Review Car

2011 Mercury Mountaineer

Completely re-engineered for 2011, Mercury Mountaineer boasts a new frame, a new independent rear suspension, a new front suspension, new steering, new seating formats, and a raft of new standard and optional features. Mechanically, the Mountaineer shares its structure and most of its major components with the Ford Explorer. It’s the Mountaineer’s adventurous, architectural look that sets it apart. While the Explorer almost seems designed to blend into the suburban wallpaper, the Mountaineer demands more attention. It points the way to Mercury’s future, while paying homage to Mercury’s heritage of styling innovation.

All 2011 Mercury Mountaineer come with a wide-ratio five-speed automatic transmission. All have seating for seven, using a third seat that folds completely flat to make room at the rear for large cargo. All Mountaineers are built to a relatively high specification, with power windows, mirrors and locks, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, and a Class II receiver hitch for towing.

The 2011 Mercury Mountaineer grew larger last year, to accommodate both the third seat and the new independent rear suspension system. It is a brawny beast, its size tempered by its waterfall grille design, multi-element headlamps, and lots of matte aluminum exterior trim, including horizontal cages around the taillamp assemblies. Our test vehicle was painted in a Mineral Grey clearcoat metallic, with a light gray lower accent panel and a matte black roof rack, very pleasing to our eye, and enhancing its postmodern industrial design. The exterior graphics are all straightforward, businesslike block letters. That the Mountaineer is attractive is a good thing because it is expected to represent the design direction Mercury is taking with its future products. The Luxury Preferred Equipment Package adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, power for the passenger seat, memory for the driver’s seat and pedals a message center, dual automatic temperature control, audiophile stereo with a six-CD changer, steering-wheel mounted climate and audio controls, electrochromic heated mirrors, painted running boards and 245/65R17 all-terrain tires.

The 4.6-liter V8 has a lovely intake roar at full throttle, yet is supremely smooth and quiet. It works well with the five-speed automatic transmission to move this 4500-pound machine effortlessly over flat territory. Here it’s best to lock out the overdrive fifth, and let the engine rev a little higher in fourth on the way up a long hill. Hook up a trailer and you’ll know it’s back there when you head up a long grade. The 2011 2011 Mercury Mountaineer separates you and your companions from noise and intrusions caused by the road surface, but it doesn’t totally disengage you from the driving experience. The Premier Package includes all that, plus a monochromatic exterior with satin aluminum trim, Safety Canopy air bags, a reverse-sensing system and a power moonroof. The moonroof is available as a stand-alone option .The rear seat entertainment system is a new option for 2011 that includes an overhead DVD player and a pull-down seven-inch color screen. The system comes with two wireless headphones, remote control and a universal jack. 2011 Mercury Mountaineer’s expressive design is refreshing in a sea of comparatively faceless SUVs. If a seven-passenger sport utility can be pretty or even beautiful, this is the one.