Launched in 2005 on the same platform with the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute, the Mariner was marketed as a premium product in the compact SUV segment.
The 2008 facelift was well-deserved by the Mariner since it survived well over the world economic crisis. Its relatively affordable price for a premium SUV, combined with a big, roomy, interior attracted more customers. And, along with the facelift, the exterior styling was enhanced.

The 2008 Mariner featured bigger headlights and a smaller, but taller, grille. The boxy shape remained, but the raked grille and rounded corners made it more attractive. The powerdome hood had a reverse crease that enhanced the overall look of the car. In the back, the new taillights had four inner lenses and a clear lamp with a red inner lens.

Inside, the Mariner featured various upholstery options, depending on the trim level. For the Premiere, two-tone leather upholstery with Alcantara in the middle and black exterior gave a posh look for the interior. A bigger center console was installed and featured a huge compartment, where a laptop could have fit easily. A new infotainment unit was placed on the center stack. The instrument cluster was redesigned as well, showing clear information.

Like its non-facelifted brother, the Mariner was fitted as standard, on the base trim level, with a front-wheel-drive system. But the engine was upgraded from a 2.3-liter to a 2.5-liter. It was mated as standard to a 5-speed manual. The other engine available was a 3.0-liter upgraded to 240 hp, 40 more than its predecessor. It was mated as standard to a 6-speed auto and it was available with front- or all-wheel-drive. A hybrid version was also available.

Launched in 2005 on the same platform with the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute, the Mariner was marketed as a premium product in the compact SUV segment.
A year later, it was enhanced with a small facelift as a 2007 model.

The Mariner featured more amenities than its Ford and Mazda siblings. Since it was considered as a premium brand, some of its options were not offered for the other two vehicles built on the same platform with it.

On the outside, there were some visual enhancements to the car. The new satin signature waterfall grille was bolder than the one found on the non-facelifted version. Changes were made to the headlights as well. There were a new hood and a raised beltline. The B-pillar was covered with a blackout molding. In the back, the tailgate was redesigned and the taillights featured a clear-glass design over the lamps.

Inside, the Mariner featured various upholstery options, depending on the trim level. For the Premiere, two-tone leather upholstery with Alcantara in the middle and black exterior gave a posh look for the interior. The dashboard was available either in one, or two-tone design, depending on the trim-level.

Like its non-facelifted brother, the Mariner was fitted as standard, on the base trim level, with a front-wheel-drive system. For the entry-level, it was fitted with a 2.3-liter engine paired with a 4-speed automatic. The other engine available was a 3.0-liter that offered 200 hp, the same as the 2005 model. It was mated as standard to a 6-speed auto and it was available with front- or all-wheel-drive. A 153 hp hybrid version was on the offer as well.

The luxurious brother of the Ford Escape was the Mercury Mariner.
It was built on the same platform as Mazda Tribute.

The compact SUV was positioned as a premium vehicle, despite its underpinnings with the Escape. But unlike its blue-oval brother, the Mariner featured a more stylish appearance and it was fitted with better features.

On the outside, the chromed grille with vertical slats between the headlights created a strange impression of a fence. The straight A-pillars were characteristic to a better off-road vehicle, but the standard Mariner came with a front-wheel-drive only. The boxy look of the car was far from the look of a station-wagon and that was good for a premium SUV.

Inside, the Mariner was praised for its roomy interior with seating for five. Its long wheelbase allowed good legroom for the rear passengers. For the base trim level, named Convenience, the Mariner featured cloth seats, but top levels, Luxury, and Premiere were fitted with leather seats either as standard or as an option. The big trunk was among the biggest in its class.

Under the hood, the Mariner started with a 153 hp four-pot engine mated to a standard 4-speed auto and front-wheel-drive. The 3.0-liter V6 was available with either front- or all-wheel-drive. There was a hybrid version as well, which featured better fuel-efficiency.