Long-Term Test: 2001 Mazda Tribute ES-V6

Introduction
Buying Experience
Engine and Transmission
Handling and Ride
Interior and Radio
Seat Comfort
Carrying Capacity
Summing Up
The Selling Experience
Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
Consumer Commentary

Introduction

When the Mazda Tribute was introduced two years ago, it signaled the beginning of a new trend: smaller SUVs with larger engines. The Tribute had the additional promise of carlike handling backed by Mazda's reputation for providing a high fun factor for drivers. Naturally, we had to test these claims in a real-world situation.

Now, two years and 36,886 miles later, we know our Tribute inside and out. While our reactions were generally favorable, we did have some issues with the design and construction of the cute 'ute. The gas mileage was disappointing (a lifetime average of 18.1 mpg) and the small tank led to frequent stops. Also, there were an annoying number of recalls (none of them major) and several hard-to-resolve service issues that concerned our editors.

Finally, it should be noted that, while the Tribute (and its twin, the Ford Escape) was at the head of a new wave of smaller SUVS, initial appeal has since been diluted by other strong entries into this crowded market. Still, the Tribute, along with the Ford Escape, was named Edmunds.com's Most Wanted Small SUV for 2002 and 2003, proving that even with its faults, this Mazda is still at the head of the mini-ute class. The clean styling, along with Mazda's solid reputation for fine handling, should make it a strong consideration for anyone shopping in this vehicle class.

The Buying Experience

The first Tributes to roll onto dealership lots didn't spend much time waiting for owners. Shopping for an ES with the V6 and four-wheel drive further narrowed the field. We phoned and e-mailed from San Diego to Sacramento without immediate success. Our strategy was to locate a Tribute that was on its way to the dealership and hadn't been spoken for yet.

Finally, after locating a Galaxy Blue Metallic Tribute with gray leather interior that matched our wish list, we headed toward Galpin Mazda in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles. We put down a $500 credit card deposit and agreed to base our two-year lease on a sticker price of $25,475. (Some of the dealers we contacted wanted $1,000 over sticker for the in-demand SUV.) We also purchased extra miles at the cost of about 12 cents each, rather than paying 15 cents per mile in penalty when we turned it in. All told, our monthly lease payment was $641 with a $1,000 drive-off payment.

With a deal locked in place, we anxiously waited for the Tribute to arrive. It hit the ground, as promised, just before Thanksgiving 2000. However, before we could get our hot little hands on it, a recall was announced pertaining to the windshield wipers. It took another four days before we were able to pick up the Tribute.

Besides the standard equipment that comes with an ES, we got ABS with side airbags, the Luxury Package (premium audio and power sliding moonroof) and the towing package.

Handling and Ride

As editors began to rotate into the Tribute for a month at a time, the comments inevitably centered on the Mazda's superior handling. One logbook entry seemed to sum it up:

"Mazda's ad campaign that shows Miatas raising a Tribute isn't as far-fetched as you might believe. The Tribute makes an excellent suburban assault vehicle. Thanks to the unibody design, it handles and rides very similarly to a car. Its quick steering and short turning circle are very beneficial for mall parking lots. And thanks to the additional ground clearance, the Tribute is better able to handle rough stuff like potholes, speed bumps and broken pavement."

Another strong positive vote came from this road test editor: "Yep, the Tribute is probably one of the best-handling SUVs on the market right now. It's confident enough in curves and on winding roads to make the driver think he's driving a sedan or even a two-door coupe. Taking curves at 10 to 15 mph faster than the posted speed never causes concern for the driver or any passengers."

The improved handling might have a downside for drivers seeking a softer ride. These reservations — and more praise — were expressed by another editor: "A four-wheel independent suspension, unibody construction and a remarkably tight turning diameter of 36.8 feet all contributed to such a driver-friendly vehicle that I couldn't squelch the fondness that burgeoned in my heart. But I did realize that those who prefer a soft, comfortable ride will mind the suspension, which is mucho harsho over bumps; cruising along on uneven pavement produced a series of teeth-jarring thwacks through the cabin. Its ability to remain relatively flat and composed through corners and twisties is the rewarding payback."

Ride harshness, coupled with some cabin noise, drew a comment from still another editor. "Some editors have carped about the Tribute's noisy cabin and raucous soundtrack emanating from under the hood. None of these issues bothered me, especially when the decent-sounding CD player was cranked up. But if you want super-smooth and whisper-quiet to be part of your SUV driving experience, there are certainly others out there that will do better than the Tribute. But how do those big living rooms on wheels handle curvy roads?"

