2009 Mercury Mariner Consumer Reviews

Transmission Issues

Written by: marinerowner on 10/12/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner V6 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

I bought this car and within 2 days it was back at the dealership. Brand new transmission. Still having issues. Lady in my yoga class having same exact issues with same exact car! This is not just one-off problem, seems to be a major concern with all the same make & model. Service techs at dealership act like this is my problem -- told me hesitation/delay on new cars is "normal". I have a 5-7 second delay with this car after pressing the gas -- car is lurching, zooming, hesitating, stalling. Almost had a few accidents. Not worth the $$$/aggravation. If it was NOT for this issue, this car would be a "winner".

Favorite Features

All the bells & whistles for the $$$ make it nice. Other than the trans problems, handles like a car -- smooth, nice ride.

Suggested Improvements

Fix the trans problems!!!

Report inappropriate post

Much better than the Honda CRV

Written by: bobincinti on 09/21/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner V6 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

I purchased a 2009 Honda CRV earlier this year. It had to be the most uncomfortable car I purchased and it was very disappointing. Honda missed the mark on that car. After 8 months and 12,500 miles, I had enough of it and I started looking for a car to replace it. The Mariner was the 3rd car I drove and I was sold. The dealer let me take the car for the morning and I racked up 90+ miles on the test drive. Excellent car, very comfortable, etc. The comfort is what sold me. The bluetooth and ipod ports are nice, I now need a new phone and speech recognizable player to match the features of the car. If you are looking at a CRV, you need to look at this car.

Favorite Features

Bluetooth. Center console. Microsoft Sync.

Suggested Improvements

Headlight switch on the steering column. A parking break that you can step on to release. This is difficult to get to on the dash but a minor problem. Full size spare is needed.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

It's a looker!!!

Written by: Shirley on 09/17/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

In May I purchased my first Mariner and I have to say I love driving it! I read the Editor's Review on this vehicle before buying and I'm happy that I was able to overlook the rather negative review. It's interesting to me that so many people continue to check out my vehicle especially when some of them are driving BMW and Lexus. Not bad for a vehicle with a "nine-year-old platform". The Mariner is very easy to handle and has all the features that I was looking for. My 12 yr old daughter and her friends love riding in it at night for the ambient lighting. My only negative would be the silver coating around the radio controls, gear shift and door handles. It may be hard to keep looking nice.

Favorite Features

Love Sirius and Sync!

Suggested Improvements

My only suggestion for improvement would be the silver coating around the radio controls, gear shift and door handles. It looks nice but I think there should be a layer of clear coat over the silver to keep it from scratching. I feel that once one scratch occurs, it will stick out like a sore thumb.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

Wife Happy...I'm Happy

Written by: Wildkite on 09/04/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

I searched and drove vehicles for 14 months. No rush here. Ford stepped up on this one. Fit and finish is great. Same platform as the Ford Escape, just a step up on style. This Mercury Premier, AWD, possesses the options I wanted. Fully loaded. Ride is smooth, pickup surprises my wife continually, AC keeps you cool no matter the outside temp, SNYC works great, GPS/SIRIUS display situated on the console perfect, and our remaining two children have plenty of room on the back seats. My wife calls it the perfect Chic' SUV. I ordered the wheel/tire upgrade...recommend you do the same because that option caps off the look. The vehicle rides quiet < 75 m/hr and takes road bumps unusually smooth.

Favorite Features

Plenty of working room under the hood. Driving is responsive and the displays are easy to read. Another great feature is the dealer: Lincoln-Mercury, Omaha, treats my wife with respect and fairness.

Suggested Improvements

The designers of the vehicle need to reconsider the placement of the rear cup-holders. At high speeds, say > 75, the wind noise on the driver's side is noticeable. Might be the same on the passenger.

Report inappropriate post

I got more than I had expected.

Written by: RLDA on 08/30/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner I4 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Took her on a 3000 mile vacation. MPG exceeded the sticker--plenty of room-- and best of all, My wife (who has arthritis) was comfortable the whole time. Nice interior, a little noisy on start up, but a great overall experience. I wanted to buy a non- bankrupt American car (I own two BMW's). Ford is going to score on this type of performance.

