Review by Gary Chan | Photos by Derek Mau

Pros

• Gas mileage (better than most small CUV’s)
• Intuitive touch screen
• Ride quality

Cons

• Braking
• Electric-only mode limited to very slow starts
• Noisy engine when pushed

Ruling
I’ve driven both the last generation Prius, and did a road trip/review in the 2008 Civic Hybrid, but both left me longing for one thing: more space. The Mariner answered this question in abundance, and was a pleasant surprise to drive as well as sipping gas (for a vehicle in this class).

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Review by Holly R. | Photos by Derek Mau

Pros:

• Really impressive (and decent) acceleration at speed
• Mileage, mileage, mileage
• Didn’t have to open the entire tailgate to get into the back of the vehicle
• Continuously variable transmission
• XM Satellite Radio and built-in Bluetooth

Cons:

• Ack, the grill - not my thing
• Engine takes an inordinate amount of time to reach “idle” after starting the car
• The seats were pretty flimsy

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