Not just another pretty face

It offers a smooth ride and high visibility, but the Tribute doesn't slouch on muddy roads or inclines

What do you get when you cross the world's best-selling roadster, the Miata, with one of the best small SUVs on the market, the Ford Escape? A Mazda Tribute.

The guys at McDonough Mazda in Cape Girardeau provided the classic white 2004 Tribute ES-V6 all-wheel-drive for this review, and they were quick to point out that the Tribute is not just a renamed Ford Escape. "It's a different vehicle," they told me. "Our vehicle sells to people who want sports-car-type handling with SUV capabilities." I took the keys and headed out to find out for myself.

With a wide track and independent suspension, you would expect the Tribute to handle better than most SUVs on the road, driving more like a car than a truck. It also has an automatic all-wheel-drive system that should allow it to easily take on snow, ice and muddy back roads. It has another feature to distinguish it from its Ford cousin -- a button on the dashboard that locks the differentials, allowing dramatically improved traction. But the Tribute was not intended for serious off-roading. Like other unibody SUVs such as the Honda CRV and the Toyota Rav4, the Tribute should not be relied upon for climbing boulders or scaling mountainous mining roads. For those tasks you should choose a vehicle built on a truck-type frame and equipped with a low-range transfer case and skid plates. But most of those vehicles don't provide a pleasant highway ride nor gas mileage figures that you will be proud of. In the Tribute you'll get about 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway while enjoying a decent highway ride.

"I love the visibility. It feels so open," remarked my fellow test driver, Ken, who accompanied me on a jaunt around Jackson and Cape Girardeau. "And you know there's something interesting under the hood. This thing really scoots," he added.

My Tribute was equipped with the optional V6 engine, a smooth and powerful performer kicking out an impressive 200 horsepower. A Tribute doesn't run like a Miata because it weighs so much more, but other SUVs in its class will not embarrass it. When you mash the accelerator a pleasant snarl from under the hood and an authoritative exhaust note entertain you as you race from 0 to 60 in about 8 seconds. You don't get that kind of performance from most other SUVs in the Tribute's class.

The quiet, smooth ride was also noteworthy for a vehicle of the Tribute's size and price range. The Tribute feels substantial, and in fact has a decent tow rating of 3,500 pounds. Several competitors are rated to tow only 1500 pounds. The interior, which was designed by Mazda to differentiate it from the Escape, is tasteful, and the vehicle has a clean, elegant design. The exterior features a roof rack, fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels and halogen head lamps. Inside are comfortable leather seating for five passengers and reclining, split rear seats. Front and side airbags contribute to excellent crashworthiness, while standard air conditioning, power steering, cruise, power driver's seat and a DVD entertainment system provide comfort and entertainment. Behind the rear seat is one of the roomiest cargo compartments in the compact SUV category.

Driving impression

One nice thing about compact SUVs is it's not a chore to get on board. You don't really climb into a Tribute as you do larger SUVs ... you just slide into the seat. I immediately noticed how nimble the Tribute is. Parking is a breeze, and the occasional U-turn is easily accomplished, thanks to the sporty, quick-ratio power steering. As mentioned, acceleration is excellent with the V-6 engine and the four-speed automatic transmission, and braking is just as impressive with the ABS system. I was impressed with the Tribute's resistance to body roll in corners -- again, this is not a Miata, but it is surprisingly competent for an SUV.

To test the all-wheel-drive system, I took the Tribute to a steep grassy knoll that causes problems for traditional cars. The Tribute climbed the hill without hesitation. I wanted to run the Tribute through a muddy field for the ultimate 4-wheeling test, but, realizing that I want to test drive a new 2004 Miata in a couple of weeks kept me on hard pavement.

Mazda, long revered as the "sporty" manufacturer of Japan that gave us the exciting RX7, the legendary Miata, and recently, the trend-setting Mazda 6, has done it again with the Tribute. Perfectly suited to the lifestyles of the majority of SUV buyers, the Tribute is stylish, speedy and spacious. It's got the all the attributes that count.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian.