The Mercury Mariner, based on the Ford Escape, debuted as a 2005 model and was hailed for its responsive handling, smooth road manners and available V6 engine. For 2006, the Mariner continues relatively unchanged except for a new exterior color, interior color, several equipment additions and, the big news, a Mariner Hybrid model for buyers interested in an SUV with better fuel economy and reduced emissions.

Mariner comes standard with front-wheel drive (2WD) and a four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. It's easily and affordably upgraded with all-wheel drive (4WD) for stable traction in the snow and a powerful V6 for more responsive performance. The 2006 Mariner Hybrid, with the same gasoline/electric powertrain that was first offered in the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, comes only with all-wheel-drive and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

The 2006 Mercury Mariner continues unchanged on the outside, its slick and clean design accented by Mercury's avant-garde styling cues. Inside is a pleasant and calming cabin with room enough for the kind of stuff people who are moving up from the Milan sedan or retreating from the more truck-like Mountaineer need to haul around.

As part of a carefully scripted, and enormously expensive, re-birth and rejuvenation of the Mercury brand, the Mariner is intended to offer a step up in status over the Ford Escape.

Compact sport utility vehicles are popular because they're smaller and easier to park than midsize SUVs like the Ford Explorer. They're also lighter and have more fuel-efficient engines and, of course, they're less expensive. Yet they offer cargo space with fold-down back seats and a commanding view of the road that comes with a higher seating position.

The Mercury Mariner is a good example. It's a nice package. The size and basics are right. Fuel economy is respectable with the four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines and downright impressive with the Mariner Hybrid. Plus, it's affordable even when fully optioned.