2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid Road Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published September 25, 2009

3:11 min

Functional, fuel efficient and affordable, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid has many of the qualities that really matter when it comes to five passenger SUVs. The new Mariner is also attractive inside and out as the truck gets a significant makeover for 2008. Mariner customers said they wanted an SUV that was quieter, smoother and could accommodate their handheld MP3 player. The truck hits all those marks plus offers a more deluxe interior. The leather that�s part of the premium package is soft and the new seats are quite comfortable. Most plastics look higher in quality than those found in previous Mariners and the interior overall is a huge improvement. Still, the Mariner is behind its Japanese competition in terms of overall quality. The cargo area is as useful and flexible as any but flipping the seats down and removing the headrests seems unusually complex. Once its all said and done, there�s 66.2 cubic feet of cargo space, some 7.6 cubic feet more than the Mazda CX-7. As Mercury customers demanded, the interior is quieter both around town and on the highway � especially when operating in full electric mode. It�s a comfortable little ute but speed and handling aren�t its strong points. We�re not sure most Mariner Hybrid customers will care but the truck did poorly in our slalom and acceleration tests. It hits 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 10.8 seconds � notably slower than SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 with a V6 buy almost a second quicker than the Saturn Vue Green Line. The Mariner Hybrid snaked its way through the slalom at 58.8 miles per hour � 2 and a half miles per hour slower than the last four wheel drive Hyundai Santa Fe we tested and 5 and half miles per hour slower than Mazda�s all-wheel drive CX-7. But the Mariner hybrid does deliver when it comes to fuel economy. We drove the Mariner almost 900 miles both in the city and on the highway and managed 27 mpg on three of our four fill-ups. On the fourth tank, which was all highway miles, the Mariner produced 32 mpg. That's considerably better combined mileage than the Saturn Vue Green Line so if it's fuel-efficiency you're looking for, the Mariner might be just the ticket. When it comes to hybrid SUVs, there's a relatively limited pool from which to draw. Mercury has strategically positioned the Mariner between the similarly sized Saturn Vue Green Line and the larger Toyota Highlander Hybrid; in terms of both size and cost. Expect to pay about $30,000 for a well equipped all-wheel drive version. Ultimately, the decision boils down to more than just a question of fuel economy. An SUV needs to drive well, haul cargo and people plus be easy to live with. By that standard the Mercury Mariner stacks up nicely against the competition � hybrid or not. Any SUV that�s as functional, efficient and affordable as the Marnier is certainly worth considering. It�s notable fuel-efficiency and low emissions are just a bonus.