Mercury Mountaineer MPG by year — every rating on record

The Mercury Mountaineer has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 14 model years, from 1997 to 2010. Across those years its best rated version returned 17 mpg (2001) and its thirstiest returned 14 mpg (1997). The EPA record holds 61 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD / Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD.

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Mercury Mountaineer placed highest in 1999 at #21 of 29, and lowest in 2010 at #71 of 80. It spent 0 of its 14 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 61 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 3 of 4 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

What Mountaineer fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer burns 676 to 767 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

EPA’s own estimate for the 2010 model year is $3,650 to $4,150 a year in fuel, or $7,000 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD

Across the 140 nameplates EPA classifies as Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, the median best combined rating is 22 mpg. At 17 mpg the Mercury Mountaineer is 5 mpg below the median, which is worth about $538 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

• All Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.

Other Mercury nameplates

Every Mercury model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.