The Mercury Mariner is a compact crossover SUV introduced and marketed by Mercury, a division of Ford Motor Company, from 2005 to 2010. It's related to the Mazda Tribute and the Ford Escape, but it's a step above in class. Mercury's first car-based SUV, the Mariner, sits below the Mountaineer in the company's lineup. As a result of Ford's decision to discontinue the Mercury brand in October 2010, production of the Mariner stopped at that time. The United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates were the official launch markets for the Mariner.
History of the Mercury Mariner
First Generation Mercury Mariner (2004–2006)
When it debuted in 2005, the Mercury Mariner was ranked above the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute in the subcompact SUV class. The exterior and interior are also two-toned. It borrows the turn signal repeaters and monotone cladding of the European-market Ford Maverick while retaining Mercury's iconic "waterfall" front grille. There was no manual transmission option, unlike the competition. After Mercury discontinued the Cougar in 2002, the Mariner was the first Mercury model to include a 4-cylinder engine. Mercury added the Mariner Hybrid to the roster in 2006.
Second Generation Mercury Mariner (2008–2010)
Although it shared its Ford CD2 platform with the previous generation's Mariner, the second-generation vehicle saw a complete redesign for the 2008 model year. Among the many noticeable visual upgrades are new headlights, taillights, wheels, a liftgate, seats, doors, and a higher beltline. The inside also received extensive upgrades in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Even though the engines are the same, the fuel efficiency of the 3.0L Duratec V6 has been improved by 10%. As a new chapter for the Mercury brand, the 2008 Mercury Mariner debuted at the South Florida International Auto Show on October 6, 2006.
Changes:
- 2009 - 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner were unveiled (2008 Washington Auto Show)
- 2010 - Ford's MyKey and trailer sway controls were added on all trims
- 2011 - HD Radio was added
Mercury Mariner Presidential Edition
Former President Bill Clinton received a "Presidential Edition" Mercury Mariner Hybrid from Ford on September 7, 2006. Several other enhancements to the vehicle's security have also been made, but those details are being kept under wraps.
Price
In 2010, Mercury retailed the Mercury Mariner with a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $24,000 for the two-wheel drive, rising to $28,000 for the Premier trim. The top-of-the-line model with loaded options is around $37,000.
- Two-Wheel-Drive Model - $24,000 ($32,609 in 2022)
- Premier Trim - $28,000 ($38,044 in 2022)
- Top-Of-The-Line - $37,000 ($50,272 in 2022)
- Hybrid 2WD - $31,000 ($42,120 in 2022)
- Hybrid 4WD - $32,500 ($44,158 in 2022)
Features of the Mercury Mariner
Exterior Features
The grille on the 2008 Mariner was narrower but higher, and the headlights were larger. The boxy form remained but was improved with a raked grille and softened corners. The power dome hood's reverse crease boosted the car's overall attractiveness. The redesigned taillights featured a transparent lamp with a red inner lens with four internal lenses.
Interior Features
Depending on the model level, the Mariner offered several different inside upholstery choices. The Premiere's interior looked luxurious because of the two-tone leather upholstery, Alcantara in the center, and black exterior. Mercury fitted a new, larger center console with vast storage space for a laptop. The old radio was removed from the stack and replaced with a new audio/video system. Also updated was the instrument cluster, which now displays data in an easily readable style.
Release Date
Mercury, the division of Ford Motor Company, released the Mercury Mariner from 2005 to 2010 over two generations.