As the months wore on, and other small SUVs joined the competition, the handling was taken for granted by some. Still, the Tribute remained a favorite — enough so that its twin, the Ford Escape, took first place in our 2001 Mini SUV Comparison Test.

Engine and Transmission

As mentioned earlier, the big draw for the Tribbie was the hefty engine. With 200 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque from its 3.0-liter V6, the Tribute can easily outpace other compact SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. In certain situations, it can even show up Porsches.

"There's a freeway entrance ramp I frequently take," one editor, a former racer, reported. "It has two lanes that feed into one lane once on the freeway. One day, I was staged up against a Porsche 911. Since the road surface is frequently slippery at the lights due to dropped oil and antifreeze, I knew I had the advantage. As soon as the lights turned green, I mashed the Tribute's throttle. Thanks to the four-wheel drive, I was able to squirt off the line and gain pole position. I wonder how that Porsche owner felt after seeing his $70,000 sports car humbled by a $25,000 SUV."

Road Test Editor John DiPietro filed this assessment: "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."

Another staff member gushed, "Right off the bat, I found that the engine is the best part of the Tribute. The V6, with its 200 horsepower, is a great plus for this vehicle. I never felt that I was at a loss for power. It has great jump off the line and awesome passing ability at any speed. The engine makes this thing a blast to drive. I like cars to have some zip to them, and the Tribute made me a believer in the Mazda corporate motto of 'Zoom Zoom.'"

Senior Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig raved about the Tribute's performance. "This thing just flies down on-ramps. There's tons of torque just about everywhere in the power band, making passing and merging easy."

One aspect of the Tribute that annoyed just about everyone on staff was the double whammy of poor gas mileage along with a small gas tank. One editor called it a "prudish fuel tank." He observed that when used primarily for city driving, the Tribute's range drops to little more than 200 miles.

Another editor reported that he found the power of the Tribute just a little too intoxicating. His lead foot contributed to average mileage of just 17.5 mpg one month. "So if the gas-sipping nature of most mini-SUVs is something of importance to you," he wrote, "the Tribute might disappoint."

Commenting specifically on the transmission, Editor in Chief Karl Brauer filed these observations: "The automatic transmission sometimes seemed confused. I often found that it would upshift too soon when power was needed for climbing, thus losing the necessary torque to hold a speed and resulting in a slow loss of momentum. I also noticed that while it did this when I floored the pedal, it would hold a gear longer when I pushed the accelerator down two-thirds of the way. Once I figured this out, I used this 'two-thirds throttle' technique to keep the vehicle from upshifting, but found it strange that when telling the Tribute I wanted less than all-out power, it was more likely to hold a gear to maximize power (rather than upshift). Also, more than once it upshifted to its top gear with a noticeable 'thud' while lurching forward. This seemed to happen most often if I quickly lifted off the throttle while accelerating hard up a steep incline. Maybe it was because the tranny was both upshifting and going into overdrive/torque-converter lockup at the same time. Whatever the case, it wasn't a particularly pleasant feeling."

Interior and Radio

While the lines of the Tribute were well liked by most editors, the interior design and construction drew some fire. Many editors criticized the overuse of hard plastic. One editor reported that this made the Tribbie seem "a touch cheap. In particular the door handles are made of some flimsy plastic, they have virtually no resistance and they are so loosely fastened that you can shake them about with ease. You could also pull them (when the door was closed) past a 45-degree angle without opening it. That, in my book, is cheap."

The same editor said he shudders to think of being hit from the side because of the flimsy door construction. It should be noted, however, that in crash test safety ratings for the side impact front category, the Tribute received an "Excellent" or five-star crash test score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

A second editor reported that she was unimpressed by the quality of the interior materials in this $25,000 vehicle. "Even though most of the Tribute's interior components seem to have been sourced by Ford, the significantly less expensive Ford Focus made out with a higher level of materials and a better center stack design," she wrote. "The Tribute's floppy, fuzzy sun visors took me back to my parents' 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser. And the door release handles feel like they could break off in your hand. Finally, the steering wheel feels uncomfortably hard, even though it's leather-wrapped."

One feature that was above criticism was the Tribute's sound system. We tried both homemade cassette tapes and CDs, and the quality of the music was excellent. Plenty of low-end punch and overall volume, plus the in-dash CD changer was convenient and very quick to respond to "load" and "unload" commands.

Our stereo expert deemed the audio system worthy of high praise. "The sound system is sure to please just about everyone, with an in-dash six-disc CD changer and (above average) amplification and speakers."

