Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, was the winged messenger, known for his speed. In the 1930s, Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, sought to increase the “Blue Oval’s” commerce by adding a brand in between the average-man’s car, The Ford Deluxe, and the luxury car of the rich-and-famous, the Lincoln Zephyr.
Designers came up with a new division, called Mercury, and its first vehicle, a distinctively styled and innovative car called the Mercury Eight. The 1939 “Eight” lived up the god Mercury’s reputation for speed, as it was powered by a new 95-hp V-8 that provided 10 more horses than the Ford V-8 engine.
Fast-forward 70 years, and Mercury, now with a waterfall badge, has sought to add green-friendliness to its line-up with a hybrid SUV, the Mariner. Curiously, the Mariner Hybrid shares its name with a 1964 spacecraft, the Mariner 4, which sped on to photograph Mars and was powered by four solar panels to engage its electricity. While the Mariner vehicle doesn’t use solar, it does use electricity to power its vehicle in tandem with its gas-powered engine.
Another thing Mariner shares is its platform, which is identical to the one used by its sister, the Ford Escape. The physical resemblance ends there, however, as a redesigned exterior and upscale cabin are hip and new, creating a Mercury feel that separates it from its sibling.
This is no Ancient Mariner. The 2008 Mariner Hybrid is constructed with a large grille accented by bigger openings between its bars and a large waterfall logo in the center. The “powerdome” hood employs a reverse crease that draws the eye from the grille toward the windshield while rear brightwork and an “eyebrow” design running around the taillamps visually link the front and rear ends of the vehicle.
But the real story within the confines of this attractive sports-ute is its hybrid power source, a standard 2.3-liter inline-4 Atkinson engine that provides 133 horsepower and 124 lbs.-ft. of torque, working in concert with a battery-powered electric motor that takes over seamlessly when the car comes to a stop and the engine shuts down. When the car is accelerating, the gas engine starts up and recharges the motor’s battery pack.
The electric motor produces 70 kw at 5,000 rpm and 330V maximum voltage and increases the car’s overall power to about 153hp and 152 lbs.-ft. of torque. At 3659 lbs. this amount of brawn won’t win any heats at the track. My zero-to-60mph time was just over 10 seconds, and in passing gear on the highway, the engine was uncertain. As I tested a 2WD version (a 4WD model is also available), I didn’t challenge the Mariner off-road, but as low-end torque was less-than stellar, that would translate to difficult maneuvering for the 4WD offering in deep mud or unforgiving obstacles.
At 175.2 inches long, 81.3 inches wide including mirrors, 68 inches high with a minimum ground clearance of 8.6 inches, the Mariner rides well, though there is a bit of top-heaviness that is apparent when buffeted by wind gusts. While the front and rear independent suspension provides a stable contour with the road, understeer keeps the driver concentrating during sudden maneuvers.
That aside, what you get with the Mariner Hybrid is a green-friendly SUV endowed with class, style and electronic upgrades. On the ecology front, the engine-motor combination is EPA rated at 34mpg in city driving and 30mpg on the highway, but my seven days of testing along the highway corridors of central Pennsylvania and Maryland, and in and out of Amish countrysides and small Pennsylvania boroughs yielded about 28 mpg.
Inside, you get seating for five with a roomy 40.4 inches of front headroom (39.2 in row two), 56.6 inches of front shoulder room (55.9 behind) and 41.6 inches of front legroom (35.6 in the second row). Mercury luxury abounds with leather seating, AM/FM MP3 and satellite-radio ready CD player with four speakers; dual illuminated vanity mirrors and 6-way power driver’s seat.
The Mariner is also a study in Ford safety, through its Safety Canopy System which includes seat-mounted side impact air bags, side curtain air bags, dual-stage driver and single-stage front passenger bags with front passenger sensing system, occupant-friendly door trims with softened armrests, side impact foam bolsters and intrusion door beams that distribute the load during an impact. You also get a tire pressure monitoring system and 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS.
That’s a lot of vehicle for a base price of $25,765. My test vehicle stickered out at $31,000 when luxury options were added including the Power Moonroof/SIRIUS Satellite Radio Package with MP3, CDx6 in-dash player and seven speakers ($995) and the Hybrid Premium Package with Energy Flow/Navigation system, heated premium leather seating surfaces, heated exterior side mirrors, Reverse Sensing System, cargo area retractable cover and roof rack crossbars ($3395). A 110-volt electrical outlet is $180 and destination charges are $665.
The Mariner is no albatross. All this and a hybrid as well make the Mariner an icon of green-friendly commerce for the Ford family.
Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
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