Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Mercury Mariner Hybrid
By Gina Spadafori
August 11, 2006
I wanted to love this vehicle, I really, really did. And I surely loved that during the four days I had it (shorter than usual) the fuel gauge never moved from “F.” OK, and I loved the heated seats, too, or rather, my back does. (Yes, even in summer I would turn heated seats on if I had them.)
But … fuel economy, warm butt and a cutey-pie appearance aside, the Mariner (and its cousin, the Ford Escape) just doesn’t make the most of its space, and that’s a real problem. The vehicles are too narrow for side-by-side crates for dogs of any decent size, and all that headroom isn’t going to give you much pleasure unless you’re an NBA star. There’s not even a good place to put a dog grate.
Then there was this: The vehicle got off on the wrong tire with me by sending me spinning into a car-buyer flashback when I thought I couldn’t get the seats to fold flat (they do, but not in the most convenient way … more on that in a few lines).
Cue the flashback music …
In the early ’80s, I was looking for my first new car. I wanted a small wagon. At the Ford/LincolnMercury dealer, I looked at their models and told the salesman “no thanks” after I observed that the seats wouldn’t fold flat, or even anything remotely close to it.
He asked me why that was important, and I told him I had dogs. He started berating me, calling me an idiot for making a car-buying decision based on my dogs.
“I’d say you should talk to your husband,” he said, “but I’m sure you don’t have one. Women like you never do.”
End of flashback.
In those days I wasn’t tough-minded enough to do what I’d do now: Call the owner of the dealership, call Ford, call the media, start a picket line, whatever. He’d rue the day, let me tell you, that he dared to suggest I couldn’t buy a car for any reason I wanted.
But back then, I just walked away and didn’t look at a Ford product for 14 years, when my brother bought a Ford Explorer I absolutely adored. (A feeling I still have, to judge from the warm and fuzzy feelings I had for the one I just drove.)
The seats fold flat on the Mariner, after you pull out the bottom cushions and remove the headrests. It just isn’t very convenient. Not good enough to make it in the “cute ute” class for me, sorry.
Still … it did cause quite the stir at Whole Foods.
I’m off to San Diego. I’ll finish reviewing the Ford Explorer when I return, and bring you a special bonus entry about my visit to The Cats’ House.
I’m converting my 173000 mile truck to biodiesel in October. Eat more french fries!
Comment by arlo muttrie — August 12, 2006 @ 12:14 am
In 1995, I was looking at SUVs. I wanted something I could take off the paved road and haul a lot of stuff (prop-intensive hobby on the weekends). I went to a Nissan dealer and said what I wanted. I was pointed at the station wagons. In fact A used station wagon and the only one on the lot. I gave the guy a very dirty look. He only dismissed mini-vans after I told him I didn’t have children. Then we went to look at an SUV. He refused to let me open or shut the read gate/doors. “It’s too much for you.” I explained to him that if it’s too much for me, then I would not buy it, since I’d be the one operating those doors. He then suggested I come back with my husband, and I said I would not come back at all.
Comment by Georg — August 13, 2006 @ 5:05 am
I’m wondering if you could test drive a new Tesla. I know your dogs wouldn’t fit, but maybe you could road test it with some Yorkies?
Comment by KathyF — August 21, 2006 @ 10:45 pm