While the audio system sounded fine, the too-long shifter got in the way of the radio controls. Another snafu: the big "tuning" knob on the radio — that controls the bass, treble, balance and fader — does nothing without your pushing it first. And, it does not control tuning. Go figure.

One final comment from our editorial sages: "Granted, this is no luxury SUV, but even Ford's econobox Focus has some element of style to its interior. A friend of mine got in the car and the first thing he said was, 'Is this a rental car?' That just about sums up the overall look of the Tribute's interior."

Seat Comfort

One of our editors took the Tribute on a very long trip and had trouble getting comfortable in the gray leather seats. He reported that the driver seat feels firm, supportive and comfortable at first, but over time (roughly six hours and 450 miles — whichever comes first), his lower back began to ache badly. By the time he called it quits after 12 hours, he was in serious pain, fidgeting constantly to try and find relief. "Thank God for Advil," he wrote in his logbook. He faulted the Tribute ES for not having a lumbar support.

One thing is certain with regard to cabin comfort: Mazda offers plenty of seat track travel and a wide range of height adjustment (although the angle of the bottom cushion cannot be adjusted separately, making an optimal driving position unlikely). The same editor wrote: "This is one of the few vehicles I have ever driven in which I do not utilize the entire range of seat track travel. This means I have plenty of room for my legs, and can leave plenty of room for the legs of my passengers as well."

The next editor who drove the Tribute had no complaints about the seats. Though he rarely spent more than one hour at a time in the SUV, he found the seats to be more than adequate. He appreciated the power-operated controls and the relatively high seating position.

Yet another editor took the Tribute on a long trip and had issues with the seats. He wrote: "My wife and I both noticed some muscle fatigue after long hours in the Tribute, but I attribute that to improper posture as much as to seat design. When sitting up straight the front seats felt comfortable, if a little flat. Lower back pain would start to creep in when I slouched, and after 12 hours in the car, my butt was getting numb. These were pretty extreme driving conditions, however, and I feel confident that someone driving for less than 10 hours a day, and sitting up straight the whole time, would find little to complain about."

Carrying Capacity

With off-road capacity and a liftgate in back, the Tribute had all the equipment needed for a great vacation-mobile. The staff was eager to hit the long and winding road in this vehicle. And this was the category where the Tribute really proved itself.

Mr. Brauer took a trip across the West in the Trib and discovered there was more space than there first appeared to be. "This applies to both cargo space behind the second-row seat and storage cubbies throughout the front seat area. The center console is both large and felt-lined to keep things from rattling and proved to be the perfect place to stick my video camera for impromptu vacation shots. The cupholders (two) are conveniently located between the seats and can hold all but the largest water bottles. Then there's the small cubby ahead of the cupholders, plus another cubby higher up in the dash, perfect for cell phones, sunglasses and so on. I was somewhat concerned about using the Tribute for this trip when a perfectly functional (and huge) minivan was in my garage, but, for the most part, my fears were unfounded. The Tribute proved capable of hauling my family of four and all their stuff. My wife could even sit in the second-row seat, between the two child seats, when she wanted to tend to the kids."

Another staff member took the Tribute shopping and was pleasantly surprised. "When the backseats were folded down, the large packages of toilet paper and paper towels were swallowed up by the Tribute's large cargo area. In fact, the Tribute has a surprising 63 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats down. If I was driving my Honda Accord, my car would be so full of bulk items it would have looked like one of those pack-rat cars you see every once in a while."

One of the more macho writers on the staff reported that he had an initial negative reaction to driving a sport-ute often described as "cute." But, "it wasn't long before I realized how convenient driving a smaller vehicle like this is. The Tribute was able to squeeze into parking spaces that even midsize SUVs would have trouble getting into. Plus, I went to the hardware store to pick up some long window shades and blinds. I contemplated waiting until I had a truck, but instead brought the Tribute. I dropped the second-row seats, and everything fit with ease. I couldn't help but think to myself, 'How often would I really need much more cargo space than this?'"

Summing Up

Our enthusiasm for the Tribute was tempered by a few nagging service problems and poor gas mileage. Regrettably, the updates seemed less enthusiastic as the months wore on. However, we shouldn't forget some of the loyal fans who reacted positively every time they got behind the wheel. So, on the balance, this is a vehicle we would recommend for serious consideration when shopping in the mini-SUV segment.

