Mercury's Mountaineer debuted several years ago as an upscale version of the  best-selling Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicle.
The problem was, Ford's  Explorer could be just as luxurious as the Mountaineer and, in some cases,  was even more expensive.
For 2002, Mercury has attempted to further  distinguish their sport-ute from the popular Explorer.
The result is a fine  SUV, with improved handling characteristics and generous feature content.
This near-luxury sport-ute comes with either a 4.0-liter V6 making 210  horsepower or a 4.6-liter V8 pumping out 240 ponies.
Both engines come mated  to a five-speed automatic transmission.
The new V8 offers copious and refined  power delivery, but unimpressive mileage numbers.
Mountaineer has been redesigned inside and out, and the results are pleasing.
Now easily distinguishable from the Explorer from the A-pillars forward, its  "New Edge" theme makes use of a satin-finish grille and bold headlamps.
Meanwhile, the interior gets satin-aluminum trim accents, lending a  distinctive, high-tech flavor to this former Explorer clone.
Improvements to the Mountaineer are much more than cosmetic, however.
An  all-new independent rear suspension featuring a unique porthole-in-frame  design debuts this year.
This setup allows the rear floor to drop 7 inches -  thereby making room for a third-row seat - while increasing ground clearance  to 9.2 inches.
At the same time, ride and handling have been dramatically  improved.
The Mountaineer now feels more stable on the road and exhibits  flatter cornering characteristics.
A 2.5-inch wider stance improves handling  even more, while increasing interior room.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) have also been improved in the 2002  Mountaineer.
A 50-percent reduction of air leakage into the truck's cabin and  a refined automatic transmission make for a more serene driving environment,  although some vibration from the available all-wheel-drive system does  intrude through the floor.
New convenience features in the Mountaineer include a standard six-way power  adjustable driver's seat, along with optional adjustable pedals, heated front  seats and heated exterior mirrors.
Among the Mountaineer's new safety  features are optional side curtain airbags, a stiffer body shell and a lower  front bumper for improved crash compatibility with other vehicles.
Later in  the model year, rollover protection sensors, and a new AdvanceTrac  traction/stability control system will also be available.
The Mountaineer's strengths lie in its feature content, powerful engine  choices and improved rear suspension.
There are plenty of SUVs on the market,  but if you want an Explorer, yet can't stomach the thought of owning the  golden retriever of sport-utility vehicles, the Mountaineer just might float  your boat.

Mountaineer vs. Explorer, per Edmunds.com
