Mercury’s first compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) isn’t particularly compact by European standards, but to Americans accustomed to truck-sized SUVs it is small.

Offered with whether 2.3 litre four or perhaps a 3.0 litre V6, with an intelligent four wheel drive traction system, the Mariner is made for weekending in the lakes or even the Hamptons.

Mercury Mariner is not especially fast and come balancing on stilts, however the result of this compromise is predictable handling on the highway with perfectly adequate performance on dirt tracks and across fields. Consistent with its appearance the inside design is quiet and understated, a thing that previous didn’t come easily executed in American SUVs.