Here are a few parting shots from our editors that sum up the staff's feelings:

"Overall, I found this mini-SUV to be a great package. Besides having a thing for smaller vehicles, I would consider this kind of SUV for myself. It has an attractively small size with an engine that packs a lot of power."

"Our Galaxy Blue Tribute continues to charm us with well-proportioned lines and chrome accents lending a pleasing appearance; this along with its lively driving experience explains why it's always seen as a desirable vehicle to be assigned for the month."

"As a nimble, powerful utility vehicle that's easy to drive, the Tribute scores well. But as a fuel-conscious, rugged and trouble-free off-roader, this mini-ute could use some improvement. Still, considering the high sales numbers generated by the Escape/Tribute twins, it's obvious which characteristics are truly valued by consumers."

The Selling Experience

Our Tribute was leased for two years so we had the option of either turning it back in or purchasing it for the buyout price of $16,058. We checked this buyout figure against TMV and found it to be at about market value. Given how soft the used car market is, we decided to turn the vehicle back into Mazda and avoid the hassle of selling it ourselves.

We had been contacted several times by a representative of Galpin Mazda, where we leased it, and so we took it directly back to that dealership. We ran the Tribute through the car wash, vacuumed it and looked it over carefully. There was a significant scratch near the driver's side door handle which made us nervous. We considered having it buffed out by the car wash people. But ultimately, we decided against it, opting instead to test the clause allowing "normal wear and tear" in our leasing contract.

At Galpin we were given a sales pitch for a new Mazda, since it was assumed we were without wheels now. However, we explained that the Tribute had been leased for testing and we did have a ride home from the dealership. The salesman lost interest. We waited 15 minutes while the car was inspected and we were then presented with a final settlement. The scratch was noted but we weren't charged for it. However, we were charged 15 cents a mile for the 1,886 miles we drove over the allowed amount.

Problem History

A number of relatively minor problems were noted over our 24 months of use. Some of these we couldn't rectify; others we tried but failed. For example, it was noted that the floor vents blow a minimal amount of air. We had a mechanic look at it but it seemed due to design rather than malfunction. On the other hand, we had an annoying off-and-on problem with a gasoline smell when the vehicle was started. A mechanic said he couldn't find a problem and couldn't smell the gas. However, it was noticed by several editors. In the final months, the ABS light appeared intermittently. This was eventually traced to a faulty sensor in one of the wheels which was replaced.

It should be noted that the Tribute, despite having numerous recalls, never broke down and left us stranded by the side of the road.

Dealer Service Reviews

7,500-Mile Service

We dropped off the Tribute at Santa Monica Mazda for its 7,500-mile service, which occurred a little late with 7,995 miles on the odometer. When we called to make an appointment, we were told one wasn't necessary and that we could drop it off at our convenience. We did so at 9 a.m., and also alerted the service advisor that a new foglight assembly, a driver-side mirror, clips for the tailgate panel, kick-panel screws and a wiper blade (to replace an ill-fitting one) had been ordered on January 2. He said that he'd look into whether they had arrived, and we were told that the car would be ready later in the afternoon.

At 5:30 in the evening, we called to see if the car was indeed ready and we were told brusquely that they would require another day. Geez, thanks for calling to let us know.

The next day, at around 10 a.m., we called again; a couple of more hours were needed. At 1 p.m., we called once more and were overjoyed to hear the sweet words "It's ready for pickup!" An editor who had once been a service advisor, relates this story:

"We arrived at the dealer, after we called to confirm that the vehicle was ready for pickup. The real question was whether the paperwork was completed; but shouldn't that have been a given?

"We were promptly greeted on the service drive by an advisor who told us that our guy was out to lunch and then directed us toward the cashier window. The service cashier looked through her pending pile of papers, but could not locate our vehicle's paperwork. She told us it would be a few minutes.

"We waited while she ran to see what the holdup was on our paperwork. She came back by us on the way to one of the other offices, leaving the cashier window empty for the time being. After some time had passed, our paperwork was dropped off at her work station, although she was still not back. We waited and waited, until the person who had dropped the paperwork off came back to see if another person could complete it for us.

"Twelve minutes had passed, so we ran to put another dime in the meter.

"The other person working in the office then attempted to help complete the paperwork, but did not really seem to be making progress. More waiting. After a while the original cashier came back and was surprised that we were still there waiting, so she took over the job of completing our paperwork.

