Although the 2009 Mercury Mountaineer may look like a high-end premium SUV, it's actually a stylish version of the rugged Ford Explorer. Mercury's twist, which includes a heavy dose of its trademark vertical-line styling and heavy chrome accents, dresses up the vehicle to near-Lincoln levels of luxury. Best of all, the Mountaineer retains all the beneficial features of the Explorer, including seven-passenger seating, a rugged body-on-frame architecture and all-wheel-drive capability. Toss in the standard Safety Canopy side-curtain airbags and a long list of luxury and entertainment features, and the Mountaineer looks to be quite a bargain.