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"excellent all-around city - suburban car"
on by richtanPros '09 MMH AWD; excellent mpg for the class, always over 30; comfy seats and good suspension for awful city streets; sync system is great; juke box feature is super convenient, don't have to fumble cd's in and out; hp accelerates easily into traffic..
Cons heavy battery pack makes handling a bit wallowy in the curves; interior could go more upscale; some of the plastic is very ordinary;
Summary This is a great all around car; styling is nice; convenience features, power ports, ipod and usb ports, 120v plug in, cupholders, all very nice. It's roomy for the baby seat and four passengers with room in the rear. That and safety features give me confidence that this is a good family car. That being said it needs a more upscale option pkge, hid lights; adaptive lights; rain sensing wipers, full power seats, smoother-edged plastics. it's a bit minimalist. I had to give those up to get this car, however losing a gas-guzzling upscale suv for this baby was worth it (going from 13 mpg to over 30). It's changed my driving habits, no more racing from light to light (i sometimes still do that in my z; street racing can be fun) But it's no easy around here because some fool always starts honking 1/10th of a second after the light turns green. And you do have to have some consideration for the people behind you. They're not used to gas saving driving. When there's no one behind me, I've learned how to really feather the gas pedal to get max battery running. Sitting in traffic is less of an annoyance because I love seeing the tach needle in the green zone and running on battery. Now I don't feel guilty making short runs that would be better done on a bicycle. I've amazed passengers on short runs with 60-80mpg. Even at highway speeds it averages over 30mpg. (so what, my MGM LS got 25/26, but 10 in the city). I recommend this vehicle without hesitation to my fellow 70% city/30% suburban drivers. Particularly in this technology advances are always being made, and when plug-in hybrids come out, I'll probably trade. But I jumped in now, (when gas hit 4 bucks) and really enjoying it. Ford, pay attention to creature comforts: give it the seating of a Saab, the handling of a BMW, the styling of a Jag; the sound system of a Hyundai Genesis, the drive system of Captain Kirk's Enterprise, and you'll have the perfect car. Plus it makes me feel very good knowing that I'm sending less of my money to countries that don't like us. Let's America be the leader in getting off gas.
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"I am getting excellent fuel economy"
on by urukhai2003Pros I have had my 2009 Mariner Hybrid for 2 months and I am getting 35 mpg in city driving. I can get up to 40 mph in electirc only mode with no problem. Interior room is great and ride is very good
Cons 4-cylinder engine is a bit noisy under hard acceleration.
Summary Great gas mileage. Interior room. Electronics are great especially the SYNC package.
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"Awesome! 2009 is best Mercury Mariner Hybrid model yet!"
on by Larry SernykPros More fuel efficient FWD as well as 4WD
Larger gas engine
Runs on electric motor at speeds to 40
Efficient/imperceptible transitions from gas to electric
Awesome navigation and audio systems
Climate control system
110 V outlet
See details belowCons Nothing so far
Summary Returned my leased 2006 4WD Mariner Hybrid and purchased a 2009 FWD model in light ice blue two weeks ago. The 2009 model is awesome, with all the features that I felt were missing in the 2006 model plus many more so I decided to purchase instead of lease. Needed to order my vehicle and it took about 5 months to be manufactured and delivered. Awesome support and communication from the salesperson at Andy Mohr Ford Lincoln Mercury of Plainfield IN.
I have had my 2009 Mercury Mariner hybrid for almost 2 years now and have about 26,000 miles so far. It continues to amaze me getting over 40 MPG in summer and about 35 MPG in winter. Achieving this great gas mileage requires a different driving style avoiding rapid acceleration. The instantaneous gas mileage display helps me understand how I can drive for better gas mileage. It drives on electric motor up to 40 mph and gas engine shuts off when stopped in traffic or at a traffic light saving fuel. The vehicle has been flawless so far requiring just regular maintenance service. The Sync system, Navtec Navigation system, and Sirius Satellite Radio are great. Dual zone climate control is great and heated seats are nice in the winter.
Key features:
Available in more fuel efficient FWD for those like me who do not need 4WD (I am getting about 5 mpg better gas mileage with my 2009 FWD Mariner Hybrid than I did with my 2006 4WD Mariner Hybrid)
Slightly larger fuel efficient Atkinson cycle gasoline engine provides more power without sacrificing fuel efficiency
Can run on electric motor at speeds up to 40 mph
Transitions between gas and electric are well programmed and are virtually imperceptible to driver
Awesome navigation and audio systems with integrated SYNC, Sirius Satellite Radio with live weather, fuel price, traffic information, USB port to play music from memory stick or MP3 player, built in hard drive Juke Box, and plays DVD?s when parked
Climate control system with driver and passenger side settings, outdoor temperature gauge
120 V power outlet
Updated on Sep 23, 2010 -
"Love my new Mariner Hybrid!"
on by GailSPIPros I love the look of the beautiful interior and the fact that I'm already getting 34 mph which is a combination of highway and city driving. The InSync is wonderful. With the Sirius Travel you can even get the current weather radar.
Cons I agree that storing the rear headrests is inconvenient when putting the seats down.
Summary Driving is easy and the seats are very comfortable for long trips. I love the Sirius radio. The long wait to get my Mariner was worth it.
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"Surprisingly fun"
on by tchstnPros 31 mpg in mixed driving for AWD version - averaging 75mph on highway. Goes up to 40 on electricity alone. Sync touch navigation, phone, and media player is versatile, effective, and fun. Excellent handling and braking. Comfortable seats. Tax refund.
Cons Folding down rear seats is awkward and multi-step.
Summary I've had a 2009 Mariner Hybrid with AWD for about a thousand miles. I was glad to learn from the CNET review that traffic avoidance works so well - haven't had the need to try it yet. The voice recognition of the Sync system is a bit uneven, more than occasionally failing to translate my commands fully. The Bluetooth works well with my phone, though I do have manually to input numbers for their first use. (My Blackjack phone is not on the list of phones that can download saved contacts directly.) It does make hands free phone calls with good sound quality on both sides easy.
The SUV handles very well, and I was concerned that the brakes - which are drum rather than disk for technical reasons having to do with allowing anti-rollover device this year - would be less than effective. To the contrary, the brakes feel excellent and responsive. The navigation system is very good and easily configurable. The sound system is solid and coordinates well for podcasts and music on my MP3 player. Generally, I am very happy with the vehicle and recommend it, especially with the premium package that includes Sync.
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