Test drive: 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

Strictly speaking, the Mariner isn't a car, it's an SUV (and as such, it's covered on About's SUVs site) -- but I think it deserves honorary car status. As most people know, I'm no fan of big SUVs, primarily because they use more fuel while offering less useable space than comparably-sized cars. Not so the Mariner Hybrid, at least not on the fuel-economy front; I averaged over 28 MPG, and I wasn't doing much to adjust my driving -- I just drove like I always do. I'm sure someone with a lighter foot could stretch that up to 30 or so. As for useable space, the Mariner isn't quite as generous as a mid-size wagon like the Mazda 6, but it was comfortable for my family of four and most of our day-to-day needs. The Mariner is a great example of what a well-designed hybrid system can do, and I wish we'd see more vehicles like this on the market. -- Aaron Gold