2001 Mercury Mountaineer review from North America

I have had absolutely nothing go wrong with this mid sized SUV. I have done nothing, but change the oil every 3,000 miles and was diligent with the upkeep on routine maintenance. It starts every time, extremely dependable. No surprises. This is the best car I have ever owned. I can't say enough good things about it.

My only very minor complaint is that even though the seats have every conceivable adjustment mechanism to make them extra comfortable, I just can't seem to get them comfortable enough to make my back stop hurting. No one else that has ever driven this vehicle has had the same complaint though, and in fact, say the seats are very supportive and comfortable.

It is very powerful and will blow the doors off most sedans and all the full size SUV's. It's so fast off the line that I am thrown back against the seat and have to be careful not to break traction since it is only a 2 wheel drive.

It does poorly in the snow, due to the heavy engine and rear wheel drive. It will slide all over the place. But last winder I simply stopped at the nearest hardware store and loaded up the back with approximately 20 large cinder blocks. Viola! Problem solved and the rear wheels really dug in.

It does have a wide turning radius so while making a U-turn you might find yourself in a position where you may have to back up. Instead, I usually opt to just bump up the curb (no problem doing this or even bumping over the medium strip in an emergency (I don't recommend that anyone do this).