2005 Mercury Mountaineer: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Mercury's version of the Ford Explorer stands pat for 2005, due to receive updates similar to the 2006 Explorer (see separate report) later in the calendar year. Mountaineer comes in Convenience, Luxury, and Premier trim. All have three rows of seats for 7-passenger capacity. The 3rd row can be deleted for credit, and 2nd-row bucket seats are now optional on Luxury and Premier. All offer a V6 or V8 engine and rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive without low-range gearing. A 5-speed automatic transmission and antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard. Newly standard on all Mountaineers is Ford's AdvanceTrac antiskid system with Roll Stability Control. Roll Stability Control is designed to detect an impending tip and activate the antiskid system to reduce the chances of a rollover. Torso side airbags are not offered, but head-protecting curtain side airbags that cover the 1st and 2nd seating rows are standard on Premier, optional on other models. Power-adjustable pedals are optional. A rear-obstacle-warning system is standard on Premier and optional on other Mountaineers. A rear DVD entertainment system is optional on Luxury and Premier. A tire-pressure monitor is standard on all models.

COMPETITION

Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Larger than Compact SUVs, Midsize SUVs offer a mix of car- and truck-type construction, V6 and V8 power, and up to 8-passenger seating. This class also includes crossover vehicles.

Our Best Buys include the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Our Recommended picks are the Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Ford Freestyle, Nissan Murano, and Toyota 4Runner.