Q: Least maintenance cost for hybrid crossover type car

Hi, thanks for writing in. The Mercury Mariner is a great car and there are several others out on the market that fit your preferences quite nicely. As you may know, some comparable model vehicles in this class are, the Ford Escape, Mazda CX-7, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and the Nissan Pathfinder to name a few. As you may know, the maintenance on the majority of the vehicles on the road depends largely upon driving habits, driving conditions and in many cases (when buying used), how well the car was maintained by the previous owner. The most important basic services to be sure to keep up with are oil changes, tire rotations, brake services and basic tune ups when necessary. When you are ready to purchase a vehicle, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection to detect any pre-existing issues before buying.