Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Video highlights of this vehicle

Due to participation in a truck comparison test and a lengthy business trip, this month's assigned pilot, Road Test Editor John DiPietro, had very limited seat time in the Tribute. He did, however, have an interesting story to tell regarding his experience when he brought the little ute in for its 15,000-mile checkup/service. But we'll delve into that later. First, let's see what others had to say about the Tribute.

Associate Editor Erin Riches had mostly positive comments. Her sentiments about the truck's dynamics echoed those of many staffers, including DiPietro, when she stated; "Great handling — commuters who maintain that they would never buy an SUV... might be tempted by the Tribute. I was."

A reasonable size, ideal steering feel and a taut suspension make the Tribute fairly nimble when unraveling twisty roads or bagging a parking spot. And the V6's fat powerband is always appreciated, whether pulling away from traffic or cruising effortlessly on the freeways (on those rare times in Los Angeles when one can actually "cruise" on said freeways). These attributes made DiPietro's experience in the Tribute a positive one, as he typically finds SUVs sloth-like in their response to steering and/or throttle inputs and thus prefers not to drive them.

"I really enjoyed the Tribute. The spirited engine, alert tranny and agile handling make this SUV fun to bop around in. And I like the high seating position, which affords better visibility — ideal when dealing with traffic, as it allows you to see what's going on up ahead better than if you're in a low-slung sport coupe. The only major bummer is that the gas mileage isn't that great — no surprise with an SUV. I was getting about 16 mpg during my (admittedly brief) time with the Tribute. And granted it was mostly non-freeway driving, and the Trib is averaging just over 18 mpg. But gimme a break, my brother's recently purchased Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV that has a 240-horse V8 under the hood and the ability to carry eight passengers, and he's averaging 17 mpg! Doesn't exactly seem proportionate, does it?" But beyond that, John was "won over" by the affable Tribute.

A minor annoyance for both DiPietro and Riches involved the climate control. Unlike some systems that allow you to choose the airflow and have separate buttons to switch on the A/C and recirculate modes, the Tribute's unit incorporates the recirculate mode with the A/C and doesn't allow one to select bi-level (dash and floor) distribution of the cooled air. So if you happen to be behind a smelly diesel truck on a chilly day and you want to stop air from entering the Tribute, you'll have to kick on the A/C to engage the recirculate mode. And if you want to cool down your feet as well as your upper body, tough cookies, as the conditioned air only flows from the dash and (in defog mode) the base of the windshield.

Technology Editor Scott Memmer, who, like DiPietro, admits he's not normally an SUV fan, chimed in with similar accolades for the Tribute's peppy response and quick handling. "I also love the powertrain in this vehicle ... the (Tribute) gets off the line quickly ... It seems to have no weaknesses in this regard." He even liked the stereo, which is high praise coming from our audio analyst. "The sound system, too, is sure to please just about everyone, with an in-dash six-disc CD changer and (above average) amplification and speakers."

What didn't please us was how the service department at Santa Monica Mazda tried to pump up the cost of the Tribute's 15,000-mile scheduled maintenance by showing us "their" maintenance schedule, which would've involved unneeded labor and expense, to the tune of $189.95. But then again, this included a special "oil additive" and "fuel injection cleaner." Our man DiPietro, who had reviewed Mazda's own recommended service (right there in the owner's manual) prior to taking the truck in, told the service manager to skip the snake oil and do what was indicated in the manual: an oil change/filter, A/C inspection and tire rotation. Including the installation of some missing interior trim fasteners (see our January update) that were covered under warranty, the total came to only $37.33, or about one-fifth of what it would've been if we had gone blindly into the service department.

DiPietro summed up his feelings toward the Tribute in this manner: "The Tribute's likeable, spunky nature makes it easy to overlook its faults, such as its handful of recalls and some minor build-quality issues. My environmental conscience wouldn't allow me to use this (or most SUVs, for that matter) as a daily driver. But if I were to have an SUV as a second vehicle (sharing garage space with something frugal yet fun like an MR2 or Miata) to use when I needed more passenger/cargo capacity, I'd strongly consider the Tribute."

Current Odometer: 15,911
Best Fuel Economy: 22.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.4 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $37.33 (15,000-mile service — includes oil and filter change, tire rotation and A/C inspection).
Problems: None