The Mariner is a compact sport-utility vehicle that is mechanically similar--and nearly identically priced--to the Ford Escape, but with different interior and exterior styling and equipment details. Like the Escape, the Mariner is one of the boxier compact utility vehicles--with the styling of a traditional SUV--even though it has more road-friendly car-like mechanical underpinnings. It's also one of the more fuel-efficient small SUVs, more so this year with a standard engine that adds power while being more fuel-stingy. The available Sync system stands out as being better than any other communications interface available in the Mariner's class.
