The front bucket seats are nicely contoured and bolstered, but we found ourselves squirming around in search of a more comfortable zone after only a short stay.
Cruise control buttons are smoothly integrated into the sides of the steering wheel hub. Power window buttons, however, are of the old-school type, i.e., non-child/curious pet-proof. The stereo, too, shouts standard Ford gear; as functional and easy-to-use as its controls are, they don't quite make premium grade in terms of their appearance. The air conditioning is manual and there's no upgrade to automatic climate control available, not even on the Premier. People who don't take advantage of automatic climate controls anyway won't miss this.
The rear seat, even though a split-to-fold 60/40 unit, is essentially a two-piece bench, as in, not the most accommodating for long drives. On the plus side, all five seating positions have three-point belts and adjustable head restraints.
The rear seat folds almost flat, making for commodious cargo space. Tie-down hooks are provided to secure odd-shaped or mobile objects. The rear quarter panel has open storage bins for smaller items. Front seatbacks host map pockets, as do both front doors. The overhead console (which the optional moonroof displaces) has two swing-down bins. The center console has two cupholders and a shallow bin forward of the shift lever.
Where the Mariner loses points is where its target buyers are most likely to notice: insulation from outside annoyances. For the most part, we found it at best only marginally quieter than the Escape, with road noise and tire hiss clearly audible, and noticeable, if barely, wind whistle from the side windows and mirrors. On the redeeming side, fit and finish in the cabin was up to par, with no buzzes, squeaks or rattles. Next Page