2002 Mercury Mountaineer Review
2002 Mercury Mountaineer Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Third-row seating, independent rear suspension, powerful engines, wide selection of convenience features, attractive new design inside and out.
Cons
- No Control Trac 4WD option, poor fuel economy with V8, unnecessary taillight protectors come standard.
What’s new
Mercury has overhauled their Mountaineer for model-year 2002 in an attempt to make it more car-like than ever before. Among the improvements are a 2.5-inch wider stance for improved handling and roominess, a new independent rear suspension that improves ride and handling, while at the same time accommodating a standard third row of seats, larger door openings with a lower step-in height, standard six-way power adjustable driver's seat and optional power adjustable pedals. With this year's redesign, Mercury is trying to further differentiate the Mountaineer from its look-alike cousin the Ford Explorer.
Edmunds says
An Explorer wearing a tuxedo, Mountaineer's trump card is its exclusive all-wheel-drive system.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer 2WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A) 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
$269/mo for Mountaineer Base
Mountaineer Base
vs
$201/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV
Vehicle overview
Mercury's Mountaineer debuted several years ago as an upscale version of the best-selling Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicle. The problem was, Ford's Explorer could be just as luxurious as the Mountaineer and, in some cases, was even more expensive. For 2002, Mercury has attempted to further distinguish their sport-ute from the popular Explorer. The result is a fine SUV, with improved handling characteristics and generous feature content.
This near-luxury sport-ute comes with either a 4.0-liter V6 making 210 horsepower or a 4.6-liter V8 pumping out 240 ponies. Both engines come mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The new V8 offers copious and refined power delivery, but unimpressive mileage numbers.
Mountaineer has been redesigned inside and out, and the results are pleasing. Now easily distinguishable from the Explorer from the A-pillars forward, its "New Edge" theme makes use of a satin-finish grille and bold headlamps. Meanwhile, the interior gets satin-aluminum trim accents, lending a distinctive, high-tech flavor to this former Explorer clone.
Improvements to the Mountaineer are much more than cosmetic, however. An all-new independent rear suspension featuring a unique porthole-in-frame design debuts this year. This setup allows the rear floor to drop 7 inches - thereby making room for a third-row seat - while increasing ground clearance to 9.2 inches. At the same time, ride and handling have been dramatically improved. The Mountaineer now feels more stable on the road and exhibits flatter cornering characteristics. A 2.5-inch wider stance improves handling even more, while increasing interior room.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) have also been improved in the 2002 Mountaineer. A 50-percent reduction of air leakage into the truck's cabin and a refined automatic transmission make for a more serene driving environment, although some vibration from the available all-wheel-drive system does intrude through the floor.
New convenience features in the Mountaineer include a standard six-way power adjustable driver's seat, along with optional adjustable pedals, heated front seats and heated exterior mirrors. Among the Mountaineer's new safety features are optional side curtain airbags, a stiffer body shell and a lower front bumper for improved crash compatibility with other vehicles. Later in the model year, rollover protection sensors, and a new AdvanceTrac traction/stability control system will also be available.
The Mountaineer's strengths lie in its feature content, powerful engine choices and improved rear suspension. There are plenty of SUVs on the market, but if you want an Explorer, yet can't stomach the thought of owning the golden retriever of sport-utility vehicles, the Mountaineer just might float your boat.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2002 Mercury Mountaineer.
5 star(42%)
4 star(31%)
3 star(18%)
2 star(8%)
1 star(1%)
118 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3.5 out of 5 stars
2002 Mercury Mountaineer, 4.6L V8, 5-A, AWD.
car_enthusiast, 03/21/2011
2002 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
Wow, after reading so many terrible reviews about this suv, I must say I am a very fortunate owner then. (3rd owner to precise).
My 4.6 has well over 120,000 miles on it and I never had any transmission problems. (Yes, never).
The tranny shifts fast and has good gear ratios which enable this suv to have really quick acceleration. And all of the people that say this car has a terrible … fuel economy probably drive too aggresively.
We took this car out for a very long highway trip and we averaged over 20mpg during the trip and our car had 4-5 people inside, full trunk of heavy bags, and our avg. speed was over 70mph. Mixed Mpg with mostly city driving ranges from low to high teens.
4.38 out of 5 stars
2002, 4.6L V8 AWD model
av8r1x, 07/09/2012
2002 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
217,000 + miles and still going strong! original engine, original transmission.
However, I get regular oil changes, change the air filter regularly, clean the engine once in a while, etc...my only complaints are 1) the engineers who designed this vehicle did not put a governor on the accelerator, and sometimes when you take your foot off and coast, the gears shift down with a "thunk," … instead of gradually, but this doesn't do any harm to the tranny, and 2) i had problems early-on with the vent system in the rear (3rd row seats). it makes a clicking noise sometimes, like the fan motor isn't working.
3.88 out of 5 stars
First car
tylermex, 06/23/2011
2002 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
This was my first car that i have shared with my brother.
it was very easy to drive and pretty fast.
it takes a second to kick into gear but its fast and handles good.
my only main complaints are these:
it is very shaky on the highway, the altinator dies pretty quickly (with car aftermarket audio), and my engine has made squeeky and clicking sounds everynow and then which were minor … fixes.
i am happy to leave this car for a new one only because of the 10mpg city and 17 highway, its rediculous
3.5 out of 5 stars
This car saved my life
anned1993, 06/10/2013
2002 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
Bought this car in 2002, my mother drove it for about 5-6 years and then she gave it to me (19 year old daughter) when I became old enough to drive. Shared it with my siblings on and off for two years. drove it everywhere, had about 110000 miles on it.
Boyfriend was driving the car after a long day of hiking, I was in the passenger seat. He dosed off and swerved across the lane hit a … fire hydrant that tore off the wheel and then hit a pole that sent us upside down. Airbags deployed on impact and we were wearing our seatbelts. We both walked away from the accident with 2 stitches each.
If & when accidents do happen, you want a car that will keep you safe. I thank god for this car.
2002 Mountaineer Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $28,950 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Flex-fuel (ffv) |
Combined MPG | 16 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $269/month |
Seating | 7 seats |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Mountaineer include:
- Alarm
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover2 / 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 – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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