2009 Mercury Mariner

The 2009 Mercury Mariner gets a little better by building off the freshened 2008 model. A cousin to the popular Ford Escape, look for curtain airbags and standard stability control to be big selling points this year. For an otherwise great-looking compact SUV with several drivetrain options, including an impressive hybrid variation, Mariner has a dash of class in a competitive segment of SUVs.

It's hard to argue with success. So I won't try. The Ford Escape sells many more thousands of units compared to its more well appointed cousin, the Mercury Mariner. There's a couple reasons for that -- price being the first, marketing exposure and sheer number of vehicles on the street being the second.

I'll take this opportunity to appeal to those of you who might like to be the owner of a really refined little SUV that has all the bells and whistles you could want, all the creature comforts you might demand and all the safety features that leave little to be desired. Yes, the Mercury Mariner has all of that -- and a hybrid version that competes with the best of them.

Mercury decided to take a really different design direction on 2008 Mariner models. The new look made the Mariner bolder and more refined than previous models. From front to back, the Mariner exudes confidence. While it cost a hefty $650 on the test model, 17-inch rims (16-inch standard) really made a difference on the exterior look.

I hated the previous use of body-color molding and, thankfully, this is replaced by cleaner looking lines from the rocker panels up. The bold grille has large openings between the waterfall markers and the headlights have a signature Mercury badge integrated into the lens assembly. The mix of the big and bold with the understated class is a really great combo.

While exterior looks are a place worthy of praise for the Mariner, I found the interior cabin to be as welcoming and comfortable as the exterior was bold and brash. What I appreciate about the Mariner is that it achieves all of this while remaining refined.

Chrome accents and satin pewter finishes raise the class bar considerably while the instrument cluster relaxes with an Ice Blue hue. Volkswagen Jettas have had this color for several years and it is one of my favorite colors for the dash. This relaxed state goes well with the extremely quiet cabin space and the Premier trim's leather seating and steering wheel. The privacy glass was also an appreciated addition for the Premier level Mariner.

Interior space works best for four adults. Though three may fit in the second row, it won't be very comfortable. Driver and front passenger legroom is very good. I found the second row to be a bit tight, but it's what I've come to expect from a compact SUV. Sightlines are very good, and headroom is average, at best.

Mariners come in base Convenience, Luxury, Premier and Hybrid versions. Base priced at $26,790, the Premier Mariner tester had four-wheel drive. Previously only available as a four-wheel-drive SUV, the Mariner Hybrid is now offered as a front-wheel-drive vehicle. Look for the 4WD Hybrid fuel economy to be 32 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The gasoline tester had a 17/24 mpg rating, which is about average for this class of non-hybrid compact SUV.

Base Mariners come equipped with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine (153 horsepower) with fuel economy ratings of 21/24 mpg. Upgrading means dropping in a 3.0-liter V-6 (200 horsepower) engine. The tester had the upgraded engine, and while it performed well mated to the six-speed automatic transmission, it did struggle to get up to speed a couple times when fully loaded with passengers. The six-speed transmission delivers nice, smooth exchanges and the stout stance makes the Mariner easy to push in turns.

Look for dual-stage front airbags, Advance Trac for staying planted on the pavement and side intrusion construction of the door beams to help resist side impact injuries. More and more vehicles have standard tire pressure monitoring systems and the Mariner does not disappoint.

With add-ons like Power Moonroof ($1,190), upgraded audiophile stereo system and navigation system ($1,995) and a "must-have" heated seat package ($295), it was easy to get the Premier Mariner up to $32,795.

While it may fall short on big power and interior space, amenities and driveability are refined and worth a test drive. Mariner is an attractive compact SUV in a sea of really competitive vehicles, but it has enough to set it apart from most of the competition.