2011 Mazda Tribute - Page 1 Review

You might be hard-pressed to even find the Tribute at your local Mazda dealer; even at the larger stores, we've only seen at most a few in stock at a time. And it makes sense that Mazda dealers wouldn't showcase the Tribute; while the Tribute is merely a rebadged Ford Escape, Mazda has several much 'zoomier' crossovers of its own, including the closely-sized CX-7.

Yet the 2011 Mazda Tribute does have family merit. Its boxy design actually pays off for interior space; and Ford (and Mazda) have done a great job keeping these models up to date with respect to in-cabin tech features as well as safety. At FamilyCarGuide, we give the 2011 Tribute a score of 8 out of 10 for those attributes, but we find that its rather unrefined interior feel, potentially choppy highway ride, and rather cramped backseat are all points to keep in mind when shopping.

Mazda has discontinued the Tribute Hybrid for 2011, so powertrains are now limited to two: either a 171-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 240-hp, 3.0-liter V-6. Of these two engines, the Tribute does fine with the base four, especially now that the automatic has six speeds (the base manual gearbox isn't so great). With the V-6, the Tribute can tow up to 3,450 pounds, and passing power is strong even with a full load, but this engine is considerably thirstier. Base four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive Escapes get an impressive 22 mpg city, 28 highway; the available 4WD system adds all-weather traction but cuts into gas mileage.

Overall, the Tribute doesn't feel trucklike, yet it also doesn't steer and handle with the verve that Mazda's other wagons, hatches, and sedans have. The ride is on the soft side, but it can get bouncy and harsh on some types of highway surfaces.

Packaging within the Tribute's boxy body is a strength. Front buckets are wide and soft, yet the driving position feels quite high, and while the rear bench seat is a little flat and doesn't have a lot of width, it does have enough space for two six-footers. Also, the seats flip forward, and there's plenty of nicely-shaped cargo space. The options list is impressive, too—you can get the same good navigation system that's offered in the Ford Escape, including the excellend Sync voice-command interface for Bluetooth or USB. Heated seats, remote start, and SVS entertainment are also on offer.

For more, see the review pages on the 2011 Mazda Tribute over at The Car Connection.