Cons: Too much wind/road noise at high speeds; not able to select AC source (interior/exterior)
The Bottom Line: Best option among comparable SUVs--if you go elsewhere, you'll either pay a lot more for the luxury SUVs or get less for those similarly priced.
Besides offering the best value and a solid, stylish, reliable vehicle, the Mazda Tribute offers the widest range and best combinations of options of any small - midsize SUV. If you're most concerned about fuel economy and price, then get the standard 4-cylinder front-wheel drive DX. If you want it all decked out, then get the ES V-6 4WD model with leather interior, the deluxe sound package, etc., which was my pick. For everyone else, there are lots of other options in between the bare bones and fully loaded models.
Even the ES model is still cheaper than almost all the other small SUV's (including its Ford counterpart, the Escape). You might pay a tad less for the Honda CRV (and if you're a a Honda lover, you may just want to skip this paragraph, because I'm not impressed with the CR-V), but let's face it--the CRV gets uglier every year, and suffers from Honda's trademark problems: no guts, no style (the 2003-2004 model looks like a ladybug), and frequent electrical shorts. The CRV doesn't even have an available V-6. Call me crazy, but I don't think the Japanese automakers who are still trying to run 4WD on 4 cylinders are playing with a full deck (Subaru, Honda, etc.). Don't get me wrong, they're generally very reliable vehicles, but I don't agree with their philosophy of building smaller engines and sacrificing a fair amount power for gas mileage and price. Honda may gradually be leaving that approach behind as the new Accord has much better horsepower... but I still side with the European/American approach of building vehicles with engines powerful enough to give them a little pep, while still maintaining fuel efficiency. Maybe that's why the Tribute is one of the few Mazda vehicles made in the U.S. Granted, there is the DX Tribute with 4WD and only 4 cylinders, but at least Mazda gives you the V6 option.
Then again, people who are in the market for Hondas usually aren't too concerned with horsepower. So, to compare apples to apples, for those who think Honda builds the safest cars, you might also be interested to know that the Tribute also outperformed the CRV in its crash-test safety ratings (the CRV had previously scored among the lowest for SUVs in 2001--a departure from Honda's typically impressive crash-test ratings--but has since made improvements in the new model). Of course, much of this depends on whether the vehicle being tested included optional side air bags, and whether you're looking at the NTHSA ratings or the IIHS ratings. But with airbags on both 2004 models, the Tribute outperforms the CR-V overall.
When it comes to performance, the V6 Tribute also has more horsepower than the V6 Nissan Xterra and runs more smoothly than the Escape. Although the Tribute and Escape have the same engine, Mazda prides itself on smooth shifting and seamless transmission--part of what gives Mazda vehicles a more sporty feel than their Ford counterparts. After owning my Tribute for 4 months, I have to say that I have been impressed by the smooth shifting as well as the responsiveness of the steering/handling.
Another aspect of the Tribute that has impressed me is its efficient use of space. This was a significant factor in my decision to buy the Tribute, since at 6'7" I have trouble fitting into a lot of cars--yet I didn't want to buy a giant truck or a full-size SUV and guzzle gas like nobody's business just to accomodate my height. So, I test-drove all kinds of cars, from sedans, to luxury cars, to SUVs, and the Tribute has the most spacious interior in both the front-seat, back seat, and cargo area. I can actually sit behind myself (i.e. behind the driver with the driver's seat adjusted to the position where I have it when I drive) and still have adequate leg room.
The only caution I have about the Tribute is that Mazda does not seem to be quite as meticulous in taking care of all the little finishing details as perhaps Toyota (among similarly priced SUVs) or the makers of your more pricey SUVs (Acura, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.). For instance, in my Tribute, there is an annoying buzzing sound that comes from the dash/stereo console area that the service people have been unable to duplicate and therefore unable to fix. It doesn't stop anything from functioning, and it's not even there most of the time, but bumpy roads seem to trigger it and it's definitely an annoyance. I wouldn't mention it except that a reviewer for the 2003 model mentioned that he thought there was a slight quality control problem with his Tribute as well (one of the rubber seals on a window wasn't quite properly installed). Again, these are not functional or mechanical problems, but they are definitely an annoyance that you wouldn't expect to deal with on a new car. Could be a pattern... could be nothing. You decide.
That being said, Mazda stands behind its vehicles more than the competition with its 4 year/50,000 mile warranty. That's a year longer and 14,000 miles further than most. Even if you plan on buying a new car every year or two, it does a lot for the resale value if it's still under warranty. Personally, I plan to drive my Tribute into the ground, and with Mazda's reputation for building long-lasting cars, I expect that to take a while.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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