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Mazda Tribute
Billed as the "sport sedan of SUVs" by its maker, the Tribute made
its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January. This is Mazda's first
sport-utility vehicle since the Navajo was discontinued following the 1994 model
year. Like the Navajo, the new Tribute shares a platform with a Ford product, in
this case the new Escape. Both the Tribute and Escape were designed and
engineered in Japan, and will be produced at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant
in Claycomo, MO. Production will begin in June and the Tribute to begin arriving
in Mazda showrooms sometime later summer.
The 2001 Mazda Tribute is available in three trims: DX, LX, and ES. Safety
features include dual airbags, child safety locks, an anti-lock brake system
(ABS) optional on LX and ES trims, and child-seat tether anchors. Powering the
DX is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 130 horsepower, while the LX and
ES get a more powerful 3.0-liter 200-horsepower V6. Standard features on the DX
include power windows and door locks, air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with CD
player, a 5-speed manual transmission, and a roof rack. The LX upgrades with a
4-speed automatic transmission, cruise control, front fog lights, remote keyless
entry, a split-folding rear bench seat, and 5-spoke cast aluminum wheels. The
top-level ES adds leather trim and a power driver's seat. All Tributes are
available with an automatic 4WD system that uses a new Rotary Blade Coupling (RBC)
system. The RBC 4WD works both as an on-demand system or it can be locked into
4WD with the push of a button on the dashboard.
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