Favorite Features

Very good ride, lots of room. Excellent six speed transmission. Electric steering is very responsive (my 5 Series feels sluggish now)

Suggested Improvements

Some better sound dampening. Could use a compass and an outside temperature gauge on the basic models.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

Mom's Car

Written by: Maynard on 08/26/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

We have about 1200 miles on this car. About 23 mpg. The 6 speed auto took a little getting used to. 240 hp definitely makes this Merc fly.

Favorite Features

SYNC, Sirius, Michelin Latitude tires, 240 hp, Air Bags, Push button Lift/Tail gate, Power everything, Black Pearl Slate Clearcoat, Leather, Moonroof, 320 watt tunes, Where should I stop?

Suggested Improvements

Headrest tilts too far forward, should have 2 inch receiver hitch and dual exhaust. I would like to see three color taillights (red, amber, clear).

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

From Lexus to Merc

Written by: Gordkeys on 08/13/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

I wanted all wheel drive in a comfortable smaller SUV. I had a lexus sedan and wanted to go American. My wife leased a Mariner recently and is in love with it. I rather liked it more than I thought I would, and found few vehicles that were as functional, comfortable, and well priced as the Merc. Also the 0% financing was a strong motivator. Its surprisingly good, and I don't miss the Japanese competitors. I am hoping to say that in years to come. Go Ford.

Favorite Features

Comfort of the interior, nice layout, good size for 6 foot person, decent gas mpg (25 highway), 20 city, fairly good acceleration, and pretty smooth ride for a suv. The sync is really cool. Sirius radio rules, worth every penny.

Suggested Improvements

Really needs a dead pedal for the left foot, or at least more foot space there. More sound proofing. the engine gives a pretty good "growl" upon accelerating, which some may like, but I'm sure a little soundproofing could fix it. Seats are a little stiff, could use softer leather or padding.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

Mileage/Sync

Written by: Michael on 08/11/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner I4 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

I have driven this vehicle for 2 months and I am very happy with the MPG. I am getting 25 mpg in the city and got 29.5 on my one highway trip. These figures exceed the numbers on the window sticker. Those who worry about performance, you need not. For a four cylinder it is snappy. I think the 6 speed transmission helps .

Favorite Features

The "sync" option is very helpful. My cell phone is bluetooth capable and now I can place and take calls hands free. This really is a safer way to use the phone on the road. One more plus is the ambient lighting. It just looks nice. The capless fuel feature is nice too.

Suggested Improvements

At this time I have no issues to address.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

One Month and Going Strong

Written by: William Koonce on 08/09/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

One month of driving...for what's its worth. I drive a Lincoln...the Mercury is for my wife. The Mercury cabin is quiet on the highway. For an SUV, the ride is incredibly soft, yet possessing none of the roll for a soft, high-sight vehicle. The interior finish is quality, with lines, not gaps. The GPS and all readouts easily show up in reflective sun (something important to me). The vehicle accelerates quickly, possessing power to pass on a hill. The exterior exudes an affluent demeanor. Regarding the platform, I found the “expert” reviews humorous, as some considered the proven platform “old” and in need of an upgrade. Give me a proven mature platform over a young, flashy platform any day!

Favorite Features

My wife likes the looks and ride. She is surprised how much she enjoys SIRIUS and wants me to renew. I will now more after we've driven the vehicle for a year. I might write another review then.

Suggested Improvements

I suppose all cars are going to this, but I dislike that even the passenger can't change the GPS addresses when the car is moving.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post

From Suburban to Mariner

Written by: jbrooksws on 07/16/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mercury Mariner Premier I4 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

We have always had suburbans and decided to go small for insurance and economy. Wanted to go with hybrid, but replacement battery is $8000 and initial car price too high. Really good car. 4 cylinder is OK but look at the gas mileage. Seats are too short for thigh, but heated leather is good. Wish Ford would make 6 way power for all. Averaging 24 mpg in city 28 on highway. No maintenance issues so far and we have 8000 miles on car. We have been to beach and mountains no issue. Have not noticed that car is particularly noisy or that fans are noisy. Have had two or three "clunks" when shifting. Decided I need to come to complete stop before shifting. We would buy again.

Favorite Features

Fuel economy, audio system, heated seats

Suggested Improvements

Seat cushion too short, little buzzy on acceleration, transmission clunk.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

Report inappropriate post