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2008 Mercury Mariner Safety Review

November 5, 2008

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Five stars, front and side impact protection; three stars, rollover rating
NHTSA

a side-impact protection system consisting of several components
Autoblog

Safety features have been upgraded substantially for 2008
Automotive.com

The 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid gets good marks for safety due to high test scores, but the lack of an electronic stability system is a surprising omission.

Cars.com says stability control “will be offered on the 2009 model, but there were complications engineering the regenerative brakes to work alongside the stability system.”

While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008 excellent (five out of five stars) ratings on front and side impact protection, unsurprisingly the SUV did not fare as well in rollover resistance tests, scoring only three stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not tested the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid.

Automotive.com notes that many "safety features have been upgraded substantially for 2008, making equipment that was previously optional standard across the board, and raising the benchmark for small sport-utilities." Autoblog reports that the Mercury Mariner Hybrid "has as standard safety equipment a side-impact protection system consisting of several components," including "Ford's Safety Canopy side air curtains," which "provide head and neck protection for the first- and second-row passengers, and side impact airbags deploy out of the upper portion of the front seats to protect the upper and lower torso of the driver and passenger." The Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008 also features "occupant friendly door trims with softened armrests, side impact foam bolsters and intrusion door beams that distribute the loading during an impact to the hinge and B pillars."

Fortunately, visibility is not an issue in the Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008; according to ConsumerGuide, it offers "fine all-around visibility."

Conclusion

The 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid offers good protection in event of collision; stability control is not offered, though.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Five stars, front and side impact protection; three stars, rollover ratingNHTSAa side-impact protection system consisting of several componentsAutoblogSafety features have been upgraded substantially for 2008Automotive.com The 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid gets good marks for safety due to high test scores, but the lack of an electronic stability system is a surprising omission. Cars.com says stability control “will be offered on the 2009 model, but there were complications engineering the regenerative brakes to work alongside the stability system.” While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008 excellent (five out of five stars) ratings on front and side impact protection, unsurprisingly the SUV did not fare as well in rollover resistance tests, scoring only three stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not tested the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Automotive.com notes that many "safety features have been upgraded substantially for 2008, making equipment that was previously optional standard across the board, and raising the benchmark for small sport-utilities." Autoblog reports that the Mercury Mariner Hybrid "has as standard safety equipment a side-impact protection system consisting of several components," including "Ford's Safety Canopy side air curtains," which "provide head and neck protection for the first- and second-row passengers, and side impact airbags deploy out of the upper portion of the front seats to protect the upper and lower torso of the driver and passenger." The Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008 also features "occupant friendly door trims with softened armrests, side impact foam bolsters and intrusion door beams that distribute the loading during an impact to the hinge and B pillars." Fortunately, visibility is not an issue in the Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2008; according to ConsumerGuide, it offers "fine all-around visibility." ConclusionThe 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid offers good protection in event of collision; stability control is not offered, though. 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID STYLING | [8 out of 10] Autoblog: "the Mariner's front fascia takes the brunt of the redesign" Automotive.com: "a more understated, slightly more upscale look" Cars and Driver: "changes include a new mix of materials with 'satin pewter' trim" Most reviews ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2008 Mercury Mariner is superior to the 2007 models. This keeps it competitive with the Chevrolet Equinox and Suzuki XL7, but that's not saying much. The all-new Saturn Vue, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4 are newer designs that offer more refinement than the 2008 Mariner with roughly equal capabilities. The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey also takes aim at the Mariner, and its overtly crossover style may attract a lot of lookers.

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See the Mercury Mariner in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

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