The compact SUV from Mercury comes with premium equipment and optional V6 power plus front-wheel-drive (FWD) or automatic AWD traction. It's called a crossover wagon because Mariner rides on a car's platform and blends the manners of a sedan with the elevated stance of a SUV.

Mariner looks rugged with a bold face featuring a vertical grille in satin aluminum and corner cluster headlamps set above integrated foglamps. The upscale cabin, with two rows of seats for five, features woodgrain trim with bright chrome and satin aluminum accents. Mariner divides into three equipment grades -- Convenience, Luxury and Premier, the latter with luxury touches and leather seats.

A base 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine makes 153 hp. The 3.0-liter V6 climbs to 200 hp and goes to Luxury and Premier models.

Mariner's new Moon and Tune package adds a power moonroof and premium audio equipment with satellite radio service.

New models in the 2006 line of Mercury, from the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company, multiply with the addition of two new nameplates. Milan is a fresh mid-size sedan for Mercury with premium equipment and two powertrain choices, while Mariner the crossover sport-utility vehicle spins off a gas-electric version sporting the badge of Mariner Hybrid.

Mercury's long-wheelbase luxury minivan wears a waterfall grille in front with satin aluminum accents and flanks decked with monochromatic cladding. Plan for the cabin indicates three rows of seats with twin buckets up front, seats on the second row foldable and a third-tier bench that drops into the floor.

Power for Monterey stems from a 4.2-liter V6 engine rated at 201 hp and with enough torque to lug a 3500-pound trailer.

Monterey adopts a simplified trim strategy in 2006 with a single well-equipped model called Monterey Luxury. It stocks power controls for the driver's bucket, the folding second-row seats and a fold-into-floor third-row bench. Leather upholstery with suede seat insets and front seats with internal heating-cooling elements are available. Other options include Ford's Safety Canopy curtain-style air bags, a DVD-based video entertainment system, power-adjustable pedals, tri-zone cabin temperature controls and a power liftgate.

New models in the 2006 line of Mercury, from the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company, multiply with the addition of two new nameplates. Milan is a fresh mid-size sedan for Mercury with premium equipment and two powertrain choices, while Mariner the crossover sport-utility vehicle spins off a gas-electric version sporting the badge of Mariner Hybrid.

Mercury's new hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) off the Mariner crossover SUV has a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine aboard that drinks gasoline plus a battery-powered electric motor. The electric plant can propel the wagon or work with the gasoline engine to deliver a power boost that approximates the kick of a V6.

An electronic control module manages energy produced by the two plants and sends it directly to the front wheels -- or to all four wheels for the optional AWD version -- through an electronically controlled CVT. Fuel economy figures rise to 33 mpg for running on city streets. In the cabin the Mariner Hybrid HEV applies satin-aluminum and chrome trim to a layout with front bucket seats and a back bench that folds to enlarge the cargo bay. The Premium Package has leather upholstery, heated seats, a reverse sensing system, and curtain-style side air bags.

New models in the 2006 line of Mercury, from the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company, multiply with the addition of two new nameplates. Milan is a fresh mid-size sedan for Mercury with premium equipment and two powertrain choices, while Mariner the crossover sport-utility vehicle spins off a gas-electric version sporting the badge of Mariner Hybrid.

A second new model for Mercury is the Mariner crossover wagon. Mariner is called a crossover vehicle because it crosses the line between SUV and car -- one that looks like a sleek SUV but functions like a family-friendly minivan and drives like an easy-riding sedan. Core structure and mechanical components come out of Ford's best-selling Escape wagon, but the crisp design for the exterior package and the chic treatment of the cabin are unique to Mercury.

The wagon divides into three equipment grades -- Convenience, Luxury and Premier, the latter with luxury touches and leather seats.

And Mariner offers four-cylinder and V6 powertrains from Ford plus FWD or AWD traction options.

The vehicle will be built in the Ford plant in Hermosillo, Mexico.