2009 Mercury Mariner
  By RLDA - September 26 - 7:23 am

  Took her on a 3000 mile vacation. MPG exceeded the sticker--plenty of room-- and best of all, My wife (who has arthritis) was comfortable the whole time. Nice interior, a little noisy on start up, but a great overall experience. I wanted to buy a non- bankrupt American car (I own two BMWs). Ford is going to score on this type of performance.

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  Bought a ford with a problem - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By BCampbell - September 4 - 2:06 am

  Bought a Mercury Mariner in Nov. 2009 in Jan started making a squeal when started in a certain temp out side took back to dealer 4 times contacted ford customer care and basically since this only happens at a certain temp and they do not know what causes it they will not fix it or do anything about it stuck with a 20,000.00 dollar vehicle with a problem that is now my problem.

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  Great Work Car! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By T-Man - July 20 - 8:10 pm

  I traded in a Lincoln Mark LT for my Mercury Mariner to get better gas mileage to and from work. For a small SUV, I am impressed with the room and amenities provided. Stepping down to the Mercury, I still opted for leather, moon roof, and six disk CD.

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  good value and reliability - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By thomas - July 18 - 2:26 am

  I am a used car dealer with access to all types of suvs and I like the way the escape and tribute look and perform. I choose the mariner because of the upscale style and it had more options available. I bought a fully loaded premier with every option and drove it out for 25k. It had a msrp of 29k so I felt the value was there. The mileage has improved to about 21mpg average for the v-6. It feels very peppy and fun to drive. So far, nothing has broke or not performed as designed. Nice stereo, great style, pretty leather, great seat heaters even though here in Texas, the ac is more important! Now i am waiting to see if the resale value even gets close to my acura tl.

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  Not the Best, but Good - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By NZ - July 4 - 6:46 pm

  Our Mercury Mariner is a good SUV. Weve had no problems with it in our 3 months of having it. Its fun to drive and is comfortable for its price tag. It has okay fuel economy (theres other small SUVs with better fuel economy). We get about 20 miles per gallon overall. I am very happy with the interior room it has. Ive been in a Jeep Liberty and I love the fact that I can stretch out more in the Mariner. The leather seats are firm, but can be irritating at times. The Mariner is a nice affordable small SUV. If your in the market for a small SUV, look at this one!

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  Mariners Many Assets - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By burgbits - July 3 - 3:50 am

  I purchased this vehicle for my wife. She felt much more comfortable test driving it than our 10 year old explorer. The vehicle handles great and the 4 wheel independent suspension makes the ride extemely stable. Our Mariner is fun to drive and extremely quiet. Also impressive is the Mach 6 sound system & 2 tone leather seating.

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  Just What I Was Waiting For..... - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By skoutas - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I never thought Id part w/ my Volvo until I saw the Mariner! I hate big cars-I refused to get a minivan, and resented every day I drove my husbands (very nice, but large)Jeep G.Cherokee, while he sported about in my S40. But there was no room in the Volvo for my double stroller and 2 car seats!In fact, I felt cramped in the Jeep despite its size.I always wished for a PRETTY SUV the size of my Volvo by a strong auto maker.Mercury listened! Hubbys a Ford man-I told him I liked it, & he was sold! My Mariner is almost 2in shorter than the S40, with as much interior space as the Jeep! The cargo is plenty for my stroller and groceries Im in love,& no more $8 Volvo replacement bulbs!

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  Best ever - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By pastkg - June 2 - 8:16 pm

  My Wife and I bought our 05 Mariner used only about a month and a half ago. We couldnt be happier with our purchase! bought it with 47,000 miles on it, and it preforms like new. enormous amount of room for being a small SUV. handles better than our ford focus we replaced for this. We plan to buy another Mariner (2010) when its time to say goodbye to our 05. This SUV has all the options I could ask for and more! leather, power window, locks, seats, mirrors, heated seats, mirrors, roof mount for garage door opener & glasses, very bright visor light (great for reading & night), auto adjust rear view mirror, auto headlights, etc. This is so far the best vehicle I have ever owned.

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  07 Mariner - 2007 Mercury Mariner
  By Derr - May 29 - 1:03 am

  Good visibility, good adjustably seats, no problems, peppy, good brakes, good cargo space for small SUV, tight turning radius, parks easily, good stereo, better than my former 2004 Toyota RAV4.

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  I like it-i really like it - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By rosie - May 26 - 9:23 am

  i have had my mariner for 8 months and have had no problems with it at all. I find it a little noisy on hard acceleration and somewhat lacking in power but overall a very good and comfortable suv. I bought this as a winter replacement for my corvette but i find im driving it a lot this summer too.