|
Mercury Mariner joins line as a car-based crossover wagon
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
|
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Our first glimpse of Mercury's Mariner sport-utility wagon occurs under the leafy shade of Cesar de Chavez Park in downtown San Jose.
The new vehicle, looking elegant in a sculptured package with crisp lines and a distinctive prow trimmed in smooth satin-finish aluminum, is parked at the Mission Street curb with a valet holding the key fob and an open door for us.
We slip into the driver's seat and buckle the belt, finding a stylish interior featuring soft leather upholstery in two-tone shades and a bold but clean design of the dash marked by more slabs of satin-finish aluminum trim.
Then we drive away in the morning traffic.
We turn onto San Carlos Street in a multi-lane mix and head west for Route 17 toward Los Gatos and California's Coastal Range for some drive tests on wiggly mountain roads.
Why take this SUV -- typically, a lumbering hulk erected on the platform of a pickup truck and not well suited for agile maneuvers -- and test it like a sport-tuned car on a spaghetti-noodle route?
We seek a twisty road for drive tests in Mariner not because we want to wrestle with a SUV but because Mariner is not the typical lumbering SUV.
You see, its DNA comes from a car, not a truck.
Mercury's new wagon rides on the chassis of a front-wheel-drive (FWD) car rather than the conventional wagon's rear-wheel-drive (RWD) truck platform.
A generous wheelbase length of 103.1 inches and a broad wheel track set up a long and wide foundation for stability when turning. And, unlike some wagons with a solid rear truck axle and crude leaf springs, Mariner carries independent suspension components -- with front struts and a multi-link design in back -- that makes the ride smooth.
As a result, Mariner promises the easy-to-drive manners of a nice sedan.
It's called a crossover vehicle because it crosses the line between SUV and car -- one that looks like a sleek SUV but functions like a family-friendly minivan and drives like an easy-riding sedan.
Core structure and mechanical components come out of Ford's best-selling Escape wagon, but the crisp design for the exterior package and the chic treatment of the cabin are unique to Mercury.
With wheels pushed to corners of the platform and curt space left for front and rear overhangs, Mercury's wagon projects an aggressive stance underscored by a strong chin and forceful prow dressed in the satin-finish metal.
The bold face features Mercury's vertical-bar grille and corner cluster headlamps set above squares of foglamps.
Base of the body becomes a thick monochromic band consisting of front and back bumpers, side cladding and flared wheel moldings. Prow and windshield rake rearward in a flush aerodynamic sweep, with sides showing strong shoulders and tall windows bowed to the rolled roof.
The tail also bows through the wide liftgate inset with a flip-up window.
Mariner's broad and long superstructure sets up a passenger compartment of generous space with many amenities aboard for comfort.
Designers managed to drop the cabin floor but still maintain a reasonable chassis height for ground clearance. As a result, you don't have to hike up to climb aboard, but simply slip in sideways like you would enter a sedan.
A pair of bucket seats mount up front on either side of a floor console, the bench on the second row provides room for three with a backrest that folds down to enlarge the cargo area, and that back bay with rear gate access has more useful space because a spare tire tucks beneath the floor.
The wagon divides into three equipment grades -- Convenience, Luxury and Premier, the latter with luxury touches and leather seats.
Base edition Mariner Convenience stocks an economical four-cylinder engine, Ford's Duratec 23.
With aluminum block and heads, the plant displaces 2.3 liters and makes 153 hp at 5800 rpm and a torque rating of 152 lb-ft at 4250 rpm.
Luxury and Premier editions upgrade to V6 power.
The 3.0-liter V6 -- dubbed Duratec 30 -- generates 200 hp at 6000 rpm plus torque of 193 lb-ft at 4850 rpm.
An electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transaxle works with either engine.
All three trim variations offer the option of all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction.
The AWD mechanism is a smart traction system that distributes the engine's power between front and rear wheels selectively as changing conditions of road or trail may warrant -- the intent is to maintain a firm tire grip no matter what happens on pavement or dirt.
On dry pavement, all of the engine's power goes to the front wheels that also steer.
Having the front wheels both turn and steer -- when combined with a stiff unitized structure and lively suspension -- makes the Mariner uncommonly agile, but that's the big idea.
Mariner's unibody structure serves as the first line of defense for passengers, surrounded by a safety cage rigged with force-deflecting energy management zones fore and aft plus reinforced side panels and doors.
Front riders have dual two-stage frontal air bags plus seatbelts with load-limiting retractors and buckle pretensioners, while in the rear there are anchors to tether a child's safety seat.
Curtain-style air bags for front and back rows are also available.
Equipment promoting active safety includes rack and pinion steering and brakes tied to an anti-lock brake system (ABS) and quick brake assist (QBA).
Another safety option is Ford's reverse sensing equipment, which works with sensors in the rear bumper to detect solid objects in the reverse path of the wagon, then alert the driver through high-decibel audio beeps.
The list of equipment is extensive, beginning on Mariner Convenience with 16-inch aluminum wheels, cloth seats, air conditioning and power controls for windows and door locks, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry with keypad on driver's door, and a stereo kit with CD deck.
Expect MSRP figures to run up from $21,405 for FWD or $23,155 for AWD.
|
| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2005 MERCURY MARINER Specs |
| Description: |
Compact crossover wagon |
| Model Options: |
Compact crossover wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
103.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
174.3 inches |
| Engine Size: |
I4: DOHC 2.3-L I4, V6: DOHC 3.0-L V6 |
| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
FWD, AWD |
| Braking: |
I4: Power disc/drum ABS/QBA, V6: Power 4-disc ABS/QBA |
| Airbags: |
2 (front) plus opt. 4 (side curtain) |
| Towing Capacity: |
I4: 1500 pounds, V6: 3500 pounds |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4 FWD: 22/26 mpg, I4 AWD: 20/24 mpg, V6 FWD: 20/25 mpg, V6 AWD: 18/23 mpg |
| Price: |
Conven. FWD: $ 21,405, Conven. AWD: $23,155, Luxury FWD: $22,905, Luxury AWD: $24,655, Premier FWD: $24,655, Premier AWD: $26,408 |
|
|
