Car Gazing
For driving on pavement, Tribute still among the best
By Derek Price
When you're an automotive critic, your job is to find the best and worst in
new cars. Sounds easy, right?
Take it from me – some vehicles are harder to criticize than others.
Just look at the Mazda Tribute, a cloned version of the Ford Escape.
Assuming you want a small SUV for driving around town – not out in the
boonies – there's virtually nothing the Tribute lacks. It's got a
rugged-looking body, a high vantage point for the driver, and a nimble,
controllable driving feel much like that in small sedans.
As far as weaknesses go, it really only has a couple. It's underpowered if
you pick the four-cylinder engine, and it's not made for off-road driving
like SUVs were meant for in the first place.
Yeah, I know it's picky. Besides, there are plenty of people who like the
style and versatility of an SUV but don't want to sacrifice refinement or
comfort. The Tribute is tailor made for those folks.
After spending a week behind the Tribute's wheel, it's obvious why the
Tribute/Escape has been a hot seller since its introduction in 2001. Its
interior is nice and comfortable, even downright supple on high-end models,
and it's packed with practicality without the "boring" stigma of a minivan
or sedan. The back seat folds flat for hauling cargo, and there's a good
amount of storage space even with the seat up. No complaints here.
What really makes the Tribute stand out from its tougher, made-for-off-road
competitors is its car-like ride. It has a fully independent suspension and
unibody frame, not solid axles and a ladder-style frame historically found
in SUVs. That means it rides like a small car – albeit a tall,
tough-looking one – that's easy to maneuver and comfortable on
pothole-filled highways.
Power, at least with the 200-horsepower, six-cylinder engine, is more than
adequate for climbing hills and accelerating onto freeways. A
130-horsepower, four-cylinder model is available only on the base Tribute
with a manual transmission, and the price is nice: just over $18,000.
The LX ($21,680) and ES ($23,270) versions both come with the much better V6
and an automatic tranny. It's one of the best powertrains in its class with
truck-like grunt and car-like smoothness. All models can have either
front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
Best of all, every Tribute is maneuverable, has great steering, and has good
visibility in city traffic. Compared to the competition, like the Jeep
Liberty, Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4, the Tribute offers more refinement and
sophistication.
Deciding between the Escape and Tribute could be tough because they're
virtually identical. Where the best deal lies depends on the dealership,
rebates, warranties, and options chosen. Do your shopping and you could get
a bargain no matter which badge it has.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
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