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2005 Mercury Mariner Preview
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| More car than truck |
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Available with either front- or four-wheel-drive, the 2005 Mercury Mariner is expected to behave much like the Ford Escape when it comes to ride and handling, meaning it will be fun to drive and handle more like a car than a truck, thanks in part to its four-wheel-independent suspension. The Mariner's available 4WD system automatically transfers torque from the front wheels to the rear wheels when slippage is detected. Standard equipment includes a 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Available is a 200-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6. For increased safety, seat-mounted side impact airbags and side curtain airbags with rollover protection are optional. Prices have not been announced, but expect the standard Mercury Mariner to start just north of $21,000 with loaded versions closing in on $30,000. Given the Mariner's upscale styling details and its basis upon the fundamentally sound Ford Escape, this Mercury has a good shot at success, bridging a gap that exists between loaded versions of the Toyota RAV4 and basic editions of the BMW X3 2.5i. Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
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About Christian Wardlaw
Christian Wardlaw joined Autobytel's Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, and current serves as Manager of Content Development for Autobytel. Previously, Christian spent eight years as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Christian is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Christian has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in English. His daily drivers include a 1994 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and a 2005 Nissan Murano.
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