2006 Mercury Mariner Review
2006 Mercury Mariner Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Powerful V6, large cargo capacity, comfortable and stylish interior, carlike handling, optional side curtain airbags.
Cons
- Unconvincing faux wood trim, fuel-thirsty V6, four-cylinder feels unrefined at high rpm.
What’s new
Changes this year are limited to minor trim and package revisions.
Edmunds says
Put a Ford Escape in a Mercury outfit and what do you get? The 2006 Mercury Mariner, an excellent small SUV in pretty dapper digs.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2006 Mercury Mariner Convenience 4dr SUV (2.3L 4cyl 4A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$205/mo for Mariner Convenience
Mariner Convenience
vs
$184/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Vehicle overview
Ford introduced the Escape in 2001 to capture buyers in the rapidly growing small SUV segment. It quickly became a best-seller thanks to a desirable combination of size, power and ruggedly handsome styling. Mazda also sells a version of this vehicle, called the Tribute. Feeling a bit left out of the party (and in dire need of an affordable vehicle to get customers into the showroom), Mercury jumped on the bandwagon in 2005 with its own version, called the Mariner. The Mercury Mariner shares the Escape's basic structure, platform and powertrains. What sets the Mariner apart, though, is style. The handsome front end is decidedly Mercury, and other unique exterior bits like distinctive wheels and sleek rocker moldings move this compact SUV upmarket a few notches. Differences are readily apparent inside, too. Plenty of metallic-look trim adds polish without appearing gaudy.
Unfortunately, Mercury stylists couldn't resist the urge to throw some wood grain trim in there, too, and there's just a bit too much of it to seem convincing. Two-tone suede and leather seating steals the show, however, and combined with contrasting stitching, the look is very handsome. One of our main beefs with the Escape has always been its uninspiring style, especially inside. Perhaps unintentionally, Mercury has taken a huge step in the right direction with its upscale treatments. Before you scoff at the idea of a thinly veiled SUV gussy-up job, just think back to 1999 when Cadillac put some jewelry on a Tahoe and called it an Escalade. And we all know how well that idea turned out. Underneath the pretty layers, the Mariner is all Escape. This is a good thing.
The 2006 Mercury Mariner is intended for those who want the styling and all-wheel-drive capability of a traditional luxury SUV combined with the size, price, practicality and driving characteristics of a midsize car. The Mariner is more suited to on-road driving than off-roading, due to its light-duty 4WD system and unibody construction, and isn't as rugged as compact SUVs like the Nissan Xterra and Jeep Liberty. To allay concerns about side-impact safety in small SUVs, both front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags are optional. Although long-term reliability is not likely to be as good as that of its Japanese competitors, the well-rounded Mariner is still one of the best compact SUVs available. If you'd like a bit of class with your compact SUV, the Mercury Mariner should fit the bill quite nicely.
Performance & mpg
Standard on the Mercury Mariner is a 2.3-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that makes 153 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque, matched to a four-speed automatic transmission. A manual gearbox is not available. Standard on Luxury and Premier models is a potent 3.0-liter V6, which makes 200 hp and 193 lb-ft of torque. It's also paired with a four-speed automatic. With the V6, the Mariner can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Safety
ABS is standard on all Mariners, and V6 4WD models have four-wheel disc brakes. Optional on all Mariners are front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags that deploy in the event of a side-impact collision or rollover. The mechanically identical Ford Escape has done well in government crash testing, earning a perfect five stars for the driver in frontal impacts and four stars for the front passenger. In side-impact crash tests, it received five stars for both front- and rear-seat occupants. The Escape earned an "Acceptable" rating (the second highest) in frontal offset crash tests conducted by the IIHS. In IIHS side-impact tests, the small SUV earned a "Good" rating (the highest) when equipped with side airbags and a "Poor" rating (the worst) without the bags.
Driving
Fun to drive, the 2006 Mercury Mariner offers impressive road manners for a compact SUV. It drives much like a tautly suspended sedan, with little body roll and responsive steering. Mercury provides generous sound insulation, resulting in a surprisingly serene ride out on the open road. The V6 is quite powerful, providing swift acceleration, but fuel economy is mediocre. The standard 2.3-liter four-cylinder delivers adequate acceleration and better mileage than what you'd get with the V6.
Interior
The Mercury Mariner boasts a stylish interior with satin aluminum, chrome accents and a two-tone color scheme. The 60/40-split rear seat includes three-point seatbelts and head restraints for all three seating positions. There are 29 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and you can fold them down to open up 66 cubic feet of capacity, a good figure for this class.
