My car is a 2008 Mazda Tribute GT with the standard 200-hp V6 engine and all-wheel drive system. This is the engine you should get in the Tribute because the 153-hp four-cylinder motor isn’t really powerful enough for this size of vehicle, particularly if equipped with all-wheel drive. Even the V6 seems to be straining a bit when pulling out to pass on the freeway, although it’s a fine motor otherwise. The twin overhead cam, 24-valve V6 engine develops a healthy 200 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 193 lb-ft of torque at 4850 rpm, and it is very responsive off the line, around town, or in mid-range passing. It’s also very quiet and smooth on the freeway. The V6 offers a towing capacity of 1588 kg (3500 lbs) says Greg Wilson of The Canadian Driver.
The GT is the top of the line model with leather seats, heated front seats, an AM/FM six-disc CD changer premium audio system with seven speakers and automatic volume control, power glass moonroof with sunshade, and automatic headlamps. All-wheel drive is standard on the GT.
Interior impressions
The Tribute has large doors and an easy step-in height, but there is a small lip to step over. The driver sits up high and the vehicle’s boxy shape makes it feel roomy even though it’s a compact SUV. The driver has good visibility because of the tall ‘greenhouse’, but the small centre rear head restraint needs to be adjusted to its lowest position to avoid obscuring the rear view. A rear wiper with intermittent settings and rear washer helps keep the rear window clean for better visibility.
The new gauges are easy to read, but at times, I found glare reflecting off of the clear plastic cover. The glare appears to be coming from the front windshield directly above the gauges.
On top of the centre dash is a new digital display showing the radio band/station/CD track and a digital clock. Below it is a new six-disc CD/AM/FM stereo with very large buttons and chunky dials that are easy to see and can be operated while wearing gloves. This premium system feature seven speakers and great sound.
On top of the centre dash is a new digital display showing the radio band/station/CD track and a digital clock. Below it is a new six-disc CD/AM/FM stereo with very large buttons and chunky dials that are easy to see and can be operated while wearing gloves. This premium system feature seven speakers and great sound.
The heater controls below the radio are of a similar chunky design, but unlike in the Ford Escape, dual automatic climate control is not available. As well, a colour touch screen with an optional navigation system is not offered in the Tribute.
Despite the classy cream-coloured panels in the dash and shiny black trim in the centre stack, the overall look of new dash is not as elegant as the previous Tribute’s - however, it is probably easier to see and operate the controls. (Breaking news: the two-tone dash inserts will be discontinued in June, according to Mazda Canada).
At the bottom of the centre stack is a 12-volt powerpoint, an auxiliary input jack, and an open bin for a music player or cell phone. Behind the transmission shift lever are two cupholders and another open storage slot, but the largest storage area is under the centre armrest. This usefully-sized bin has a removeable upper tray, coinholder, slots for CDs, a small tissue box holder and enough room for a camera or other electronic device you want to keep out of sight.
The cabin has loads of headroom even with the sunroof, and legroom is good for front and rear passengers. I found the front seats to be very comfortable with power height and fore-aft adjustment and a manual lumbar adjustment.
The rear seats are split 60/40 for cargo-carrying versatility, but the rear head restraints have to be removed and stored somewhere when the seatbacks are folded down. As well, the process of folding down the rear seatbacks is not a simple one: first you must pull up the seat cushion against the front seat, then remove the head restraints, then fold down the seatback. This provides a load floor length of up to 1681 mm (66.2 in.). With the rear seats up, the load floor is 882 mm (34.7 in.) and 1249 mm (49.2 in.) wide. In total, there is 1877 litres (66.3 cu. ft.) behind the first row seats and 828 litres (29.2 cu. ft.) of cargo space behind the rear seats.
One feature I’ve always liked with Tributes and Escapes is a rear window that opens separately from the hatch. This enables lighter items to be dropped in without having to lift up the rear hatch door.
Driving impressions
The four-speed automatic transmission shifts cleanly and smoothly and responds to throttle input well - but it should be noted that some competitors now have five-speed automatic transmissions. The Tribute’s four-speed features a manual on/off overdrive button on the shift lever for those times when you want to shift into third gear on a hill, or in the city when you don’t want the transmission to shift into fourth.
Fuel consumption ratings for the Tribute GT with all-wheel drive are slightly higher than the FWD model: 12.5 L/100 km city, and 9.1 L/100 km hwy, but fortunately the V6 uses Regular 87 octane gasoline.
Though it’s a tall vehicle with a high ground clearance (216 mm/8.5 in.), the Tribute rides and handles more like a car than a truck due to its fully independent suspension (front MacPherson struts/rear multi-link), wide track, standard Continental ContiTrac 235/70R16-inch all-season radials, and stiff unitbody construction. Additional refinements to the springs and dampers for 2008 have resulted in a more comfortable ride too.
New for 2008 is electric power rack-and-pinion steering which eliminates the power steering pump in order to reduce vibration and save energy. This variable assist steering system provides low effort at parking lot speeds and a firmer feel at higher speeds, and I found it offered a good balance of steering precision and effort.
The Tribute’s all-wheel drive system is an electronically-controlled system that uses an electromagnetic clutch that varies the amount of torque sent to the rear wheels (up to 50%) depending on traction and road conditions. It operates in front-wheel-drive most of the time to save fuel. During my test drive, I barely noticed the transition to AWD from FWD, but that’s exactly the way it should be: combined with standard traction and stability control this system provides traction and stability in slippery conditions automatically so that the driver doesn’t even notice it. Unlike early Tributes however, this model doesn’t have a driver-selectable differential lock for a 50/50 front/rear torque split for low-speed off-road driving.
The Problem
With all the good things that this car brings comes one that is pretty annoying and dangerous.
Annoying in such that the gears seems slow to engage when you want it to and you end up pushing the accelerator down as a reflex reaction and dangerous because once the gears thus engages, and it does it suddenly, the car leaps forward like a bolting horse and I have to scramble to regain control of the wheel.
I brought this problem up with my dealer and after more than two weeks, they told me they had to repair a bulb seal in the transmission as it was leaking. this was when my car was about 7 months old.
I thought everything would have been fine after the dealership fix my car but after a few weeks, I still experience the same problem from time to time. I brought it bact to my dealer but they said they could not find any problem with it. I could not prove it to them because of the fact that the problem doesn't happen often and certainly did not happen when they were testing it.
Now I am stuck with this vehicle will just have to make most of it until I can afford to replace it.
