2008 Mazda Tribute Overview

[Spenny]

The Mazda Tribute is a compact SUV known for its sporty handling, carlike ride, surprising V6 performance and rewarding value for the money. It's always been more of a car masquerading as a truck than vice-versa and feels nimble and sure-footed as long as you stick to the pavement. Debuting for 2001, Mazda marketed the Tribute as the Miata of SUVs -- and we found the claim not far off the mark. As with its mechanical twin, the Ford Escape, the Tribute featured the most powerful V6 engine in its class and could haul up to five passengers and their gear in a spacious, well-equipped cabin.

While our editors once found the "original" Mazda Tribute to be one of the best small SUVs on the market, age and newer competitors dropped its standing considerably. After a year hiatus, the Tribute returned with new styling and a snazzier interior. However, its underpinnings remained virtually unchanged, leaving the Tribute still behind other compact SUVs, including Mazda's own CX-7. The Tribute also bears an even closer resemblance to the Escape inside and out, but personal taste will determine whether that's a good or bad thing.

Current Mazda Tribute

Although nearly identical mechanically to the previous-generation model, the redesigned Tribute received significant changes to its styling and interior for 2008. The interior in particular has been greatly improved, with much better materials. Its design and switchgear are much more consistent with Ford products than Mazda ones, however.

The Mazda Tribute is offered as the four-cylinder "i" and six-cylinder "s" models, which are each broken down into three trims: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. All-wheel drive is optional on all trims. The available engines are a 2.3-liter 153-horsepower four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter 200-hp V6, both of which are coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission (except in the i Sport 2WD, which has a five-speed manual). A hybrid model dubbed the Tribute HEV is now available.

One of the few dynamic changes made to the Tribute in its refresh was a new electric power steering system that delivers surprisingly good road feel and response. Handling is respectable, with the SUV remaining flat through corners and composed in quick transitions. Ride quality is relatively smooth, making this SUV a suitable choice for commuting or hauling the family around. However, the Tribute's newer competitors, many of them boasting better interior designs, higher refinement and superior driving dynamics, have dulled our enthusiasm for what was once the most enjoyable compact SUV to drive.

Past Mazda Tribute Models

The Mazda Tribute was introduced in 2001, and there were relatively minor changes made over the next few years until the significant '08 refresh. The Tribute was offered in DX, DX V6, LX V6 and ES V6 trim levels until 2005, when the i and s trims replaced them. Like today, they represented which engine was aboard. That year also saw a minor exterior face-lift, a revised suspension and the debut of the more powerful 153-hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Previously, the base engine was a 2.0-liter inline-4 that made a paltry 130 hp. The V6 was always (and remains) a 3.0-liter unit making 200 hp.

Roomy and comfortable on the inside, stylish and practical on the outside and fun to drive wherever life took it, this quasi-first-generation Mazda Tribute was always one of our favorite compact sport-utility vehicles. Unless you're particularly sensitive to maximizing fuel economy, however, we'd recommend you shop for the V6-powered Tribute -- particularly for pre-2005 vehicles.