Mercury Mountaineer here......I absolutely love it! Here are some of the reasons I absolutely love my truck....
I can haul pretty much everything with it.
I get 16 miles to the gallon with it and we can pull our camper (28') with it and get 13.5 miles pulling it....love it!
I can drop the 2nd and 3rd row seating down for things I want to cram inside the truck.
I can easily get 8 ft. boards in through the back and close the hatch without clocking myself in the head with wood while driving.
I've loaded up the back with stones several times only to have to vacuum and pledge out the scuff marks. You'd never know that I've hauled loads of pumpkin size stones in there.....
It's a real smooth ride and maintenance has been practically nothing.
Another reason I love it is the ability to pull into a parking space in one try....you know, not being able to turn the "bus" enough to get it in the parking space, therefore backing up, and realigning to get the entire vehicle in (hate that with my in-laws truck).
I can pull a U-ey in the middle of the street in one shot too!
Driving in the snow is a breeze-for a nervous nellie like me that's a HUGE plus! (all wheel drive)
LOVE the heated seats in the winter (who doesn't)
I recently got rear-ended and let me tell you...that truck is solid!!
The first one we bought used and drove to 278,000 miles and SOLD it! The guy we sold it to replaced the entire engine and is still driving it!
Second one we drove to 225,000 and then converted it to the mobile command unit for the swift water/dive rescue team for the county! Big enough to change into wet suits in the back and can store gear and tow the boat! Seriously pimped it out, lights loud speaker, winch, etc..... LOVED IT!! Eventually we transferred title to the firehouse.
Third one was actually stolen. We did not know it was stolen when we bought it. What a hassle that turned out to be. We bought it from a dealer who took the hit on the cost. Had 78,000 on it when we bought it, much more luxurious that the other two!
Have driven Hummers (waste of money, lousey visibility and cannot hold as much cargo or people as the suburban.
Drove a rented Toyota 4 runner for a week. It was nice and drove well, but it hated our driveway! The suburban doesn't seem to notice out 29 degree grade!!
Suburban!! Check consumer reports for the year! As with any vehicle a great car can still have a bad year model, but go suburban those things run until the engine falls out.