Overview & Reviews

The Mercury Mountaineer should be a respectable choice for a used midsize SUV. At its debut, it offered good space for medium-size families, decent handling, tolerable ride quality and at least some semblance of off-road capability. These qualities held steady through two generations.

Although the Mountaineer was mechanically identical to the Ford Explorer and shared its chassis and most sheet metal, Mercury attempted to differentiate it over the years by specifying more standard amenities, softer suspension tuning and all-wheel drive instead of traditional four-wheel drive. For years, those virtues placed the Mercury Mountaineer in the upper ranks of midsize SUVs. This was especially true after its 2002 redesign, which brought about a vast improvement in both ride and handling.

Despite that, the Mountaineer was outclassed in more recent years by newer crossover SUVs such as the Acura MDX and Buick Enclave. These vehicles typically offer better on-road handling and roomier interiors to boot. They don't have as much towing capacity as the Mercury, though, so the Mountaineer still deserves consideration for those used SUV shoppers with more demanding needs.

Most Recent Mercury Mountaineer
Sold from 2002-'10, the second-generation Mountaineer was greatly refined in terms of luxury and performance. A wider stance and an independent rear suspension improved both handling and ride, while a new 4.6-liter V8 provided ample power with smoother operation. The cabin offered a few new perks as well, such as optional power-adjustable pedals and a third-row seat.

Buyers could choose between a 210-horsepower V6 or the new V8. The V8 versions sold through '05 made 240 hp and came with a five-speed automatic. We would recommend a 2006 or later version, as that year the V8 got a power boost to 292 hp along with a six-speed automatic, improving both performance and, to a lesser degree, fuel economy. The Mountaineer's safety quotient rose in 2004 when Mercury added stability control as an option, and again the following year when it was made standard and packaged with Roll Stability Control. Standard side curtain airbags completed the picture for 2006 -- in previous years, they were optional so it's a good idea to make sure an individual Mountaineer has them. Microsoft's Sync system was added to the options list in mid-2008 and became standard on the Premier for 2009. The following year would be the Mountaineer's last, as the Mercury brand would be phased out during 2011.

This Mountaineer was available in five- and seven-passenger versions and with a choice of either rear-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The trim levels were typically topped by the Premier, which provided leather upholstery, heated seats, rear parking sensors and the Sync voice-activated multimedia integration system. Main options included a rear entertainment system and a navigation system. One could also opt for second-row captain's chairs, which dropped passenger capacity to six.

In reviews, we found that the Mountaineer had a smooth and composed ride and respectable handling, due in no small part to the SUV's independent rear suspension. The latter was an important upgrade from the first model's live rear axle. This Mercury also has strengths as a people hauler, partly thanks to its fold-flat third-row seat that ranked among the roomiest of traditional midsize SUVs. Downsides include weak acceleration with the V6 engine and a dated dashboard design.

Past Mercury Mountaineer Models
The first-generation Mountaineer debuted for 1997 as the uptown cousin to the then-second generation Ford Explorer. The Mountaineer was initially unique for only coming with Ford's 4.9-liter pushrod V8, the famous "5.0" Mustang motor whose gas-guzzling habits were downright offensive. Things improved the following year when Mercury received the better of the Explorer's two V6s -- a 210-hp 4.0-liter -- as its standard engine. Initially, buyers had a choice between 2WD and AWD, but in '98, Mercury added a third option, a dual-range 4WD system.

The Mercury Mountaineer's trucklike suspension gave it a bouncy ride typical of the era, and although acceleration was adequate, neither engine was especially powerful or refined. Also, the Ford Explorer-Firestone controversy regarding tire tread separation and increased rollover risk applied equally to the Mountaineer. In the highly unlikely event you encounter a first-gen Mountaineer still wearing its original Firestone tires, you'll want to upgrade to better rubber immediately. The notable changes through this generation's run include the availability of automatic rear load leveling suspension and rear park assist for 1999, and a child seat tether/anchor system for 2001.

In its favor, the original Mercury Mountaineer's seating comfort and cargo room were always competitive, and its repair record stands above GM's or Jeep's entries. Overall, we'd say that if your budget limits you to a midsize SUV from the late '90s, the Mercury Mountaineer is a decent choice.

User Reviews:

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  My Third Mountaineer - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Mike Koszalka - June 30 - 2:03 pm

  Having owned a 2001 then 2003 and now a 2006 , I can say that I have NEVER been disappointed in the quality and dependability that FORD MOTORS put into their products. Each of the past vehicles has been a marked improvement over the prior mode. I have never been disappointed. Having owned to Blazers proir to my switch to Ford in 98, I can say hands down that Ford definitely HAS A BETTER IDEA.....The ride the wear ans the maintainance are far superior in a Ford Product.

