2010 Mercury Mountaineer

Look over your shoulder in a shopping mall parking lot and you'll spy plenty of "cute utes,” those adorable little car based crossover SUVs. They seem like they're everywhere but, believe it or not, there are some folks who require a truck-based SUV to drive for more than a quick trip to the local mall or grocery store. And if you intend to get dirty off road or haul something substantial with your SUV then you know exactly what we're talking about. Plenty of today's popular crossovers, those based upon what is essentially front-wheel-drive passenger-car underpinnings, can do those chores to a certain degree, but to haul a big trailer, carry a heavy load, or mix it up off-road (or possibly accomplish all three at once) then you have to rethink your options.

Family Ties

One SUV that can get the job done, and do it with a huge amount of style is the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer, available at Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL. It's no secret the Mountaineer is based upon Ford's Explorer. And Ford's Explorer is, for all intents and purposes, primarily based upon truck chassis hardware. Mercury's version is more luxurious than its Ford counterpart. It features more creature comforts and amenities, and is offered with all-wheel drive.

Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL offers two different versions of the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer, a 210-horsepower V6-powered entry-level model and an upscale Mountaineer Premier model available with a 292 horsepower V8. The V8 is optional on the Premier AWD, and unavailable on the standard Mountaineer. V6 models can be specified with two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. V8 models come equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission while six-cylinder versions are fitted with a five-speed automatic. Both can be equipped with the Trailer Tow Upgrade Package – up to and including a stout 7040-pound capacity version for AWD V8 models.

As you probably expected, there's a difference in trim levels between the base and the Premier models. Both come equipped with a considerable laundry list of standard equipment and available options. Some of these features include Mercury's much applauded available SYNC® voice-activated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system, available seven-passenger seating system (something seven full-size adults can actually use), Mercury's standard AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control), an adaptive, intelligent stability system, available rear seat entertainment system and a wide array of seating arrangements (cloth, leather trimmed, split bench center row, seats with memory features, and so on). And those features only skim the surface.

Performance and Capability

While the standard feature list coupled with an extensive optional equipment list prove considerable, what really interests drivers is the performance and capability of the upscale V8- powered, AWD Premier 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL. It’s in the dirt roads where the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL makes its mark. The all-wheel drive coupled with Mercury's AdvanceTrac with RSC make trailer towing, even in poor conditions a breeze. Equally important, the flat load space in the rear of the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL provides plenty of room for fishing, boating, camping gear, or whatever you choose to throw at it.

On the straight and narrow, the Mountaineer tows as well as a two-wheel-drive pickup, but pampers drivers in the process. Where a pickup tends to wallow a bit in the turns, the AWD Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL is more planted. Sure it has pickup-based architecture, but it also incorporates a fully independent suspension arrangement. Based upon a trailing arm layout, the IRS package is designed so that each half-shaft passes through a window in each frame rail. This allows for a lower ride height (in comparison to a 4x4) that translates into a lower center of gravity and, thus, improved handling. As mentioned earlier, the ride "tune" is set up softer than that found on the similar Explorer platform.

Inside Edition

Open a door on a 2010 Mercury Mountaineer at Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL and you'll quickly forget this thing offers great towing and back road potential. Inside, the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL is dressed more like a luxury sedan than an SUV. Case-in-point: The full feature bucket seats are trimmed in leather and include a memory feature. The pedals are power-adjustable with memory feature. You simply set the accelerator and brake pedals to your liking then save the positions into one of the two memory settings. The steering wheel is appropriately leather-wrapped and is fitted with secondary controls for the audio system as well as cruise control functions. The center instrument panel stack includs the optional navigation system (available in addition to Premier package) along with primary audio and dual zone climate system controls.

The 2010 Mercury Mountaineer Premier, available at Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL incorporates Mercury's premium sound system – 190 watts of maximum output linked to seven strategically located speakers and a huge eight-inch subwoofer. It's also MP3-capable, but you may seldom feel the need for packaged tunes since the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL offers 130 channels of SIRIUS® Satellite Radio. The center console includes a pair of large cup holders but, more important, it also includes the six-speed automatic gearshift lever along with a comfortable elbow-level armrest. Beneath the armrest is a healthy storage compartment.

One short test drive and you will see that the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer from Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL is a loaded up package. But equally important is that it's one SUV that hasn't forgotten its roots: It's designed to work on- and off-road, with or without loads, and with or without trailers attached.

For details or to schedule a test drive of the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer, contact Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury in St. Augustine, FL today and discover why Bozard Ford Lincoln Mercury continues to be the leader in new car and used car sales serving St. Augustine, Orange Park, Daytona, Palatka and the greater Jacksonville, Florida area.

Source: [MercuryVehicles.com]

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