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TEST DRIVE
Renewed excitement for Mercury Mountaineer
2006 midsize SUV offers redesigned interior with upgraded luxury options
Sport utility vehicles continue to struggle for sales and political correctness in the United States. But some --- the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer, for example --- manage to come with features that woo buyers without being blatantly offensive.
The recently tested all-wheel drive Mountaineer Premier, for instance, is neither too big (it's a midsize SUV) to warrant a gas-guzzler tax nor festooned with so much bling-bling that it riles the PC crowd.
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2006 Mercury Mountaineer
(click on photo to enlarge)
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What the Premier does very well is use a Ford Explorer platform and some luxury features borrowed from Lincoln to emerge in showrooms as a truly family friendly, reasonably priced SUV.
The Mountaineer can handle up to seven people. It can take on moderately severe driving conditions (all-wheel drive and rear-drive versions are offered).
And it has enough people and cargo room to permit its owners to think they made the right decision in not opting for a van.
Mountaineer prices start at about $30,000 and range up through eight trim/equipment levels before peaking with the $35,500 base price for the tested Premier. It totaled $40,155 after some choice options and a $645 delivery fee were added.
Only two engines and two transmissions are offered, and the test Mountaineer had the preferred drivetrain --- a 292-hp V-8 with 300 pounds-feet of torque mated to a six-speed, driver-selectible automatic transmission.
The milder drivetrain features a 210 hp V-5 with 254 pounds-feet of torque hooked to a five-speed automatic.
The test Premier provided plenty of power around town, on the expressway and on the interstate.
As expected, the ride was oriented more toward comfort than the stiff muscularity that encourages off-road high jinks.
For the typically upscale Mercury buyer, the Premier's serious appeal begins to show when you open a door and the running board slides out to facilitate entry or exit. Both young and old passengers appreciated that courtesy.
The new-for-'06 interior, upgraded with options, provided typical Mercury comforts --- leather, dual zone climate control system, a navigation system and an ear-pleasing stereo.
Nice touches included power-adjustable pedals, automatic headlamps, a rear obstacle alert system for when the Mountaineer is backing up, a trip computer and good visibility, thanks to upright seating positions (new seats) and lots of glass.
Options, obviously, can make the Mountaineer as comfortable and as easy to use as larger and pricier SUVs from the domestic and import manufacturers.
And if cachet counts, Mercury has always offered everything that Ford does with a touch of cachet for those who want more than just utility.
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