Mercury Mountaineer

Mercury Mountaineer
Overview
Manufacturer	Mercury
Production	1996–2010
Model years	1997–2010
Assembly	Louisville, Kentucky St. Louis, Missouri
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size sport utility vehicle
Body style	5-door SUV
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford Explorer Limited
Successor	Ford Explorer

First generation
1998–2001 Mercury Mountaineer
Overview
Production	1996–2001
Body and chassis
Related	Ford Explorer Ford Ranger Mazda B-Series Ford Explorer Sport Trac Lincoln Aviator
Powertrain
Engine	4.0 L Cologne V6 5.0 L Windsor V8
Transmission	4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1997: 111.5 in (2,832 mm) 1998–2001: 111.6 in (2,835 mm)
Length	1997: 188.5 in (4,788 mm) 1998–99: 190.1 in (4,829 mm) 2000–01: 190.7 in (4,844 mm)
Width	70.2 in (1,783 mm)
Height	1997 2WD: 66.8 in (1,697 mm) 1997 4WD: 66.7 in (1,694 mm) 1998–2001 2WD: 70.5 in (1,791 mm) 1998–2001 4WD: 70.3 in (1,786 mm)

Second generation
Overview
Production	2001–2005
Body and chassis
Platform	Ford U1 platform
Related	Ford Explorer Ford Explorer Sport Trac Lincoln Aviator Ford Ranger
Powertrain
Engine	4.0 L Cologne V6 4.6 L Modular V8
Transmission	5-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2002–03: 113.7 in (2,888 mm) 2004–05: 113.8 in (2,891 mm)
Length	2002–03: 190.7 in (4,844 mm) 2004–05: 190.9 in (4,849 mm)
Width	2002–03: 72.1 in (1,831 mm) 2004–05: 72.3 in (1,836 mm)
Height	2002–03 2WD: 69.6 in (1,768 mm) 2002–03 AWD: 71.5 in (1,816 mm) 2004–05: 72.5 in (1,842 mm)

Third generation
Overview
Production	2005–2010
Body and chassis
Platform	Ford U2 platform
Related	Ford Explorer Ford Explorer Sport Trac Ford Ranger Lincoln Aviator
Powertrain
Engine	4.0 L Cologne V6 4.6 L Modular V-8
Transmission	5-speed 5R55E automatic 6-speed 6R automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113.7 in (2,888 mm)
Length	2006–07: 193.4 in (4,912 mm) 2008–2010: 193.5 in (4,915 mm)
Width	2006–07: 73.5 in (1,867 mm) 2008–2010: 73.7 in (1,872 mm)
Height	72.8 in (1,849 mm)

The Mercury Mountaineer is a mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was sold by Mercury from 1997 until 2010. Sharing many of its features with the Ford Explorer, the vehicles were virtually identical in terms of hardware. Externally, they were styled somewhat differently, and the Mountaineer was positioned with a more upscale interior, with the Mountaineer's MSRP coming in at $1,000–$6,000 more than the Explorer. It was last redesigned for the 2006 model year with a new frame, looking very similar to its previous model.

Some controversy resulted after the media highlighted a number of rollovers involving Explorers and Mountaineers fitted with Firestone tires. The Mountaineer has been praised for its excellent handling and stability. The Mountaineer was never sold in Canada. As part of the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, production of the Mountaineer ended in late 2010.

In 1991, General Motors introduced the Oldsmobile Bravada, largely as a low-cost alternative to the Land Rover Discovery. Sharing the body of the 4-door Chevrolet S10 Blazer, the Bravada was differentiated by upgraded trim and a dedicated all-wheel drive system. For 1993, Jeep revived the long-running Grand Wagoneer nameplate as a wood-grained variant of the newly introduced Grand Cherokee. However, the smaller version only lasted a single year after finding limited sales.

As a response to the Bravada and the Grand Wagoneer, Ford introduced the Explorer Limited in 1993. In contrast to the outdoors-themed Explorer Eddie Bauer, the Limited was geared towards on-road driving; it was fitted with all-wheel drive in place of traditional four-wheel drive. The Limited was also distinguished by monochromatic body trim, body-color bumpers, and chrome wheels. As part of the redesign of the Explorer for 1995, the Limited remained part of the Explorer lineup.

In the mid-1990s, sport-utility vehicles entered into the model lines of Japanese luxury brands, with the introductions of the Acura SLX and Infiniti QX4 (and the larger Lexus LX450)

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