Full Ford Hybrid Credit Expires March 31

The hybrid tax credits that have already expired for Toyota and Honda are still in effect for other automakers, including Ford — but not for long. Ford, which just celebrated the production of its 100,000th Escape Hybrid, is seeing its full credit expire at the end of the month.

Until then, tax credits of $3,000 for the two-wheel-drive Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute hybrids, or $1,950 for four-wheel-drive versions, will still be available. Ford’s all-new 2010 Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids are eligible for a $3,400 tax credit. Those two new hybrids might not be on lots today, but they should arrive before the end of the month. The Fusion and Milan hybrids get 41/36 mpg city/highway. The Fusion Hybrid starts at $27,270, while the Milan Hybrid starts at $27,500.

The credit will be cut in half for vehicles purchased after March 2009, and then in half again for ones bought after Sept. 30. Starting April 1, 2010, the automaker won’t get any more tax credits.

Unlike other Ford Escapes, the hybrid version does not have any incentives on it.

2009 Mercury Mariner: Weekend Athlete

It’s time to put away the bikes and take out the cross-country skis here in Chicago, and that means the Weekend Athlete test is going to shift with the seasons.

First up: The 2009 Mercury Mariner, which I tested eons ago with my bike and camping gear. When it comes to a winter car, the first thing I look for is a long cargo area. My skate skis are 1.9 meters long, and I generally carry two pairs when I go skiing. Even though cross-country skis are narrower and lighter than downhill skis, they still take up a lot of room.

Surprisingly, the Mariner came up short. I expected to need to put my skis in at a slant, but thanks largely to the seat-folding arrangement, I had to slant them more than I would have wanted. This was even worse when I only had part of the seat folded. Just as is the case with my bikes, I don’t like to jam my skis in if I don’t have to … and I had to with the Mariner.