Mazda makes a different type of sport-utility with Tribute
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
|
FURNACE CREEK, Calif. -- We select a seldom-traveled road for the trek to Furnace Creek in Death Valley, that vast California sink hole just west of the Nevada border where arid salt flats, rocky ridges and narrow canyons carve rugged contours on a barren landscape.
The sand-swept strip of frayed pavement, California 178, heads west from Shoshone and zigzags over desolate Jubilee Pass in the Black Mountains before descending into a blistering desert chiseled between two rows of peaks.
It's a severe route with a mix of steep mountain grades, twisty slalom esses plus whoop-de-do pavement heaves on the pancake flats.
That's just the challenge we need to test the temperament of a sport-utility wagon from a company steeped in the production of fun-to-drive cars.
The company is Mazda, the automaker from Japan but allied with Ford Motor Company, and the SUV is the Tribute, a so-called crossover wagon for the compact class.
In advertisements Mazda promotes it as a sport-utility vehicle reared by a family of sports cars.
The claim comes from the fact that Tribute differs from the typical lumbering hulk of a sport-utility box built on the platform of a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) truck.
Instead, Tribute rides on the chassis of a front-wheel-drive (FWD) sedan and carries lively independent suspension elements and a crisp rack and pinion steering system to fashion a nimble wagon.
All power from Tribute's four-cylinder or V6 engine goes directly to the wheels in front -- the ones that also steer. This ability of front wheels to both turn and steer the wagon makes it quite agile, and entirely predictable.
Another unique feature is Tribute's monocoque platform, a structure that integrates frame and body to forge a single unit that's extremely rigid when set to the dynamics of motion.
A long wheelbase of 103.1 inches fosters the smooth ride while a generous wheel track of 61 inches in front and 60.2 inches in back adds stability when turning.
Out-of-the-ordinary independent suspension components include front struts and a multi-link rear design with double lateral supports and trailing arms.
Note that the roll center point in front is lower than in the rear. This tips the weight balance slightly toward the front wheels so a driver feels more direct response from the steering wheel.
Tribute debuted in Mazda's line of 2001 but returns this year with a variety of new features in place in the five-seat cabin.
Tribute's wide and tall structure coupled to mechanical components that consume minimal room create a passenger compartment with best-in-class space.
The floor plan consists of a front pair of bucket seats with center console, a second row with bench-style seat and folding backrest, and a cargo bay in the rear unencumbered by the spare tire that stows below deck.
We load the rear compartment with packs and gear for desert hiking, being careful to include a five-gallon jug of water. And all contents are lashed down tightly because we want to fling this wagon around the curves.
On wiggly route 178 we find that Tribute delivers on Mazda's promise of fun-to-drive handling traits because it maintains a tight line through each curve without undue sway or roll of the body as the front tires actually pull the wagon through all benders.
It feels almost sporty, in fact, so agile the posture and smooth the ride that it seems far removed from the typically awkward and cumbersome sport-ute.
While the Tribute used for our Death Valley drive comes with FWD orientation, a traction system for all wheels is also available and designed to enhance tire grip on slippery pavement or gravel roads.
The optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) device varies from a typical four-wheel-drive (4WD) mechanism because there's no viscous-coupling torque distributor. Instead, an innovative rotary blade coupling (RBC) senses when front wheels begin to slip, then quickly and automatically redirects engine torque to all wheels in equal measure.
It operates with power sent continuously to the front wheels except when slippage occurs, or as locked-up 4WD for use on slippery surfaces, with a dashboard button locking the system at will.
Tribute's current models show three trim variations and each is available in FWD or AWD.
Tribute DX is the price leader with standard features including a four-cylinder engine, roof rack, tachometer, tilting steering wheel, and power windows with one-touch down for driver's window.
Tribute LX adds a V6 and upgraded cloth seat fabric, while deluxe ES has leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and power-motivated driver's seat.
The frugal engine for Tribute DX is Ford's twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder Zetec plant that hits 130 hp at 5400 rpm with 135 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm through a manual five-speed gearbox.
For LX and ES editions, a larger Ford engine -- the dual-cam 3.0-liter Duratec V6 -- produces 200 hp at 6000 rpm and a torque rating of 200 lb-ft at 4750 rpm.
The V6 links to an electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transaxle that's offered optionally on the four-cylinder Tribute DX.
With the V6 on-board Tribute LX, more safety options are available, such as anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and side-impact air bags for front seats. These items become standard features on top trim Tribute ES, by the way.
A boxy exterior design for Tribute cants the package forward in an aggressive stance with brief overhangs in front and back plus rippled body edgework remindful of a muscular athlete.v
A thick monochromatic ring -- composed of front and rear bumpers, side cladding and flared wheel moldings -- forms a solid base around the wagon, as the broad face gleams from bold clear-lens headlamps with foglamps set in the bumper.
Multiple edgy creases in the sloping hood flow up to the raked windshield and over a flat roof to the flat-faced tail housing a wide liftgate with convenient flip-up window.
MSRP figures range from $18,455 for the 2WD DX Tribute to $24,630 for Tribute ES 4WD, and three packages of optional gear plus stand-alone items like a DVD-based entertainment kit are also available.
|
| 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact SUV wagon
|
| Model Options: |
Compact SUV wagon
|
| Wheelbase: |
103.1 inches
|
| Overall Length: |
173.0 inches
|
| Engine Size: |
DX: DOHC 2.0-L I4
LX: DOHC 3.0-L V6
ES: DOHC 3.0-L V6
|
| Transmission: |
I4: Manual/5
opt. Auto/4
V6: Auto/4
|
| Drive: |
2WD Front
4WD RBC
|
| Braking: |
DX: Power disc/drum
LX: Power disc/drum
opt. ABS/EBD
ES: Power disc/drum
ABS/EBD
|
| Airbags: |
DX: 2 (front)
LX: 2 (front) + opt. 2 (side)
ES: 2 (front) + 2 (side)
|
| Gas Mileage: |
I4 2WD M/5: 23/28 mpg
I4 4WD M/5: 22/26 mpg
V6 2WD A/4: 18/24 mpg
V6 4WD A/4: 18/24 mpg
|
| MSRP Price: |
Tribute DX 2WD: $ 18,455
Tribute DX 4WD: $ 20,155
Tribute LX 2WD: $ 21,840
Tribute LX 4WD: $ 23,040
Tribute ES 2WD: $ 23,430
Tribute ES 4WD: $ 24,630 |
|
|
|
The Big Lot! is dedicated to privacy, security, and service. Read our Privacy Policy.