It’s amazing how $4 a gallon gasoline can change the status of different vehicles. As gas prices rose, big SUVs became pariahs and anything with a “Hybrid” emblem became desirable. Hollywood types quickly jumped on the Ed Begley, Jr. bandwagon.

Then gas prices fell, but other negative economic factors kept big SUV sales depressed. Frugality became fashionable, which continues to bolster hybrid prestige. Supplies have caught up to demands and that has made hybrids more cost effective.

Hybrids run to extremes such as the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, but we drove one that offers the versatility of a compact AWD SUV with the increased economy of a hybrid. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is a nice compromise of SUV, luxury, and fuel economy features. The compact, four-door, five-passenger SUV shares its basic platform with the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. In typical Mercury fashion the Mariner is aimed at a more upscale audience.

Walkaround: The Mariner/Escape were freshened for 2008 so 2009 changes are under the skin. The Mariner’s styling is conservative, but not too bland. Our test vehicle was a handsome black clear coat with a stone leather interior. The Mariner is handsome, but not ostentatious.

Interior: The interior is nice, but not as luxurious as we expected given the Mariner’s upscale aspirations relative to the Ford Escape. Front legroom is fine as is rear legroom. The rear floor is flat, which is a big plus. The front leather seats had a single temp heated feature, although the HVAC system was a dual temp unit.

A small display screen hampered the navigation system. Our tester was equipped with the Microsoft Sync USB system. The medium size sunroof was a welcome feature.

A two-part liftgate/rear glass accesses a flat cargo area. The space is a good size for common errands, but not cross-country moves.

Under The Hood: A 6-speed automatic now backs the regular four-cylinder and V-6 engines. The Hybrid uses a CVT . The integration of the 153 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and the electric drive motor was smooth and unnoticeable unless you were watching the instrumentation.

Mercury claims that the 2009 Hybrid makes 20 percent more power than previously and uses less gas. We managed over 31 mpg in mixed driving conditions. That topped the EPA ratings of 29 city and 27 highway.

Four-wheel antilock disc brakes and AWD make the Mariner a fine foul weather vehicle. The Mariner Hybrid isn’t meant for rugged off-road excursions.

Behind The Wheel: The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is a pretty neutral car to drive. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t exude excitement, either. The seamlessness of the powertrain pretty much typifies the whole driving experience.

Whines: Fuel economy information is displayed on the navigation screen, so we had to divert our eyes from the road to monitor economy numbers. The interior had more hard plastic than we expected.

Bottom Line: The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is a viable alternative to larger and/or smaller hybrids. It provides a good mix of comfort, style and fuel economy in a relatively compact package.