The Mazda Tribute is a compact SUV produced by Mazda, although Ford is also involved with its production. This SUV is very similar to the Ford Escape. The Tribute is known for having good fuel efficiency and comfortable handling, but there have been complaints regarding the amount of features offered. The Mazda Tribute has been around longer than Mazda's other SUVs that are still in production.
The Tribute has four doors and can seat five people. It comes with either a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.0-liter V6, and it can produce 171 or 240 horsepower depending on the engine. Depending on the trim level, the Mazda Tribute can tow 1,500 or 3,450 pounds. It has a 17.5-gallon fuel tank and is rated for 18 to 23 city miles and 23 to 28 highway miles per gallon of fuel. Mazda... View more Tributes are currently assembled in Claycomo, Missouri and Hofu, Japan.
The Mazda Tribute made its first appearance at the 2000 Los Angeles Auto Show. During its first generation, the Tribute was improved upon and had minor changes to the overall appearance. In 2007, the second generation began production. This generation had significant changes to the design and an upgraded interior. There were also changes to the engine and transmission to better its performance.
The 2011 Mazda Tribute is available in four different trims: the i Sport, i Touring, i Grand Touring, and s Grand Touring. The first three trims have the four-cylinder engine, while the s Grand Touring has a V6. The entry-level i Sport is only available in front-wheel drive, but the other trims are available as 4x4 or front-wheel drive vehicles. The i Sport has a few features like keyless entry and fog lamps and is available with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, while the others all have the automatic transmission. The high-end s Grand Touring has the V6 engine along with a towing prep package, as well as all the extra features found in the i Grand Touring.
The Mazda Tribute has won awards and recognition for its performance, style, and overall value. In 2010, the Tribute was listed as the Lowest Cost Car Insurance" winner by Insure.com. It has also been recognized for having better handling than most other SUVs. Finally, NewCarTestDrive.com reviewed the 2003 Tribute and said it delivered "Excellent Value". Despite having fewer features than some of the competition, the Mazda Tribute is best-known for its good fuel economy and comfortable handling. View less
