The Mercury Mariner was a compact crossover SUV introduced for 2005 and sold until October 2010. A sibling of the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape, it was more upmarket than both and was the first car-based SUV in the Mercury range.
Mercury Mariner at a glance
| Production | 2005–2011 model years, ending October 2010 |
|---|---|
| Class | compact crossover SUV |
| Siblings | Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute |
| Platform | Ford CD2 |
| Position | below the Mountaineer in the Mercury range |
| Generations | two, 2005–2007 and 2008–2011 |
| Hybrid | Mariner Hybrid from 2006 |
| 2009 engines | 2.5 L four with 170 hp; 3.0 L Duratec V6 with 240 hp |
| Gearbox | six-speed automatic from 2009 |
| Markets | United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE |
The article is based on one source, the English Wikipedia page on the Mariner.
History of the Mercury Mariner
A Mercury crossover
The Mariner was introduced during the 2005 refresh of the Ford Escape and was positioned above both the Escape and the Mazda Tribute in the compact SUV class. It was Mercury’s first car-based SUV and sat below the Mountaineer in the range. The differences from its siblings were mostly stylistic: a two-tone interior, turn signal repeaters borrowed from the European Ford Maverick, monotone cladding and the signature Mercury waterfall grille. No manual transmission was offered, and the Mariner was the first Mercury with a four-cylinder engine since the Cougar was dropped in 2002. For 2006 the range gained the Mariner Hybrid.
Second generation
The 2008 model year brought a thorough redesign even though the car stayed on the CD2 platform. The exterior changes included new seats, headlights, tail lights, a new tailgate, a higher beltline, new doors and new wheels; inside, the materials were upgraded and more equipment was added. The engines stayed the same, but the 3.0 L Duratec V6 was modified to use 10 per cent less fuel. The Mariner and the Ford Escape were the first vehicles to feature Ford’s pull-drift steering compensation, which uses software control of the electric power steering. The first 2008 Mariner was unveiled at the South Florida International Auto Show on 6 October 2006 and was presented as a new direction for the Mercury brand.
Year by year
The 2009 Mariner and Ford Escape were shown at the 2008 Washington Auto Show with a 2.5-litre engine and a six-speed automatic replacing the four-speed, improving fuel economy by 1 mpg and raising power by 11 per cent to 170 hp. The 3.0-litre Duratec V6 was raised from 200 to 240 hp, and the new four-cylinder was also used in the Mariner Hybrid. Ford’s Sue Ciscke said that one in every eight Escape and Mariner vehicles sold was a hybrid. For 2010 the Mariner added Ford’s MyKey and trailer sway control as standard on all trims, gained Flex-Fuel capability with the V6 and lost the Euro-style turn signal repeaters. For 2011 the Mariner had HD Radio as standard but was otherwise unchanged, and it was the last version: Ford ended Mariner production in October 2010 as the Mercury brand was wound down.
Design and features
- Car-based SUV: the first Mercury crossover, based on the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute.
- Waterfall grille: Mercury styling inside and out, including a two-tone interior.
- Hybrid option: the Mariner Hybrid arrived for 2006.
- Pull-drift compensation: an early use of software-controlled electric power steering.
- Flex-Fuel: the 2010 V6 could run on E85 or petrol.
Mercury Mariner versions
- Mariner (2005–2007): the first generation on the CD2 platform.
- Mariner Hybrid (2006–2011): the petrol-electric version.
- Mariner (2008–2011): the redesigned second generation.
- Mariner (2010–2011): the final cars, with MyKey, trailer sway control and Flex-Fuel.
The Mariner was the smaller brother of the Mountaineer and shared its showroom with the Milan. More cars are in the Mercury collection.
Video: Motorweek Video of the 2005 Mercury Mariner
Video by 0andix on YouTube.
Sources
- Mercury Mariner, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, equipment and the end of production
