09 Mercury Mariner By: ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net What would be a good choice for a test drive vehicle for a holiday weekend?  A compact SUV that has all-wheel drive, has a lot of cargo room, gets good mileage, and is very utilitarian in use.  Judy and I have had a 2009 Mercury Mariner for a test drive.  That was a good choice due to it being a long Memorial Day holiday weekend.  We were able to put this great little SUV to the road test, encountering thick traffic, rainstorms, dirt roads, and a whole lot more.

    The 2008 model of the Mariner was a good compact SUV, but a lot of reviews complained about the four-speed transmission being the single choice available.  Ford engineers heard the cries and for 2009, the Mariner has a new six-speed automatic that I found to work extremely well.  The shifting was smooth and quiet.  The 2009 also had an upgrade in their engine, increasing the horsepower significantly.   My test model was the Premier 4-wheel drive model with a 3.0-liter Duratec V6 engine.  This produces 240 horsepower.  There is a hybrid model Mariner and a four-cylinder model available.
Large SUV’s have seen their sales figures decrease due to the economy and gasoline costs.  However, small, sporty SUV’s are still hot, due to their versatility and the all-wheel drive capability that is great for all-weather driving.  There are several competitors in the small SUV segment, but the Mercury Mariner certainly holds its own. 

During my test drive, there was a small amount of road and wind noise, but neither was very loud or objectionable.  Turning radius was fairly tight.  I didn’t notice any body leaning during sharp turns and the handling is well controlled. 

My test model sported 16-inch wheels, dual power mirrors, and that new capless fuel filler.  It is easy to use, you don’t get gasoline all over your hands, and it actually works.  The Mariner was outfitted with satin aluminum roof rails, but I didn’t use them for anything other than exterior looks.  It does add a dimension of utility to the vehicle.  The interior lighting featured ambient lighting with little purple lights in the cup holders and elsewhere.  The exterior color was called Sterling Gray.  The interior was a two-tone black leather with Alcantara contrast.

The back seats are very easy to work for added cargo room.  The seats flip forward, the backrests fold down, and the result is a flat floor space extending all the way to the tailgate area.  It allows you to take that oversized item home from the auction or the garage sale without having to make a return trip with a pickup truck.  This was especially helpful due to the rainy forecast.  The rear tailgate opens and closes easily, but there is no push-button operation.  The glass rear window opens separately with the key fob for loading grocery bags or other small items.

The 09 Mercury Mariner with the new, more powerful engine, and six speed automatic 4-wheel drive, is EPA rated at 17-mpg city and 24 mpg highway.  I was expecting it to be a little bit more than that.  With the new government regulations coming, this will have to improve.  The base MSRP on my test model was $26,790.  With a lot of extras such as a power moon roof, trailer towing package, navigations system, and a lot more, the bottom line sticker price came to $32,400.

Good deals are out there and a visit to a Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealership will allow you a chance to give the Mercury Mariner a good look and test drive for yourself.  You might just find what you are looking for in the way of a small, utilitarian SUV at a good price.