2006 Mercury Mariner models
The Mercury Mariner in only one four-door body style with either front-wheel drive or automatic four-wheel drive. Three trim levels are offered: Convenience, Luxury and Premier. Base Convenience models start you out with a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine; 16-inch alloy wheels; a CD player; air conditioning; power accessories keyless entry; and cruise control. The Luxury adds a 3.0-liter V6, a power driver seat, a six-disc CD changer, an alarm system, message center with compass and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Premier models step up with machined alloy wheels, heated outside mirrors, a MACH premium audio system with subwoofer and heated leather seats with contrasting suedelike inserts. Side curtain airbags and a reverse-sensing system are optional.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2006 Mercury Mariner.
5 star(60%)
4 star(25%)
3 star(11%)
2 star(4%)
1 star(0%)
79 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4 out of 5 stars
On its final legs for trade-in ;-(
Robert, 04/08/2016
2006 Mercury Mariner Premier 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
I owned the Mariner new in 2006. I had only one problem while it was still under warranty and it was the lift gate door window lock. Around the 148K mark, I had ongoing repairs list. I had the ignition coils on two cylinders go and plus the computer go bad which caused the short. This was two years ago and cost me about 2K. Along the way till now I had exhaust leak, power steering pump … replacement, two ball joints and three battery replacements.
This weekend, the #1 cylinder was miss-firing and took it to the mechanic for repairs. He found a low pressure reading on the cylinder head and replaced the spark-plugs. He also cleaned the valve heads and it regained compression in the cylinder. Two days later, I get the code for a bad ignition coil on number 4 and a bad computer again. It is now time to say good bye to the beloved Mercury Mariner. I had a great running truck for the last 10 years and it lasted pretty long with the general preventive maintenance schedule. FYI Never got stuck in the snow in Philadelphia.
4 out of 5 stars
Still Rolling Along @ 371,538 Miles
Bill W, 06/29/2016
2006 Mercury Mariner Convenience 4dr SUV (2.3L 4cyl 4A)
I am the original owner of my 2006 Mercury Mariner SUV (4 Cylinder / 4WD). I purchased it brand new back in 2006. It has been my daily driver to and from work, I drive 92 miles each way in good weather and bad weather. I wanted to share my feelings, this has got to be the BEST VEHICLE that I ever purchased. I am very proactive on maintaining my vehicle, I have changed the oil every … 5k miles along with tire rotations, knock on wood that I have not really had anything major happen since buying it other than replacing the tires, front brakes, back brakes only 1X, the serpentine belt 1x, plugs 2x, the battery 1x, the windshield from a stone crack, the alternator 1x, wiper blades many times and the AC Compressor just died, no biggie ..... Also back in 2010 I got rear ended and I thought the insurance company would have considered it a total loss, they ended up paying more for repairs that the value of the vehicle, crazy ! My paint is smooth as glass and the interior is pretty much mint, I really keep it detailed all the time ! Mercury did a great job on the build on this vehicle, I would purchase another if they continued selling them, but the product line got the axe. The engine runs awesome and the transmission is perfect ! Yes, I had the fluid drained from the tranny 2x, no pressure flush, just a drain and fill, same with radiator, no pressure flush, just drain and fill, fluids always look clean. Thank You, Mercury !
4.5 out of 5 stars
3rd Car I've Owned and Best Yet!
Elmz11, 03/14/2010
2006 Mercury Mariner Luxury 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
As a 21 year old commuter student going to college full-time, I needed to trade up to an SUV after getting stuck in the snow numerous times in my 05 Hyundai Elantra. I was weary about buying a used vehicle (seeing that I bought my first car brand new) but I LOVE THIS SUV!! I ditched the JUNK Continental tires that all these Escapes and Mariners come with from the factory and got … Michelin Cross Terrain's put on. Night and Day! Get compliments on the interior all the time (two-tone black and creme). Average 19-20 mpg in mostly highway driving and it does have some power behind it. Have put on 19,000 miles in just 8 months and it has been rock solid! (now at 57,000 miles)
3.25 out of 5 stars
Still wondering
lake girl, 11/05/2006
2006 Mercury Mariner Convenience 4dr SUV AWD (2.3L 4cyl 4A)
Nice looking vehicle. In 2 months of ownership have had a problem with CD player- reading no Cd when there was one in player. Turning vehicle off and on again luckily corrected the problem. Muffler seems rather loose, but service dept says free play is normal. Makes a lot of creaking noise when backing up onto the road- live on a hill. Gas mileage Ok for an SUV. Not the greatest on zip … going uphill- got to put the pedal to the floor for some zoom.
2006 Mariner Highlights
Convenience
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $21,380 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 21 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $205/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 29.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Mariner include:
- Alarm
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover3 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalPoor
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintAcceptable
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