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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  Traded up to an American SUV! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Maureen - May 3 - 11:40 pm

  I love the luxurious ride in my 2008 Mariner. The ride is smooth! Lots of nice features for the price, leather seats, dual temperature controls.

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  My mariner - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By GEORGE SCHOTT - April 4 - 2:56 am

  The vehicle is very noisy there is a lot or transmission noise and vibration.The instrument cluster is a disaster (information center)95% of the time you cant see it due the reflection the charactors are difficult to read. The compass is useless it is stuck over in the extreme left corner using a little stick figure for information.Seating has almost no lateral support. There is no indication if the transmission is in 4wd or 2wd, is gives you a unsure feeling when you are wet or slipery conditions. So far i am not impressed with the gas mileage best i have done is 18.5 At normal speeds. The overall noise inside the car is excessive my last 2 trucks didnt make this much noise

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  Mercury Mariner - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By Brad Moats - March 29 - 6:36 pm

  We just bought this car and we love it. It is the perfect size for us, plenty of room in the back, the V6 engine is powerful. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2010 Mercury Mariner
  By sandy - March 15 - 9:00 am

  This is by far the best SUV I have owned. Since it is a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, my insurance rates actually dropped. Fun to drive, to zip around town, or I take it to visit the coast. Great Size. Great gas mileage. very convenient and easy to drop the seats for a cargo area for my dogs. A true "Family" vehicle. Ill buy another, but cant imagine the technology getting any better than the SYNC phone audio system. AWESOME!

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  Love it - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By ann - March 13 - 5:40 am

  Love driving it!!! Its a smooth ride and I love the size of the vehicle. Its a sharp looking car!

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  On its final legs for trade-in ;-( - 2006 Mercury Mariner
  By Robert - February 29 - 10:49 am

  I owned the Mariner new in 2006. I had only one problem while it was still under warranty and it was the lift gate door window lock. Around the 148K mark, I had ongoing repairs list. I had the ignition coils on two cylinders go and plus the computer go bad which caused the short. This was two years ago and cost me about 2K. Along the way till now I had exhaust leak, power steering pump replacement, two ball joints and three battery replacements. This weekend, the #1 cylinder was miss-firing and took it to the mechanic for repairs. He found a low pressure reading on the cylinder head and replaced the spark-plugs. He also cleaned the valve heads and it regained compression in the cylinder. Two days later, I get the code for a bad ignition coil on number 4 and a bad computer again. It is now time to say good bye to the beloved Mercury Mariner. I had a great running truck for the last 10 years and it lasted pretty long with the general preventive maintenance schedule. FYI Never got stuck in the snow in Philadelphia.

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  Lindas Review - 2005 Mercury Mariner
  By Linda Cadle - February 2 - 1:50 pm

  It has been a great vehicle in the snow weve had in Michigan this year. My husband and I fight over this car. The handling is smooth and easy and effortless as we make our way through the moounds. It has a quick to respond excelleration. We love the interior. One thing we would like is more standard securtity features such as locks that automatically lock as you take off. We didnt get that in our package, but it should be standart on such a great vehicle. Also, automatice headlight feature.

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  Great Small Luxury SUV - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Garey - January 16 - 3:13 am

  I actually got misty-eyed trading in my Mariner last week for a less expensive, sub-compact. My Mariner was loaded with amenities, including european leather-seat design which drew tons of compliments, premium sound system and navigation. The vehicle was comfortable and very pleasant to drive in the city or on the highway (20.5/27.5 mpg). Never had any trouble with it for the 28,000 miles I put on it. The 9-speaker/6 CD premium sound was worth every penny extra. I cannot say enough about how well this car was designed and made. I am looking forward to better economic times when I can trade in my new sub-compact for another Mariner.