"She finally called us to the window, and we reviewed the charges. The first thing we noticed was that we were not charged for a foglamp, even though they had replaced it and charged us for the labor. Next we noticed that on two of the warranty repair lines, parts were special ordered (a driver side kick-panel screw and clips for the inside tailgate panel) for concerns that we had inquired about during the last service visit. Why did they have to special order parts again? Somehow, the windshield washer fluid that should be included with the 7,500-mile service was put on the wrong line. I asked about the special ordered parts and was referred to our service advisor, but the cashier did look into why we were not charged for the foglamp.

"After we waited some more, she called us back up, and we were told that the foglamp had been paid for on the last service visit. Since we were not present when the vehicle was brought in for the previous service visit, we did not know this. Chalk one point up for dealer integrity. She had also moved the windshield washer fluid to the correct line with the service items. We paid the bill and proceeded to our service advisor to ask about the special ordered items.

"He had just returned from lunch, and we caught him off guard as he did not know we had been there and waiting. When asked about the special ordered items, he gave us a line about having to order more parts, which in service advisor speak means they forgot to order them the first time. I had also noticed that the original estimate given was for $155 but our final invoice said $175. I decided to ask the service advisor if he knew why there was a difference (the California Bureau of Automotive Repair does not allow changes to the estimate without prior written or verbal approval from the customer, to protect you from being overcharged)."

Had we received any contact authorizing an increase in the estimate for the repairs? Nope.

"I then asked our service advisor if he could account for the difference in the estimates. He explained that it was the wiper blades that caused the $20 difference in the estimates, until I pointed out that they were a warranty item. Ah hah! He then proceeded to make changes to our billing. I told him I really did not need to have him change the billing; I just wanted to know why there was a discrepancy.

"After getting back to the service cashier again, we were told we would receive a $6.02 refund back to our credit card. I then asked the cashier if I could have a copy of the original invoice, to see where the charges were changed. She explained to me that once she made the changes, the original was no longer valid. I then explained to her that I understood that, but wanted the paperwork back to compare the two. We went back and forth in this issue until our service advisor came over and intervened.

"I explained to him that I wanted to know what charges were changed. He told me that since it didn't matter as long as the bill was correct, I should not care. I then told him that with my background as a service advisor I was curious to see where the changes were made. I said that he either removed the difference from the labor for the foglamp or the labor for the 7,500-mile service. He admitted that he changed the labor on the service.

"Seriously, I wasn't trying to give him or the cashier a hard time. I was merely trying to discern whether he made a mistake on the original estimate or if the billing (sometimes when you buy a service package, like a 7,500-mile service, the service would cost more if you separated the individual items out as opposed to the packaged price). It turns out that he was just trying to make up for his mistake and the billing was indeed correct."

Well. An hour and a half, 70 cents in change and worn patience later, we finally left with our Mazda Tribute with more questions than answers. A person who didn't have the time or expertise to analyze the invoice would have merely assumed that everything was in order and left on their merry way.

Was the $6.02 worth it? Certainly not. Should they have gotten it right in the first place? Uh, yeah. Six dollars here, six dollars there; in the big picture of things, it's not a lot of money but it matters.

15,000-Mile Service

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 unnecessary labor and expense, to the tune of $189.95. But then again, this included a special "oil additive" and "fuel injection cleaner." Our editor, 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 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.

20,000-Mile Service

The maintenance schedule calls for an oil change at 22,500 miles. We called midmorning expecting that something as simple as an oil change shouldn't require advance notice. They said no problem, so we promptly headed down to the service department where our service advisor Chris, wrote us up. He attempted to add a few extras in with our basic service, but we insisted on going by the book, requesting that only a tire rotation be added in along with the oil change. We returned around 4:30, and after tracking down Chris, we were presented with a bill for $37.50, a few dollars more than our estimate, but still reasonable for an oil change and tire rotation.

30,000-Mile Service

Our editor took the Tribute for its 30,000-mile service at Santa Monica Mazda at 8:30 a.m. on a weekday. After being greeted by a service advisor, our staffer stated that he just wanted the factory-recommended service as was listed in the owner's manual, nothing more. The service writer assured him that was what the dealership did and had our editor sign the work order. He then asked to see a copy of exactly what the dealership was going to do, and at first glance, it indeed appeared to be the same basic items as described in the owner's manual (replace oil and oil filter, replace air filter, replace fuel filter, lubricate the locks and inspect everything from the drive belts to the brakes to the exhaust system). Then our editor noticed the price written on the dealership's service sheet: $449.50. It's worth noting that he was not told this price and he'd likely have never known it if he hadn't asked to see the list of service items the dealership was planning. He commented that the price seemed sort of high, but the advisor assured him it was already on special, and then quickly offered to find a coupon to cut the price another $50.

