2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
Base list prices* $25,955 - $27,705
*See current, detailed pricing on cars.com.
EPA fuel economy 29-34 / 27-30 miles per gallon (city/highway)
Engine 133-hp, 2.3-liter I-4 (gasoline hybrid)
Transmission Continuously variable automatic transmission w/OD
What we like Usable electric-only power, Acceptable highway acceleration, Gas mileage, Relatively affordable price, Quiet ride
What we don't
No electronic stability system, Dashboard quality, Folding backseat, Some common convenience features unavailable, Gasoline engine can idle loudly
The restyled Mercury Mariner is the most expensive in
But there are drawbacks. For example, the updated cabin still feels cheap. The cargo provisions aren't up to snuff, either. Also, an electronic stability system is not offered - something that is a must for any SUV. Hybrid virtues notwithstanding, the Mariner could easily get lost in a tide of strong competitors like the Saturn Vue and
The five-seat Mariner Hybrid comes with front- or all-wheel drive. I drove a front-wheel-drive version.
The 2008 model's drivetrain is mechanically identical to that of the first-generation version. A high-efficiency, 2.3-liter four-cylinder teams with a 70-killowatt electric motor, which draws power from a 330-volt battery pack under the rear cargo floor. Combined output is 155 horsepower. Thanks in part to the motor's prodigious torque - available entirely from a standing start - Ford estimates its zero-to-60 mph acceleration time will match that of the V-6 Mariner. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard.
The Mariner Hybrid can run solely on electric or gasoline power, or a combination of the two. You can drive up to 25 miles per hour in electric mode. In city traffic, there's enough power to move from one stoplight to the next in electric mode without slowing all the cars behind you. Long stretches of open road demand faster acceleration than the electric motor can manage, so don't try to milk it for too long.
Mercury says the hybrid software has been retooled for smoother transitions between electric and gasoline power. Indeed, there is seldom the telltale whump that some hybrids incur when making the transition, though at times the engine can drone loudly as it springs to life. The engine doesn't start only when you've exceeded the electric motor's acceleration limits; it also kicks in during cold starts and whenever the battery needs to be recharged, which it will after a half-mile or so of puttering around in electric mode. Air conditioning, too, requires engine power, though a nifty "econ" button on the dashboard prevents the engine from running solely to cool your brow.
When substantial power is needed, the drivetrain performs well. The engine churns to life and kicks the tachometer up toward 4,000 rpm, where there's sprightly acceleration.
Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes get a hand from the electric motor, which can function as a generator to slow the vehicle and recharge the battery. Incidentally, this means Mariner Hybrids will need fewer brake jobs because the pads aren't used as heavily to slow the vehicle. With optional all-wheel drive, the Mariner Hybrid can transfer up to 100 percent of its power to the rear wheels. Under normal conditions, all power remains up front.
With the EPA's stricter 2008 testing procedures, the front-wheel-drive Mariner Hybrid achieves an estimated 32 mpg in combined city and highway driving. All-wheel-drive models get 28 mpg. By the EPA's count, greenhouse gas emissions are a relatively earth-friendly 5.7 tons per year for front-wheel-drive Mariner Hybrids about as much as a Toyota Yaris.
With a four-wheel-independent suspension tuned for comfort, the Mariner delivers a relatively smooth ride. Mercury says it made a number of modifications, like thicker windows and a more aerodynamic roof, to quell wind and road noise. It shows: At highway speeds, I never needed to crank the stereo.
All Mariners have a new electric power steering system. It saves fuel by ridding the engine of an accessory belt, but it makes for imprecise, artificial-feeling steering. That can be troublesome on the highway, as crosswind corrections feel more like the meandering sort, hardly the stuff of confident handling. Body roll seems about average for a compact SUV.
The previous Mariner was maligned for its interior, which had too many dated controls and cheap plastic surfaces. The new cabin is better, but it still feels low-rent. There are too many rough edges and exposed screw heads, and the metallic plastic around the gearshift is especially wretched. Most of the surfaces are molded plastic attractive from a distance but dingy up close. The center controls offer the most promise, with a new "poke through" design that looks much more integrated than the traditional square cutouts for the stereo and climate systems. The glove compartment is minuscule - it can't even fit the owner's manual - but a mammoth center console makes up for it.
Cloth seats are standard; the leather in my test car could have used a bit more padding, but the upholstery itself felt premium enough. A power driver's seat is standard in the Mariner Hybrid, but it only adjusts the cushion. The backrest has a manual adjuster.
Rear passengers will find plenty of legroom and headroom. The seat cushions are a bit low to the ground, though, so those with long legs will face their knees the whole trip. There is neither a center armrest nor a reclining seatback, amenities many of the Mariner's competitors have managed to include.
All non-hybrid Mariners come with an electronic stability system in the form of Ford's AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control. No such luck with the hybrid. Ford says AdvanceTrac will be offered on the 2009 model, but there were complications engineering the regenerative brakes to work alongside the stability system.
For the time being, Mariner Hybrids have to make do with four-wheel disc brakes and ABS.
Other standard safety features include the mandatory front airbags, as well as side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows. The curtain airbags employ a "roll-fold" technique that deploys them between an occupant's head and the window even if he or she is leaning against the glass. All five seats include head restraints. They extend high enough to protect anyone of average size, but the ones in the rear perch too far back to afford much whiplash protection.
Standard features include power windows, locks, and mirrors, a six-CD stereo, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, cruise control, a power driver's seat, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Options include a moonroof, heated leather seats, and a navigation system. Though they're available in the regular Mariner, steering-wheel audio controls are strangely not offered for the hybrid.
