2006 Mercury Mariner Convenience Sport Utility 4-door 2.3l Suv Fwd Ford Escape on 2040-cars

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.