- suv 147,511
- 7,465 high price
- Bend, OR
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- autoshopper.com
2005 mercury mariner review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. New compact suv based on ford escape. introductioncompact sport utility vehicles are popular because they are smaller and easier to park than midsize suvs like the ford explorer. It's easily and affordably upgraded with all-wheel drive (4wd) for stable traction in the snow and a powerful v6 for more responsive performance. the 2005 mercury mariner boasts a slick and clean design, with avant-garde styling cues. Inside is a pleasant and calming cabin with room enough for the kind of stuff people who are moving up from the sable or retreating from the more truck-like mountaineer need to haul around. as part of a carefully scripted, and enormously expensive, re-birth and rejuvenation of the mercury brand, the mariner is intended to offer a step up in status over the ford escape. it's a nice package. The size and basics are right. Seats are upholstered in cloth, however, and the front seats are manually adjustable. The air conditioning is manual, too, and there's no upgrade to automatic climate control available, not even on the premier. Options include leather-trimmed upholstery 1,050). The comfort package 500) includes automatic headlamps, electrochromic inside rearview mirror, overhead console, message center with compass and illuminated vanity mirrors. The luxury enhancement package 595) buys a six-disc in-dash cd changer, a power driver's seat with lumbar, and a perimeter anti-theft alarm system. All-wheel drive is available 24,745). premier 24,745) is the top of the line, adding to the luxury array of options a seven-speaker stereo with subwoofer; heated outside mirrors and driver's seat; power-adjustable front seats; a premium, suede-like upholstery; and polished wheels. Optional is a reverse-sensing system 255). All-wheel drive is available 26,495). options across the line include a rear cargo convenience package with retractable cargo cover and cargo management gear 135); roof rack with cross bars 160); and side step bars 325). safety features that come standard include dual two-stage frontal airbags; antilock brakes (abs) with brake assist; and lower anchors and tethers for children (latch). Granted, the mariner's headlights are more rectangular, and the fog lamp nacelles are more parallelogram than up-tipped eyebrow, but otherwise, and other than size, there's little visually to distinguish between the larger and smaller mercury suvs. the trademark satin-finish aluminum vertical-bar grille sits on a matching bumper inset, turn indicator lights are housed where the headlamp lenses wrap around the fenders and the central recess in the hood imbues the front fenders with a subtle shoulder look. borrowing from european custom, small turn-indicator repeater lights are positioned in the front quarter panels just aft of and slight above the front wheel wells. Understated cladding preserves and protects the lower door panels and tie together the minimalist front and rear fender flares, nicely finishing the mid-door, horizontal character line optically connecting the front and rear bumpers. The tall glasshouse is properly proportioned to balance the body side panels. The angled c-pillar behind the rear side door accentuates the people-orientation of the mariner while acknowledging it can haul cargo, too. from the rear, the mariner is, well, a sport utility vehicle. There's not much that can be done to stylize a liftgate, taillamps and bumper, other than with trim bits and pieces, and the mariner's designers did their best with what they had. Tasteful, satin-finish, grille-like accents brace the taillamps. The side character line continues across the liftgate, swelling in the center to form a surround for the license plate recess. Yet another satin-finish inset separates the step-top of the rear bumper and the body-color lower fascia. Bright chrome exhaust tips finish the package. interiorto a large extent, what holds for the mercury mariner's exterior holds for its interior. From the instrument bezels to the center stack's vertical braces to the shift lever cap to the center console to the logo in the steering wheel hub to the flat surfaces on the door armrests, satin-finish trims and highlights. About the only interior metal surfaces that aren't satin-finish are the chrome inside door handles and accent ringing the shift lever in the center console. On the plus side, all five seating positions have three-point belts and adjustable head restraints. that rear seat does fold almost flat, however, making for a commodious cargo space. Tie-down hooks are provided to secure odd-shaped or especially mobile objects. The rear quarter panel has open storage bins for smaller items. Front seatbacks host map pockets, as do both front doors. The overhead console (which the moonroof displaces) has two swing-down bins. The center console has two cupholders and a shallow bin forward of the shift lever. cruise control buttons are smoothly integrated into the sides of the steering wheel hub. Power window buttons, however, are of the old-school type, i. E., non-child/curious pet-proof. Drawn as it is on the foundation of the number-one selling ford escape, which has been around in current configuration long enough to have thoroughly debugged the basic elements, the mariner accounts for itself better than most in the class. in the power department, the v6 delivers as expected, pulling readily and cleanly through the heart of the power band, if not with an abundance of gusto; this is a consequence, no doubt, of less-than-impressive torque. It will comfortably and confidently master snow-filled parking lots at the ski lodge and muddy driveways at the weekend cabin. However, the mariner is not designed to navigate truly rugged terrain off road. the mariner tracks well and rides comfortably at highway speeds for a vehicle of its size and stature. Steering is certain, with good on-center feel. The suspension is tuned to conquer all but the truly egregious pavement pockmarks. We managed to avoid situations requiring the intervention of th. Bucket Seats✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Changer✔ Sunroof/Moonroof
7,465 Bend, ORBend, OR at autoshopper.com