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The Bottom Line:
The 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid puts its performance emphasis on fuel economy, not acceleration and handling.
Around The Web
The Mariner Hybrid can run solely on electric or gasoline power
CVT is less a gearbox and more a way to suck more fun out of driving
speed-sensitive electric power steering is new
According to Ford Motor Company engineers, these changes significantly improve the 2008 Mariner compared to the one it supersedes (introduced in 2005). Certainly, the new styling further differentiates the Mariner from the Ford Escape. As proof of their efforts regarding NVH, engineers cited that in tests measuring interior noise, sound levels dropped an impressive 12 percent (from 30.8 sones to 27 sones at 80 mph in the wind tunnel). As soon as we can arrange a drive, we'll let you know what our ears hear.
It's no secret that for Mercury to survive, it needs to build vehicles that people want. Mercury's brand manager, Kim Irwin told the press, "The 2008 Mariner is the first product to truly deliver 100 percent of the design DNA for Mercury as a brand." To the optimist, the new Mariner looks to be a step in the right direction. To the pessimist, the Mariner is what a cash-strapped team could do with a rebadged compact SUV introduced in 2001. Regardless of your take on the situation, the realist asks, "Is it enough?"
Major improvements were made to the electronic brain that controls the Mariner Hybrid. Smoother transitions between conventional and electric power sources was the goal.
