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The Mazda Tribute is a mid-size car-based Crossover (automobile) made by Japanese automaker Mazda since 2001. It is jointly developed with Ford Motor Company and based on the front-wheel drive Mazda 626 platform, which is in turn the basis for the similar Ford Escape on the CD2 platform. The Tribute is priced below the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in Ford's CD2 SUV lineup. The Tribute and Escape debuted in 2001, offering front or all wheel drive and a choice of a transversely-mounted 2.0 L Ford Zetec 4-cylinder engine or 3.0 L Ford Duratec V6. Ford Escape was also sold as the Ford Maverick in Europe with a Ford 2.0 L I4 Zetec engine with manual transmission, or 3.0 L Duratec coupled to automatic transmission.
The Tribute received additional major changes to improve performance for the 2009 model year, mostly by way of mechanical upgrades. Most significantly, all new engines replaced the increasingly outmatched 2.3L I4 and 3.0L V6. Mazda's new MZR 2.5L I4 replaced the 2.3L, boosting horsepower to 171 bhp (128 kW; 173 PS) and 171 lb·ft (232 N·m) of torque at 4000 rpm. Despite increased horsepower, fuel economy also increased by 1 mpg-US (240 L/100 km; 1.2 mpg-imp) on both urban and extra-urban cycles. The optional 3.0 L (AJ) V6 was thoroughly updated, resulting in a 40 hp (30 kW) increase, bringing power output to 240 hp (180 kW) and 233 lb·ft (316 N·m) of torque. It also sees a 1 mpg-US (240 L/100 km; 1.2 mpg-imp) improvement.
The Mazda Tribute represents a real opportunity to bag a quality used compact 4x4 for relatively little. It's weak image and utilitarian interior means that demand is not high for these vehicles, all of which spells big savings for the shrewd used buyer who's in it for the long term. With a superb reliability record and satisfying on-road performance, you shouldn't allow the Tribute to be the compact 4x4 bargain that you let slip.
