The Mercury Mariner Base V6 compact SUV featured new exterior styling and a redesigned interior for 2008. The front-wheel-drive vehicle was powered by a 3.0-liter Duratec V6 engine that produced 200 horsepower. The engine was designed to be fuel-efficient and produce fewer emissions. A four-speed electronic automatic transmission with overdrive was standard.

Standard features for the Mercury Mariner Base V6 included a leather-wrapped steering wheel with speed control, power windows, a message center with compass display, and ice-blue interior lighting, which included lighting for the instrument panel, window switches, door locks, and steering wheel controls.

The interior was also equipped with a satellite-ready AM/FM stereo system with an in-dash CD player and an MP3 input jack.

Other features included a tire pressure monitoring system, front and side curtain airbags, an anti-lock braking system, fog lamps, a keyless entry system, a remote entry system, and a passive anti-theft alarm system.

Power-adjustable exterior mirrors, electric power-assisted steering, and 16-inch six-spoke aluminum wheels were also part of the package.