2002 Mercury Mountaineer

The Mercury Mountaineer has been nearly identical to the Ford Explorer since it was introduced in 1996. However, both these sport-utility vehicles are thoroughly revamped for 2002, and likely will be sold with their new designs for a long time.
Despite the Firestone/Explorer tire controversy, the Explorer has been the top-selling sport-ute since introduced in early 1990. The Mountaineer has lived in its shadow, partly because there's far more Ford dealers than Mercury dealers. The Explorer thus has gotten greater promotion.

The new Mountaineer shares its basic mid-size design and engines with the 2002 Ford Explorer, but is more upscale and features sharper styling compared with the truck-like look, inside and out, for the Explorer. A third-row seat for seven-passenger capacity is standard on Mountaineer but an extra-cost option on the Explorer. The Mountaineer also has more equipment, which includes most of the comfort, convenience and safety items found in upscale cars.
However, leather upholstery costs $655 and a power sunroof is $800. Both must be ordered with the $475 Convenience Group, but that's OK because it contains power adjustable pedals to allow a more comfortable driving positions for motorists of various sizes. Why so many differences between the Mountaineer and Explorer? Because Ford Motor is attempting to make Mercury models significantly different than Fords.

The Mountaineer is carlike. It has sharp steering, good handling and a smooth ride, although the suspension allows some bouncing over bad roads. Brakes are easily modulated for fast, sure stops. The Mountaineer is fairly easy to board, although shorter occupants may want to order the fairly wide $395 running boards for easier entry and exit.

There are comfortable bucket seats up front. The second-row seat is split 40/20/40 to make it fairly easy to reach the third-row seat. That seat provides decent room for two 6-footers, although I wouldn't want to make a Chicago-to-LA trip in the third row. Occupants sit high in the quiet interior for a good view of surroundings. The cockpit is well-designed, with easily read gauges and large, smooth, nicely located controls. Rear windows roll all the way down.

The low, wide cargo area makes it easy to load or unload various sized objects. The tailgate has a handy, deep glass hatch that swings up.
As with the redone Explorer, a new 240-horsepower V-8 is optional for the 2002 Mountaineer. Both have a standard 4-liter, 210-horsepower V-6 carried over from the 2001model year. The V-6 has been upgraded a bit and provides decent acceleration if the vehicle load isn't very heavy. However, the 4.6-liter V-8, which costs $695, has considerably more punch. It's also smoother and quieter, although rather noisy during hard acceleration. It loafs at 2,200 rpm at 70 mph.

Many people tow boats and such with sport-utes, and the new Mountaineer has more towing ability with the V-8--up to 7,300 pounds.
Both engines have a modern overhead-camshaft design and work with a responsive five-speed automatic transmission; it allows better fuel economy and quicker acceleration than a four-speed automatic. No mid-size sport-utility is a fuel-economy champ. The Mountaineer delivers 14-to-15 mpg in the city and 19-to-20 on highways with the V-6 and V-8.

The rear-drive Mountaineer has a $28,730 base price, while the all-wheel-drive model is $30,710. The Explorer comes in a wide variety of trim levels, but the Mountaineer comes in only one trim level.
Unlike the Explorer's all-wheel-drive system, the Mountaineer's doesn't have low-range gearing for tough off-road driving. That's because it doesn't have the Explorer's tough-guy image and is designed to be driven on roads.

The system doesn't call for driver involvement and is offered with both the V-6 and V-8. It distributes 65 percent of engine torque to the rear wheels during normal driving to provide a nicely balanced rear-drive feel. When the system senses wheel slip or traction loss, it transfers torque to tires that have traction.

As with the Explorer, the Mountaineer retains its rugged body on frame construction, but has a longer wheelbase and wider stance for more stability. It also shares the Explorer's independent rear suspension, which provides better handling and a smooth ride. The suspension, which passes through a porthole in the frame, also allows room for the third-row seat--and lets it be folded forward to create a large, flat-surfaced cargo area.
Thank goodness for the fold-forward feature, because there's scarcely any cargo area with the third-row seat in its normal, upright position.
The new Mountaineer is different enough from the Explorer to make it a solid alternative, which is something that could not have been said about the old models.

MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

Prices

$28,730-$30,710

Likes

Much improved. Roomy. Nifty styling. Nice ride and handling. Standard third seat.

Dislikes

Tight cargo area with third seat in normal position. Engine noisy when pushed. Occasional bouncy ride.