With a few extras tacked on, our tester’s sticker price was $39,165 (including freight), but that included just about everything available. It comes with the same new 4.6-liter V-8 as the Explorer, as well as the new six-speed automatic transmission introduced last year – a first in this market segment where the standard had become a five-speed automatic.
#Mercury mountaineer plus
Our test vehicle, though, was a bit more pricey, as we had the Premier model with the optional V-8 engine and fulltime all-wheel drive (base price $33,840 plus $695 freight). The higher price of the Mountaineer reflects the extra content that is not included in the entry model Explorer. The starting price is about $3,000 more than that of a base Explorer. Ford says this engine was improved last year to deliver better fuel efficiency and lower tailpipe emissions without any loss of power.
It uses the same 4.0-liter V-6 engine that powers the base Explorer, rated at 210 horsepower.Īs in the Explorer, the V-6 engine is connected to a five-speed automatic transmission. The base Mountaineer begins just under $28,000. The Mountaineer continues on the same chassis as the Explorer and is essentially just a dressed-up version of Ford’s long-running sport utility vehicle. The Premier model is available with either a V-6 or a V-8 engine, while the base model comes with only the V-6.
Both are offered with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Two versions of this midsize sport utility are offered for 2007 – the base Mountaineer and the Premier model, which we tested. When the doors are opened, these running boards, which were included on our test vehicle, come out automatically. New amenities for 2007 beyond the safety features include an optional GPS navigation system and power-operated running boards ($695), which give passengers an easy way to step into or out of the vehicle. This feature is designed to help prevent a rollover accident in the first place – always the better option than trying to survive an accident of this sort. The vehicle also comes with electronic stability control system, made standard last year. The side curtain air bags offer great protection to the vehicle’s occupants in the event of a rollover. When the Ford Explorer was significantly upgraded for 2006, the similar Mercury Mountaineer was given the same treatment, bringing both of these popular SUVs up to date.įor 2007, there are some additional improvements, including the addition of Ford’s Safety Canopy side-curtain air bags as standard equipment, an important safety feature in a large sport utility as this.