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  Great SUV!! - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By rustyfan39 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  We have had our Mountaineer about a month-I had a Durango before that and loved it until someone tboned me! Researched every midsize to large SUV on the market,went back twice to see the Mountaineer.We were very impressed with all the safety features,especially the side curtain airbags.They offerred us such a sweet deal,we would have been fools to pass it up! This car drives like a dream and looks so good on the road! The kids love the DVD player w/ headphones-they are great on trips. I would reccomend the Mountaineer to anyone who wants a sharp SUV with great power and handling that drives like a luxery car!

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  Love my Mountaineer - 2003 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Diana - June 13 - 10:46 am

  I mostly use my Mountaineer for commuting, but have taken a couple of long trips, and love it for both. Things I love: comfort, turning radius, quality, sound system, ease of handling, reliability, ease of maintainence, and runs on regular grade fuel. My former cars were a Mercedes and BMW, and this is more comfortable, reliable, and economical to maintain than either. The paint doesnt chip or fade, and always looks great. 2 people have bumped into me and caused damage to their cars but no damage to mine. Its great going up mountains such as the Sierras. There are so many little well-thought out details. I have no complaints.

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  2002 Mountaineer - A very good car! - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Joey Thomas - June 11 - 3:06 am

  The car has been an excellent familty SUV. Very reliable and the V6 gets roughly 18 mpg overall. We currently have 65k miles and experienced our fist real problem - fuel pump. The exterier has been excellent and the AWD goes through any kind of snow/standing water.

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  Car caught fire - 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
  By flaming - June 8 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle was great to drive, very reliable. The problems started occuring about 45,000. The windshield wipers came on sporatically. Later there was a recall for this problem. After a few months of driving the LCD radio light went out as well as the horn. Before I had a chance to get this fix less than a week later the car caught fire while sitting in the parking lot overnight. Determined to be an eletrical fire. Buyer beware, I beleive sometime in the near future there may be another recall on these models and year.

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  Best Ride Ever - 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
  By TreeHug - June 6 - 12:26 am

  This is my most favorite vehicle I have ever owned. I enjoy the stylist leather interior, the beautiful dash and the cargo space. I often time have to haul items for work and it makes it so easy to get things in and out. Being a V-6 the good gas milage for this size of vehicle is wonderful. It was great having 4- wheel drive this winter. I live on a - dead-end gravel road that lacks snow removal and my Mountaineer got me through what ever snow. I am having problems with the radio display.

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  Love my Mountaineer - 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Deborah Heckenberger - May 25 - 5:33 am

  This is my second Mountaineer (1st was 2003). I love the comfort, handling and roominess. I like the AWD, and my favorite feature is the heated seats, not too hot, not too cold. Only problem was shifting and the recall took care of that. Sorry that they are discontinuing or I would buy a third one in a year or so.

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  Great Car - 2004 Mercury Mountaineer
  By gd - May 23 - 10:16 pm

  My last car was a Subaru Forester. Although fuel economy was better, the ride in the Mountaineer is vastly superior. Great for long trips. Was a little hesitant about the size of this car, but the comfort and convenience is a great change from the Forester. Will definitely be a repeat customer.

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  Not bad, but needs improvements - 2007 Mercury Mountaineer
  By Hinrich - May 19 - 4:30 am

  We had our Mountaineer for 10 months and 15,000 miles and the experience has been mixed so far. Its our 5th Mountaineer and we love the overall package (exterior size vs. interior space), the powerful V8 engine and the features (Navigation system, great audio system). But we had issues and some couldnt be fixed yet. The 6-speed transmission shifts hards after accelerating from a standstill and was checked twice. Fit and finish is bad, body panels and doors needed adjustment. Fuel mileage is poor at best, we average 13.5 mpg in mixed driving. Handling is worse than with our 2004 Mountainer (18" Michelin tires, dont work well in snow either). Overall no big improvement to the 2004 model.

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  We love our Mountaineer - 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
  By R. J. Robinson - May 5 - 12:26 pm

  It handles well and there have been almost 0 problems since we bought it. The outside paint job has held up like it is still new (and it is not a garaged car). We bought it new 5 1/2 years ago and the only thing we notice as it ages is that the "quietness" in the ride that was first there is beginning to wane, but not real noticable.