Still not convinced, our editor scanned the dealer's 30,000-mile service list again, carefully, and finally spotted the problem: "Flush coolant fluid and replace. Flush transmission fluid and replace transmission fluid and filter." He reiterated that he didn't want either the coolant or the transmission fluid flushed and replaced since those procedures were not recommended in the owner's manual. With obvious annoyance, the advisor begrudgingly wrote up another work order that didn't include coolant and transmission fluid replacement. Our staffer then asked him how much the service would now cost and was told, "Oh, I'll have to figure it out and call you later, but the flushings are the most expensive part so it should be less than half the previous amount." Although he accepted this and walked outside to wait for his ride, our editor soon realized that such an answer was pretty weak and he should have been more demanding. Nobody should ever leave a dealership without having an estimate for service or repair charges.

Later that afternoon, a mechanic from Santa Monica Mazda called to say that the Tribute needed new front brakes. "They have less than 2 millimeters left." We didn't know exactly what 2mm meant in terms of brakes, but it didn't sound good. The mechanic assured us that the rear brakes were fine and quoted a price of $199, plus tax, to replace the front pads. A recent quote for brake work on our long-term Grand Caravan was supposed to cost $1,000, so $200 seemed like a good deal and we told him to go ahead after he assured us the vehicle would still be ready that day.

At 4:45, we called to check on the vehicle and left a message, and a few minutes later we got a call back saying the car was ready. It was picked up with minimal fuss for a charge of $365.22. While still not cheap, it was better than the original $450 we had been quoted (especially since that first figure didn't include a front brake job).

This experience led our editor in chief to the following conclusion: "Yet another dealership interaction that confirmed you really have to watch out when you go in for service. My suggestion is to copy the service schedule from your owner's manual, highlight the items on the page you want done, and tell them to do nothing more and nothing less."

Total Body Repair Costs over Two Years: $415
Total Maintenance Costs over Two Years: $525

Consumer Commentary

Here are reports written by other Mazda Tribute owners in Town Hall or e-mailed directly to our editors:

"I really loved my Tribute but I now have a new BMW X5 that is soooo much better but it costs much more. You do however, get what you pay for. I don't miss the fuel smell every time I start it (that the dealer couldn't fix) or the 2 or 3 turns needed to start it…the uncomfortable seats, cheap materials in and out, or the so so mileage…however I will miss it but as I drive my 5 more and more…I won't miss it for long. By the way, I got a pretty good trade amount for it."

"We liked the way the Tribute/Escape handled with the exception of how the transmission upshifted and seemed never to be satisfied with the gear it was in. This morning we got a price on a 2003 Honda CR-V 4WD LX ($20,000) and $7,100 trade for our Cherokee with 77K. We drove the CR-V and really enjoyed the way it handled. The transmission shifted much smoother than the Tribute and overall the CR-V seemed more pleasant to drive. If we would have purchased the Tribute LX 4WD (no extras), we would have paid over $2,500 over the deal we got on the CR-V. I guess you can tell which vehicle we purchased."

"Now with 8,300 miles on it, no rattles, squeaks, etc. Fun to drive… power when I need it and comfortable. Yes, some minor annoyances (key slot hard to find) but…I have a Mercedes C240 and the light bulbs are constantly needing replacement and they can't find out why! So remember, perfection is an ideal, not a reality."

"The Escape/Tribute have taken it hard on the chin since day one for the recalls. People keep bringing these up over and over and over again. Yet, if you look back, it was for the 2001 model year and only for certain lot/build dates. Yes, I have a problem-free Escape, the 14 other people I have spoken to also have problem-free Escapes/Tribs."

"Bought my 2002 Escape in Oct. 2001. Drove it for about 2,950 miles (ready for my first oil change) and BAM, at 60 MPH on the interstate in cruise control, the engine gave up the ghost. Just died. Diagnosis? Seized engine. Apparently the piston pin cracked in cylinder #5. No one volunteered this. I had to read the mechanic's notes surreptitiously. Ford replaced the engine and I negotiated a longer warranty (good thing I didn't pay for it in the first place!) to 5 years/75k with a $50 deductible. I'm now at 17,000 miles and the only problem so far has been a necessary recharge on the A/C related to an improper evacuation during the engine swap. I'm having concerns about the tranny right now but I'll see where that goes. I'd rather have it totally fail and have it replaced than have to visit the dealer every week and have them tell me I don't know what I'm talking about."