Mercury Mountaineer mirrors tag as tough sport-utility wagon
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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High on a snow-coated slope in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Mercury's new sport-utility wagon steered straight on slippery surfaces to demonstrate that optional all-wheel traction instills confidence for a driver due to sure-footed control in motion.
With a big V8 engine packed beneath its tapered hood, this wagon also revealed it can pull a hefty load of people and their gear, but still provide a big kick when passing.
And on the inside, Mercury's SUV piles on the comforts, including optional bucket seats coated in leather.
The ride quality feels plush, like some cushy sedan.
Then we turned off the paved route to plow a steep uphill path through snow, mud and gravel -- messy places where the typical sedan cannot proceed. Deep ruts cut into crusty snow failed to daunt the Mercury as it eventually topped out over a high pass with spectacular view framing two of Colorado's tallest peaks.
The vehicle deftly transporting a test driver up that mountain wears an appropriate label: Mountaineer.
For car dealers who promote the Mercury brand, Mountaineer represents a new venture into the increasingly popular realm of sport-utility vehicles, which combine comfort features of a sedan with transport options of a wagon and the go-anywhere attitude of a 4x4 truck.
But to create Mountaineer, designers in the Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company looked no further than the best-selling sport-ute -- Ford's Explorer.
Whereby Explorer offers 2-door and 4-door variations, a choice of V6 or V8 horsepower and many different trim packages, Mountaineer comes to market as strictly a plushly appointed 4-door wagon that totes Ford's big 5.0-liter V8.
Full-time all-wheel-drive, which channels power to the tires with traction, is one of only several options.
Externally, Mountaineer distinguishes itself from the Explorer in subtle ways, such as the new front grillework with vertical chrome strips reflecting Mercury's emblem.
Running boards have been added below rocker rails to give passengers an extra step when entering or exiting the wagon, and color-keyed bodyside moldings -- designed to shield Mountaineer from dints and dings of road debris -- wrap the sides.
Mountaineer's overall shape features a sloped front hoodline and aerodynamically rolled corners, blackout trim around all windows to de-emphasize individual glass sections and a forward-canted rear window which suggests fluidity for a body in motion.
Underpinnings of body-on-frame construction begin with heavy-gauge steel forming a rigid boxed chassis, to which front independent suspension components are attached, with short/long arm arrangement and torsion bar, plus gas-pressurized hydraulic shock absorbers.
In the rear, Mountaineer gets a sturdy 2-stage leaf spring with stability bar added to prevent lateral sway.
Quick-response rack and pinion steering utilizes hydraulic power assistance for effortless action.
And for stopping this hefty wagon, which tips the scales at more than two tons, Mountaineer wears a big disc brake at each corner, with all linked to computer-controlled anti-lock system.
One of its best assets can be found beneath the front hood: Ford's iron-block 5.0-liter V8, a welcomed addition this year to Explorer's line, becomes Mountaineer's exclusive engine selection.
It's a powerful package, producing 210 hp.
In addition, the engine's torque output climbs to 275 lbs/ft, making this a strong package if pulling a trailer.
The plant connects to Ford's smooth-to-shift 4-speed electronic automatic transmission with overdrive gearing.
In highway tests on mountain grades a shift-it-yourself driver occasionally played with the column-mounted gear lever to move into lower gears and retard Mountaineer's downhill progress, yet there was really no need because the quiet transmission will do all of the shifting by itself, if that's the driver's desire.
During my Colorado tests, I steered a Mountaineer up a 4-lane freeway, then played pass-and-follow with slower traffic on a narrow dual-lane blacktop path which wound through a river canyon.
The ultimate test came when pushing up hairpin turns on a high mountain pass, as any vehicle suffers from stress of thin air at altitude where pavement slopes quicken.
Yet Mountaineer zipped beyond slower vehicles and virtually leaped over that high Rocky Mountain hump. It delivered no-fear passing, even in that rare high altitude.
Mercury's wagon plies power to rear wheels in standard version. For dry pavement and typical city streets, it's predictable and entirely adequate.
If you must contend with long winters and slippery pavement conditions, however, the optional all-wheel-drive provides a reasonable solution to ensure tires remain rooted to the surface they're rolling across.
With Mountaineer's 4-wheel-drive, the system stays permanently engaged -- you never face the decision of when to shift from 4x2 to 4x4 traction.
Under normal conditions, a mechanical device applies engine torque to all wheels, with 65 percent diverted to the rear and 35 percent up front. However, the viscous coupling can transfer as much as 90 percent of this torque to front wheels when needed to maintain traction on slippery stuff.
It's an automatic function -- the driver never worries about which tires get power.
This effortless attitude becomes a theme of Mountaineer with plush interior features and an array of safety systems.
Dual airbags, 3-point safety belts, steel safety cage and 4-wheel anti-lock brakes score among safety elements.
Seating choices begin with standard and premium cloth covering captain chairs, or optional 6-way power sport bucket seats and the leather upholstery.
Premium audio equipment and a sunroof are available.
Mountaineer's prices -- in a range that clusters around $30,000 -- are certainly not the lowest in class but equate to good value due to the quality of features provided.
1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER
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| 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact SUV wagon |
| Model Options: |
Compact SUV wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
111.5 inches |
| Overall Length: |
188.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 5.0-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Rear, AWD |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
17/21 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 28,500 to $ 35,000 |
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