Mazda Tribute 2011

The 2011 Mazda Tribute ranks 22 out of 23 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 21 published reviews and test drives of the Mazda Tribute, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Reviewers say the 2011 Mazda Tribute pales in comparison not only to its platform-mate, the Ford Escape, but also to most compact SUVs.

Poor Mazda Tribute – it just doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. "It must be tough for the 2011 Mazda Tribute at family get-togethers,” quips Edmunds “Like the red-headed stepchild, this compact crossover sticks out as the oddball among its fellow Mazdas with their rakish profiles, beefy fender flares and wide-mouth grilles. That's because the Tribute has been adopted from a different family. Remove the badges from the Mazda Tribute and what you have is a Ford Escape, except without the Ford's many appealing high-tech features."

It’s that re-badging that many reviewers say is the problem with the Mazda Tribute. While the Ford Escape has benefited from freshening and high-tech interior features that reviewers love, the Tribute has languished. While compact SUVs have gotten curvier and more car-like, the Tribute is an old-school small SUV. It does have good fuel economy (and a hybrid model, if you live in California), but reviewers say that most other small SUVs are better choices than the Tribute.

The Tribute shares a platform with the Ford Escape, and reviewers say that if you like the Tribute, you’ll love the Escape. Compared to the Tribute, the Escape makes a more compelling case for itself with a nicer interior and better cabin electronics. And, with a starting price of only about $500 more than the Tribute, you don’t have to pay much more for the better-liked Escape.

For a better deal on a more well-rounded small SUV, go for the Hyundai Tucson. It has a lower starting price than the Tribute, better fuel economy, a longer warranty and more standard features (including some, like Bluetooth, that you can’t get at all, let alone standard, on the Tribute). Reviewers also say the Tuscon’s rear seat is more comfortable.
Details: Mazda Tribute

For 2011, the Tribute is mostly unchanged. The Tribute comes in several trims: i Sport, i Touring, i Grand Touring, and s Grand Touring. A hybrid version, offered in California only, runs on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor.

"The 2011 Mazda Tribute is a rebadged Ford Escape, and more like a traditional SUV than a crossover. And without the Escape's high-tech features, this SUV can't measure up to the new breed of compact crossovers."

"All Tributes suffer from crude-sounding engines, low-rent cabin appointments, and a Ford-derived basic design that's more than a decade old. Still, Mazda's compact crossover is worth considering for its responsive 6-speed automatic transmission and comfortable passenger accommodations. The availability of a gas/electric hybrid model is laudable, though it's only offered in California."