2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid User Reviews

Pros

great handling, comfortable to drive, easy to use controls, love the styling

Cons

gas mileage, dull looking graphics with the nav system when using the media

Purchased As Used

I have owned this car for about 3 months now and adore it! I traded in my 2006 manual honda civic coupe (also a great car!) for it because i am a college student and have a lot of stuff to carry back and forth to school. I went with the fully loaded hybrid because it was said to have a gas mileage of 35 highway 30 city. Unofrtunately, the best I have been able to get was 29 and that was one time on the highway. Most of my driving is city and my monitor has been telling me for a while that my avg mpg is 23. And even though I am young, I drive like a grandma so i know it isn't due to my driving =] I have had a problem with my tire not holding air so that might be part of the issue. The hybrid also hardly kicks on during this awful winter weather. it is in the 50's today in good old iowa and it started running on the electric several times so you can expect to have worse gas mileage with the hybrid during cold seasons. Other than that it is an amazing car, fun to drive and i would recommend it to anyone!...read morehide

Pros

good fuel economy

Cons

ugly

I just understand why it has to be so boxy looking. High winds on the highway make the car shake a little. Would it hurt them to make it more sleeker and more aerodynamic. It might improve the mpg a bit. All in all an ok vehicle. These are the cars they should have been building 10 yrs ago. All well better late then never. Hopefully they would make it better looking next time....read morehide

Pros

great handling (live in Maine & the 4x4 has been a godsend)

Cons

layout of the front seat/console area could be improved somewhat

Went from a Navigator to this...night and day! While I miss the luxurious ride and amenities of the Nav, I wouldn't trade my Mariner for nuthin'. Love it--the gas mileage could be better, but after all, we need to remember--it's an SUV. 27 MPG with all-gas winter defrost running; over 30 MPG in summer....read morehide

Pros

Great package for the price

Cons

Finish on some things could be better - limited colors

I looked at Highlander - Saturn and other non-Hybrid models like Honda CRV. Bought the Mariner because for the price - it's a great car - fully loaded I was able to negotiate a good price and am very happy with it. And I get Toyota Synergy technology basically without the 47K Highlander price. My Mariner was fully optioned with just about everything you can get at 34K and I got it for 32K. Comfortable, attractive, great fuel economy, nice on short and long trips, lots of room yet fits in garage and parking spaces easily. Had an Audi A6 Avant before this - and so the fit and finish of the Mariner just do not compare - but for the price....it's great and worth it. So, I get all the room and hauling capability I want in an SUV, it's clean running and good on gas and the Kansas City plant is a zero carbon footprint factory. Great....read morehide

Pros

Unexpectedly Good Acceleration, Room for 5

Cons

It doesn't shift!

I'm a sports car guy, but fortunately my wife doesn't share the same lead foot. We knew it was time to go from compact to SUV when the new boy came along, and we spent almost a year trying to figure out what to get (amazingly our lease was up in a year, funny how that timing works). The Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrid versions were next to impossible to find in our area, and when we finally did find one, the dealer had the audacity to begin negotiations at $3k over sticker. Boo unscrupulous dealers! While on family vacation we located one in the city they are made (Kansas City) and even got it under sticker. It has been about 3 months with the new car and I must say it is an incredible machine. I find that it is as fast as any 6 cylinder SUV I've ridden in and a particularly quiet and comfortable ride. The stereo is nice and the interior is well put together. They come with a ton of options and still cost less than 30k. It's no Mercedes, but for the price is exceeds expectations. And filling up so infrequently is a nice (albeit expected) advantage that most people just don't have the luxury of experiencing. When you go to the filling station or hear people complaining about the price of gas, I assure you it makes you feel better inside like you're the smart one. Get one before the rebates run out though, otherwise the hybrids still aren't particularly economical....read morehide

Pros

Great fuel economy, great premium package

Cons

limited color options, tinting mirror

I have the 2008 Hybrid Mariner in Light Ice Blue (which is very light blueish-no silver), almost 2000 miles on it so far and I have had no problems. If you are going to spend this kind of money on a hybrid, get the premium package and make it worth the money. I get an average of 32 mpg in the area I live, I have noticed that once the car has been driving for about five to ten minutes,, it gets better mileage. Setting the car on cruise control whenever possible extends the millage very far. On the freeway going 62mph on cruise control, I was getting 40 mpg. I also have the sirius satellite package, touch screen HEV monitor, do not get obsessed about watching what your mpg is while you are driving LOL. Overall, love my car, fits my two children, their stuff and my stuff, and I fit in any parking spot.
The rear view mirror tints automatically if glared, but it does it too much and can be annoying, love the seat warmers-although it is less warm on the passenger side seat,, vehicle is light but the standard side airbag system brings piece of mind,, wish they had more color options for the exterior of the vehicle and more interior options for the hybrid, which in the style we ordered came in leather only. LOVE the khaki leather and interior dash/doors, all hard vinyl plastic which is easy to clean and beautiful! I suggest a mr. clean sponge for any little scuffs.
Driving is smooth, I can still accelerate fast when merging to freeway, optimizes energy whenever it can, using the energy of braking to charge the battery, every second of driving it is calculating how much HV battery energy it should use vs. motor,, most of the time it is sharing between both, you will not feel any transition between HV battery, motor and electric battery,, all smooth and it shows you on the HEV screen what it is doing. Sometimes sounds like a UFO is landing when driving, but it is not loud, dont feel it, just a different driving experience that is easy to get used to-- especially when I can go two weeks without filling the tank.....read morehide

Pros

Fuel Ecomony

Cons

Seats could be better/more comfortable

I have 13,700 miles on my hybrid. Never owned a hybrid until this one. In the summer, running the ac it only gets about 28 mpg. This winter it has improved to 32 mpg. I would not expect much better than that.

OK already. It's only a car, but I must admit, when we were forced to buy a car recently, my wife wanted to look at the Mariner Hybrid. Of course it came loaded, because the dealers can do this and get away with it since it is in demand, but I must admit we are pleasantly surprised. The care rides well, gets great fuel mileage even though we got the four wheel drive, we have become used to the extra featues like the navigation system and Sirius radio. I don't like moonroofs, but she does, so what can an economizer do? I wish there were more hybrids to compare it to, but this car really seems to be the complete package. I would recommend it....read morehide

Pros

Excellent gas mileage. great ride, and wonderful appearance

Cons

Very difficult to find

Upscale from the sister car Ford Escape Hybrid. Great appearance inside and out. Very difficult to find. We had to order one. It arrived in six weeks like they said it would.

We had major difficulties getting a price quote, because dealers don't want to deal since they know they can sell them. We used Costco Auto Service to buy the car and saved over $1,500 over what the dealers wanted to give us.

As with all cars, watch our for add ons, like etched registration numbers for $250, over priced registration. By means of being stubborn, we avoided them all.

The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is great!

We used to fill up our tank once a week. Now we fill it only once a week, sometimes even a little less than that!...read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy better than window sticker, GPS is nice and the audiophile stereo system rocks!

Cons

no power pass seat/no seat memory positions/moisture sensitive wipers

I went from a Limited Grand Cherokee 4.7 HO to the Mariner Hybrid. Has nice pick up and MPG is getting from 30-32 (vs 13.5 for my Jeep). No problems converting to this SUV. Handles well and it rides a bit better. The Audiophole stereo system is awesome! The GPS display is very good. Lincoln dealer treats you like firast class when in for service (as in Maintanance) Have had no problems in first 6,000 miles. The no shift transmission is odd at first - but you will get used to it. The Hybrid option is great - but hard to find - 2008 models were out in May 07 - good luck finding one!...read morehide