Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Video highlights of this vehicle

As our long-term Tribute heads into its final month of service, we thought it would be a good idea to get a nagging warning light problem fixed before we let it go. The "ABS" light has been lighting up off and on for some time now although we had no reported losses of braking power or otherwise unusual brake operation.

A quick call to Santa Monica Lincoln/Mercury/Mazda and we were on our way. Since we were already fairly close to the next scheduled service interval, we asked the service writer to go ahead and change the oil (the only recommended maintenance) while they were diagnosing the ABS light. We were quoted an estimate of $115 but the service writer acknowledged that more than likely the diagnostic work would be covered under warranty.

Later that day, we received a call from the dealer informing us that the faulty warning light was due to a broken ABS sensor ring in the left front wheel assembly. The new part would have to be special ordered, but they assured us that it would be safe to drive in the meantime and that the repair would be covered under warranty. The oil change was taken care of as well, so we went back to the dealer, paid $36.68 and we were on our way.

When the Tribute wasn't in the maintenance stall, it was getting its usual dose of heavy usage by various Edmunds editors. Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed drove it on a weekend hiking trip to Lone Pine, Calif., at the foot of California's (and the lower 48's) highest peak, Mount Whitney.

On the three-hour drive he reflected on his earlier observations about the cute-ute. He had faulted the powertrain for sluggish response off the line and then sudden surges of acceleration. On the open road this wasn't an issue; it cruised smoothly and the ride was comfortable. But around town this power delivery setup bothered him again and he realized that, as the engine revved through the gears, it often hit a whining note that became grating.

That was the bad news. The good news was that Phil really liked the way the interior looked from the driver seat with the black leather steering wheel, the dark gauges and the gray door panels. For the most part, the leather seats have worn well. The exterior, with the blue body and gray cladding, still looked good to his eye even two years after this model debuted. Not being a fan of the behemoth SUVs lumbering along our freeways, Phil felt the Tribute was reasonably sized. It carried three guys and their climbing gear with ease.

Early the next morning the Tribute was put to the test of climbing from Lone Pine (elevation 3,700 feet) up a winding road to the Mount Whitney trail head (elevation 8,400 feet) with numerous hairpin turns. The Mazda's superior handling gave Phil and his passengers a feeling of confidence despite sheer drops and no guard rail. The engine didn't seem to strain on the steep grade and little loss of power was noticed at the highest elevation — one reason to bypass the four-cylinder and go for the V6. At the end of a long hike, when Phil and his buddies piled back into the Trib, he slid the gearshifter into D2 and used engine braking for the long descent. On the drive back to Los Angeles Phil had to refill after only 292 miles (as the small gas tank is another annoyance), but he was pleased to see he had gotten 20.3 miles per gallon on open road conditions. All in all, Phil felt that the Tribute offered a nice alternative to the larger SUVs while still providing adequate cargo space.

Current Odometer: 36,110
Best Fuel Economy: 20.3. mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.2 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.2 mpg
Body Repair Costs: none
Maintenance Costs: $36.68
Problems: ABS warning light comes on intermittently.