Overview & Reviews

The 2008 Mercury Mariner gets a makeover inside and out. A more aggressive attitude marks the exterior design, and the cabin is more attractive and functional. The chassis and powertrain are virtually unchanged, however, meaning this "redesigned" Mariner has the same running gear as before.

• Comfortable interior, impressive list of standard safety features.

• Lackluster performance, braking and fuel efficiency compared to rivals, folding down rear seat a multistep process.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 66.00

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  Highly Impressed - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Bob - December 14 - 8:33 am

  Have a little over 700 miles and getting almost 22 MPG with A/C on. V-6 extremely quiet, has plenty of power. Interior is so quiet. Night and day diffeernce over 2005 Hyundai Santa FE, which was a piece of junk.

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  Almost great but disappointing - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By jesse - October 26 - 7:46 pm

  Very nice fit and finish as well as peppy. Engine feels fine and steering is very good. The only problem is with the transmission. It is the worst trans I have every had in a car. It shifts when it shouldnt and doesnt shift when it should. Service told me that the problems I have explained to them are normal for the car. Other than the trans, I would rate the car a ten but because of such a flaw in a major component I would give it a 7 overall.

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  Another great vehicle! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By smt921 - July 20 - 9:00 am

  This is my second Mariner and I could not be happier. I previously had a 2005. The slight changes made to this model have been well appreciated. Love that the base price came down as well.

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  Love it, but be careful - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By mep - October 26 - 1:16 am

  I love my car, but just had an issue with losing power and no warning. At @42,000 miles the throttle sensor malfunctioned and I lost all power without warning! I was traveling at night on the freeway, so this was especially frightening. That being said, I get aroun 30mpg on the highway and 27 in the city...love the size and feel. I am concerned about excessive tire noise...Ive been told this is a problem with the Continental tires which are hard. Ill be replacing them soon, but overall, with the hard driving Ive put this car through, its been a champ!

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  Stay Away - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Chelly - October 10 - 9:20 am

  I bought the 2008 Mercury Mariner in March 2007. I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle. During the first 12 months, the car would stall without any warning and when I brought it into the dealer, they told me nothing was wrong with it. I had to bring it in an additional two times before they fixed it correctly. Recently, I was driving on Interstate 80 going about 65 when the car completely stalled again without warning and reduced in speed rapidly. This car is not reliable. I will never buy a Mercury, Lincoln or Ford ever again. Stay away from this one.

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  2008 Mariner Premier FWD - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By marshismellow - October 4 - 6:00 am

  Let me start off by saying that I have never owned an SUV. Let me also say that my two previous automobiles were a Mercedes C240 and a BMW 325i. I have been incredibly pleased with my Mariner since purchasing it. I love the styling, I have all of the same options that I had in my luxury sedans (heated seats, moon roof, CD players, power everything). I actually have a few more options on my Mariner Premier that I didnt have on the luxury sedans (heated mirrors). The Mariner is fun to drive and extrememly roomy inside. It feels big but is actually shorter in lenght and width than my Mercedes was. I researched the hybrids, but for the lease rate I received I couldnt pass this up. I wouldnt have ever thought Id own a Mercury, but its elegant, stylish, and a better value.

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  Best Value for a Small SUV - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Gregg - September 24 - 1:46 pm

  When I decided to buy my first SUV, I decided to go small. I researched all of the SUVs in the class and decided on going with either the Mariner or Escape. I ultimately decided on the Mariner Premier 4WD. The re-designed Mariner is the best looking inside and out of all of the SUVs in the class. It is both bold, but yet has a sophisicated look. In my opinion it beats the Escape in looks. The interior is simple, functional and classy despite the heavy use of plastics on the doors. Against all of the other SUVs in the class, its the best value in terms of standard features and available options. Lastly, the fit and finish is superb.

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  Lovin it! - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By ramona - April 12 - 8:43 am

  I have owned my vehicle a week now and am really enjoying it. After researching several cars thoroughly for price, amenities, style, crash tests, reliability, and fuel economy, I settled on the Mariner. I am surprised at how many men actually like it because it is a pretty metallic green color. It is really quite sharp, with its black trim and slate interior. We love our sunroof and find it functional in Florida to let the heat out. The upolstery is the best--wipes clean easily and is very comfortable----the seats are cushy and the ride smooth and solid. I never wanted to touch a vehicle with dark interior, but this is remarkably cool and comfortable. We find our Mariner very roomy.

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  What a Great Vehicle - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By Fred - February 29 - 5:23 am

  When I went to purchase this vehicle I wanted everything on it and I got it. I love almost everything about it. I like that is looks way more expensive than what it actually cost. Its classy. the interior is great too. I have plenty of room to take my friends/family along. I feel very safe when driving this vehicle.

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  Not too bad after 128k miles - 2008 Mercury Mariner
  By skmcobra - January 7 - 10:58 am

  My wife bought this car in 2010 with 81k miles. She bought the extended warranty but I believe only needed it at around 115k miles for an oil pan leak. Today at 128k miles the radiator coolant fans have quit running. Ford dealer quoted me $750 parts & labor but I had done my research and found fans for $100 less at OReillys. They honored the price and dropped cost to $650. Getting it fixed today. Over all this has been a reliable and safe car. Great to drive in the snow with the all wheel drive. Gets about 22-24mpg on the highway and about 17-18 in town. I cant speak to the tranny issues many mention, but it may have been fixed before we bought it.