The mid-sized Mariner SUV was introduced in 2005 as Mercury’s version of Ford’s Escape. The Mariner Hybrid joins the Escape Hybrid in delivering excellent gas mileage, as it holds a comfortable slot at the top of the SUV fuel efficiency charts. The Mariner shares many components with the Escape, as well as with its other corporate cousin, the Mazda Tribute.The 2008 Mariner Hybrid is equipped with a 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine producing 133 horsepower (HP) and 124 foot pounds of torque, along with an electric motor that cranks out 94 HP (for a stated 155 HP combined). Non-hybrid Mariners are available with the owner’s choice of a 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine that produces 153 HP and 152 foot pounds of torque or a 3.0 liter V-6 that provides 200 HP and 193 foot pounds of torque.
