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Why you should buy this car: More »
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Exterior Design:*** More »
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The full title of this review is "2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Part One or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love my Yuppie Ass" but the kicker wouldn't look good on the page. I do my best to pass myself off as anything-but-a-yuppie. Preferring to rock cheap chinos, a hoody and an Astros cap over J. Crew sweater vests and flat front Banana Republic slacks, but something about the Mariner Hybrid makes me suddenly think about how fly I'd look with the sleeves of my dress shirt exposed while driving through Lincoln Park listening to The Best Of Tuvan Throat Singing Vol. 2. More »
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Now that the tax incentives to on the Toyota Prius have run out, the new king of the road for deductions are the hybrid offerings from Ford — the Hybrid Ford Escape and Hybrid Mercury Mariner two wheel drive. The taxman will be giving buyers of the twin hybrids up to $3,000 in deductions in an effort to offset the additional cost associated with purchase. Of course, if and when Ford ever manages to build 60,000 hybrids, those incentives will evaporate just as they have for the Prius. [IRS.gov] More »
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We'd forgive you if you didn't know that anything would be happening at the Washington, D.C. Auto Show this year. We'd also forgive you if you didn't know there was a new 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner on the way. Finally, we'd forgive you if after looking at these photos of the 2009 Ford Escape/Mariner you were unable to differentiate the two from the 2008 Ford Escape/Mariner. Besides a slight adjustment to the front fascia and rear tire spoilers, the big change is under the hood where Ford's mini utes are getting a new, 2.5-liter four banger mated to a 6-speed transmission. The result is an 11% in power to 170 horsepower and a slight increase in fuel economy (1 mpg). The optional 3.0-liter V6 gets a power bump to 230 horsepower and a 1 mpg increase in fuel economy as well (we're seeing a pattern). The mildly refreshed SUVs also get the fully loaded SYNC package as an option. Press release below the jump. More »
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As if there was any remaining question Mercury's become Ford's chick brand (Jill Wagner, call the front desk) it's gone the way of the tube dress. That message's been strengthened by the introduction of Mercury's new VOGA-edition vehicles. It's the latest in a long line of Ford's designer-edition models, starting with the Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy and Pucci edition Lincolns of the mid-1970s. Like its siblings, the 2008 VOGA edition Mariner is the product of the Italian design house, not representatives of the Planet of Gold from Doctor Who. No, not even close. More »
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If you're one seriously fly mofo looking for a special limo that doesn't gulp unleaded like that blond from Omaha put away bottles of Krug Grand Cuvée, you might consider putting Mercury on your list. At least, that's what the company's beseeching. Ford's promoting a new livery package for the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, dubbed fittingly, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid Livery Package. Exactly what constitutes the livery package, however, Ford failed to mention in the press release (jump). All we know is, the hybrid drive system is beneficial during stop-and-go driving, and that all-electric mode is perfect for dropping off errant daughters after midnight. More »
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We just got the latest press missive from Ford on the 2008 Mercury Mariner in both hybrid and non-hybrid flavors. The release, headlined "2008 MERCURY MARINER IS A HIT WITH ONLINE CONSUMERS" is a list of supposed owner comments culled from the posts of consumer auto-site forums. As you can expect, the remarks provide glowing recommendations on the '08 Mercury mini-SUV using words like "best," "love" and the always forum fan fave of "WOW!" All of this gushing got us wondering whether every Mariner forum post on the consumer auto sites is filled with gushing car-love. It turns out that's not the case. We were able to come up with some forum posts that seem to indicate maybe the Mariner isn't "A HIT" with every online consumer. We've got the full press release plus the cream of the contraindicative crop below the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=279197&view=rss&microfeed=true Yes, not as much Jill Wagner as we'd like, but hell, we'll take as much of her as FoMoCo will give us. In this episode of Blade commercialism from the not-Ford brand, our fair heroine is explaining how she can single-handedly re-badge a Ford product as a Mercury by placing the badge in the middle of thin air, and then watching as a Ford Escape Mercury Mariner is born. We kid FoMoCo, actually the ad's all about...well, hell, the press release is right after the jump. – Ray Wert More »
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Looks like Al Gore's decided that it may be a bit inconvenient for him to be telling all this truth on the environment while driving what we're assuming is a non-hybrid a Lexus. The former Veep's following his boss and thinking Ford first. Gore's trading in his ToMoCo-made Lexus for a brand-spanking-new 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid in order to show that he's going a bit more green. That leaves us wondering whether Gore's throwing down with a vehicle made by a 'merican manufacturer because maybe he's thinking of changing his mind on the whole "not-running" thing. Either way, considering the comments we've heard about the amount of energy it takes to run the rest of his personal world, sounds like he's at least making the attempt at going greener in his own life. – Ray Wert More »
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Arrrgh, scalliwag — ye calendars must be waterlogged! It's not yet 2007 and Mercury's already revealed the 2008 Mariner, showing off a new nip and tuck derived to nudge it ever so slightly upscale. Along with some new character lines and revised grillework, the more plush version of the Ford Escape (or baby Mountaineer) also gets some chassis and control system upgrades and a new power steering system to help the little box ride more like a Town Car, while retaining its small-uteness. Engineers also added a new roof panel to help reduce NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). It's also getting new 2008 Mariner colors, including Kiwi, Light Ice Blue and Black Pearl Slate. Better hit the snooze button, this one's not coming out until early next year. [Gallery] – Mike Spinelli More »
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Ford, pulling a page from the Oprah playbook, decided the small-scale test of zero percent financing for hybrid Escape and hybrid Mariner SUVs in Cali and DC was good enough for all to enjoy. So, feel free to run out to one of your local Ford dealers right now to take advantage of some interest-ing finance deals. But hurry, cause ya only have until July 5th. More »
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Word today is Mazda is suspending production of its version of the Ford Escape / Mercury Mariner SUVs, the Tribute. According to reports the company opted out of producing the Trib (at Ford's Claycomo truck plant) during the relatively short production span of the 2007 model year — May through December — because a new Escape-Mariner for 2008 will hit the line next January. The decision coincides with an 11% drop in Tribute sales between 2004 and 2005, and a near 100% drop in anyone really giving a shit. More »
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We stumbled across The Green Car Journal's "Green Car of the Year" awards ceremony by happenstance and were pretty damn well surprised to see Carroll Shelby sitting there on the panel of judges. After all, he was the man responsible for replacing four-bangers in British sports cars with gas-beer-bonging eights. Nevertheless, Ol 'Shel's back on Ford's gravy train, which, in a way makes us a tad suspect. Why the Merc over the Escape Hybrid? Could it be so the flagging brand can at least receive some kind of award? More »
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