The Mercury Mariner has not been one of Ford's strong sellers. It lacked uniqueness and it really wasn't much different from the Ford Escape. The 2009 Mercury Mariner changes that today.

Ford Motor Company's lack of development cash made itself apparent in the fact that the 2008 Mariner was only half-a-true-revamp. Engines, transmissions, and many chassis components were carried over from 2007. In summary, the 2008 Mariner was a step in the right direction, but didn't really stand out as a complete model changeover.

Great news; the 2009 Mercury Mariner completes the model freshening started in 2008. This model has the powertrain and chassis upgrades that were so missed last year. Without being snotty, this is a genuine case of better late than never.

In terms of styling, inside and out the 2009 Mercury Mariner is the same as 2008, and that's not a bad thing. The upright exterior design still looks fresh. Inside, upgraded materials and appointments (compared to 2007) surround the two-tiered instrument panel. The blue-green instrument lighting is so easy to read that your author who suffers from visual color impairment (ed.; have you seen his wardrobe?) wishes all gauge clusters featured the same illumination and color schemes. The front seats are comfortable, and the view out the little SUV is well above sedan-roof height. The rear seats are livable, but the bottom cushions are a bit short for adults. Folding the rear seats is also a bit convoluted, taking three steps to go completely flat and leaving you nowhere to store the rear headrests. Read full review HERE!