- suv 91,222
- 10,995 overpriced
- Mount Vernon, IL
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- autoshopper.com
- suv 91,222 gasoline black
2006 mercury mariner review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. New gas/electric hybrid joins the lineup. introductionthe mercury mariner, based on the ford escape, debuted as a 2005 model and was hailed for its responsive handling, smooth road manners and available v6 engine. 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 2006 mariner hybrid, with the same gasoline/electric powertrain that was first offered in the 2005 ford escape hybrid, comes only with all-wheel-drive and a continuously variable transmission (cvt). the 2006 mercury mariner continues unchanged on the outside, its slick and clean design accented by mercury's 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 milan sedan 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. compact sport utility vehicles are popular because they're smaller and easier to park than midsize suvs like the ford explorer. Yet they offer cargo space with fold-down back seats and a commanding view of the road that comes with a higher seating position. the mercury mariner is a good example. It's a nice package. The size and basics are right. Three trim levels are available: convenience 21,380) features comforts expected in prestige brand vehicles. Seats are upholstered in cloth and the front seats are manually adjustable. Options include privacy glass 275), a full-size spare wheel 105), side step bars 350) and a rear cargo convenience package 150). luxury 23,285) comes with the more powerful, 200-horsepower v6 and privacy glass, and it's available with all-wheel drive 25,035). It comes standard with a six-way power driver's seat. Options include a power moonroof 585), the safety package 595), the audiophile sound system with a six-disc in-dash cd player and seven speakers 595), and the hybrid energy/audiophile/navigation system 1,995). safety features that come standard on gasoline-powered mariners 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 slightly above the front wheel wells. Understated cladding preserves and protects the lower door panels and ties 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. the mariner hybrid is distinguished by a small vent in the driver's side c-pillar, which channels cooling air to the battery pack, hybrid badging on the liftgate, front doors and acoustic engine cover, and unique 16-inch five-spoke wheels. 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. The theme is successful and the overall look is one of polish and refinement, helped by wood-grain trim on the center stack and console. the hybrid's interior feels a bit more upscale due to its leather trim and two-tone seating and door trim. The instrument panel is slightly different and includes a battery indicator dial, informing the driver which way the current in the electric system is flowing: to the battery during regenerative braking or from the battery to the electric motor when it's operating in assistance of the gasoline engine. Power window buttons, however, are of the old-school type, i. E., non-child/curious pet-proof. The stereo, too, shouts standard ford gear; as functional and easy-to-use as its controls are, they don't quite make premium gr.
10,995 Mount Vernon, ILMount Vernon, IL at autoshopper.com