The Mercury Mariner Hybrid — the first full-hybrid premium compact SUV — is the first vehicle to be honored by Green Car Journal as “Green Car of the Year.” Mercury Mariner Hybrid received the “2006 Green Car of the Year” award at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. The award winner is determined by an 11-member panel of international jurors comprised of automotive and environmental experts.
The jury makes its selections based on research and driving experience, with an emphasis on vehicles that advance overall efficiency and functionality while decreasing environmental impact.
The “Green Car of the Year” award is the latest recognition Mariner Hybrid has garnered since its debut. The Texas Auto Writers Association and ForbesAuto.com both named it the “Best Compact SUV” for 2005. The Mariner Hybrid, along with Ford Escape Hybrid, also topped Edmunds’ list of Most Fuel Efficient SUVs and Pickups for 2005.
Mercury Mariner Hybrids are built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant. Pricing for the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid starts at a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $29,840.
By 2008, Ford will have five hybrids on the road, including the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Mazda Tribute Hybrids. By 2010, Ford plans to increase its global hybrid production to approximately 250,000 hybrid units annually.
The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is a compact SUV that blends the best features of a gasoline engine and an electric motor to achieve nearly 50 percent higher city driving efficiency and lower emissions with no loss of functionality or performance. With outstanding fuel economy estimated at 33 mpg/city and 29 mpg/highway, it will meet the cleanest emission achievable by a fossil-fuel vehicle: California’s Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Standard. In addition, it has extended range well over 400 miles per tank and V-6-like acceleration performance.
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