Mercury Makes Some Changes to the 2010 Mountaineer

The Mercury Mountaineer, Mercury’s version of the midsize Ford Explorer SUV, returns for 2010 with no engine changes.

Base and Premier models come standard with a 4.0-liter SOHC V6. This 12-valve engine is the latest iteration of Ford’s long-lived Cologne V6, developed in the mid-sixties by Ford of Germany. Originally an all-iron pushrod engine, it was updated in 1997 with aluminum heads and overhead camshafts. A jackshaft in the block, located where the camshaft used to reside, drives each cam via a timing chain. This engine is shared with the Ford Explorer, as well as the Ford Ranger, Mazda B-Series, Land Rover LR3, and Ford Mustang. In the Mountaineer, it produces 210 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque.

Optional on Premier models is Ford’s 4.6-liter modular V8. This SOHC engine, shared by the Explorer, Expedition, Mustang, and F-150 pickup, is also a very old design, dating back to 1991. Truck versions of this engine were updated in 2006 with three valves per cylinder and Ford’s Variable Cam Timing system, but they still use a cast-iron block. In the Mountaineer, the 24-valve V8 makes 292 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque.

Critics find both engines more than adequate for the Mountaineer’s weight, although even the V8 fails to match the muscle of newer rivals like the Nissan Armada. In daily commuting, the V8 does not feel dramatically stronger than the V6, although its extra torque gives it the edge for towing, and it is noticeably more refined. Both engines are well muffled, except at full throttle.

With nearly two and a half tons to haul, neither engine is thrifty. Surprisingly, EPA estimates suggest that the V8 is the more economical of the two, thanks mostly to its six-speed automatic; the V6’s automatic has only five speeds. Both engines use regular fuel.