-Power
-Looks
-Versatility

-Rattles (tailgate)
-Squeaks (especially around the drivers side B pillar as someone else has complained)
-you have to really prod it in order to shift out of overdrive on the highway

I believe we made a good choice in purcahsing this vehicle. We had compared it to a Honda CRV, but the Honda doesn't come close. Gas mileage like everyone else has said is not that great.
I have a complaint that no one else has mentioned .... the rear defrost does not shut itself off after a period of time. And it is hard to tell if it is still on, because the end of the gearshift completely obstucts the view of the defroster button, BAD DESIGN
Overall you can't go wrong, we'll just have see how the used car market responds to these vehicles in 4 to 5 years.

Quick
Good price
Good amount of space

Shifter (somebody said something about sawing it down; please come to me as well), Gas Mileage not as advertised (maybe in the future).

The experience is great. I try to forget about the shifter ;-). Good riding, responsive, spacious (exactly what I was looking for). Carlike with SUV features, what else could you need more. The interior could have been more polished it's true but for the price I paid I think it’s almost fair what I’ve got.
Gas mileage is not what it’s advertised (add this to the shifter) but I was told that will improve (sincerely I don’t believe but I still hope). I think you do not make a mistake buying this vehicle.

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Nissan X Terra & Pathfinder
Grand Cherokee
Escape
Rav 4
CRV

the looks the price i love the power it has i love the way it drives and rides the sound system is great.

i do not like the gear shift on the column

I have had nothing but good experience with my tribute i'm so glad i bought me one. i give it a 5 star rating

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i drove the rave 4, crv, kia and the jeep cheeroke. it was the best of all
i had the mazda 626 4cyld which i loved but i wanted something different. i drove several others the rava 4,crv,kia, and the jeep cheerkoe i still like the tribute the best

Great Value
Lots of storage
Nice ride

Location of gear shift
Front seat arm rest/cup holder/storage area

I really like this SUV. For the price (low 20's), the Tribute blows everything else away. I didn't think the CRV or RAV4 compared in value, features, or acceleration. The Tribute fits a neglected niche in the SUV market - in between the plush SUV's like lexus and Jeep and the SUV wanna be's like the CRV.

There are a few items that take getting used to. The gear shift comes off the side of the steering wheel and tends to get in the way when changing the radio or adjusting the A/C or heat. This can be real annoying at times. The other item is the front arm rest/storage area. The storage area is practically on the floor which makes it difficult to reach when driving. I really wish they would have put the gear shift here.

The pluses far outweigh the the negatives. The acceleration is great, especially when everyone else seems to be only offering a four cylinder in the smaller SUV's. The features are also well thought out - they didn't waste space adding alot of extras that you'll probably never use (like the picnic table in the CRV).

I have gotten about 4 recall notices, but I expected that from this being the Tribute's first production year. The dealer where I bought this car has been a total nightmare though. Service is really bad and they have an attitude every time I talk to them.

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Honda CRV
Toyota RAV 4
Jeep Grand Cherokee

Quick (200 horsepower)
Really Good Price
Nice Sound System
Good on Gas For an SUV
Trunk Door Has 2 Ways of Opening
Can lock all locks from trunk door
Good amount of space
Smooth, silent, and swift
SUV with the style of a sports car

All-Wheel Drive doesn't feel safe
Steering wheel is really stiff
Heating isn't great
No Arm rests

The 2001 Mazda Tribute is a very sleek and sexy SUV. It's not too big or to small. It comfortable fits 5 passengers, and has a spacious trunk. Nice SUV with great speed, while staying fuel efficient. It's got the speed of a Honda Prelude, combined with the size of a Ford Escape, with the style of a Mazda. A great buy indeed!

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None

* Great looks
* A lot of car for the money
* Very spacious
* A/C very good
* Just plain LOVE IT!
* Radio/CD sound quality is very good.
* Drives great. Great pickup speed.

* Shifter is bad but you get used to it. I've bumped it a few time but thank God it doesn't come out of shift.
* Poor lighting in cabin. Should have light up front.

I love my Tribute. And so does my husband. His heart was set on the XTerra but when he compared the two he knew which way to go, TRIBUTE. This is a great SUV. It's my first and I'm completely happy with it. I was affraid at first to buy an SUV but I feel really good in my Tribute.

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I also loved the XTerra but after test driving both I definetly decided on the Tribute. Tribute has lots more to offer for the money.

Good Speed Considering the size of the SUV(200 Horsepower on a compact SUV)
Pretty Good Sound System (100 Watt AM/FM with CD with 4 speakers)
Descent on Gas (13.07 km/L or for you Americans 18 miles per gallon)
AWD is selectable (Allows for better maneuvering on FWD)
Better Spacing Than Most SUV's in its' class (Honda CR-V and Toyota Rav-4)
Pretty Good Handling Off Road And In Hazardous Conditions
Laser-Cut Keys With Anti-Theft Ignition Immobilizer
Two-Stage Door Unlocking Feature For Front Doors (No Need To Unlock Locks To Exit Vechicle)
Sleek Look

Air Conditioning and Heating Not That Great
Gear Shift Is Too Long And Gets In The Way When Trying To Control Radio/CD
Interior Lighting Needs Improvement
Breaks Make Too Much Noise
Doesn't Accelerate That Well With Lots Of Cargo
Not Enough Power (Power Locks, Power Windows, and Power Mirrors are not standard like most others in class, Keyless Entry would be convenient as well)

The first review that I wrote on this SUV was on February 25, 2001. When I wrote that review when the SUV was only 3 months old and I had not as much experience with it. I decided to write another review after gaining more experience with this SUV. Now I've had the Tribute for a little more than 6 months. I've made some interesting discoveries. As it is right now, the Mazda Tribute is a value SUV. One thing many people are mistaken by is the fact that Mazda is not an authentic Japanese import. Ford owns 51% of Mazda. Ford is a domestic company. The myth is that Japanese imports are better cars, which I believe is true. That is why Ford has not merged with Mazda because the average person does not know that Ford owns more than half of Mazda. Ford keeps selling parts to Mazda, and Mazda sells cars to people who think that Mazda is truly Japanese. Wrong! Mazda's are made in The United States of America. The Mazda Tribute and the Ford Escape have practically identical engines, and are almost identical twins. However, the Tribute is one of the better SUV's in its' class.

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The following are SUV's in the same class as the Mazda Tribute: Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav-4, Nissan X-Terra, Kia Sportage, Chevrolet Tracker, Suzuki Grand Vitara,

Interior cubic footage
Powerful V6 with good acceleration
Good handling and turning
Good ground clearence
In-Dash 6 Disc CD Changer
Keyless Entry with one or all door entry
Moonroof one touch

Wind noise
Gas Mileage

I drive this vehicle to and from work every day. My husband bought it for me. I love it. It handles wonderfully, has great pick-up. We sold our 1999 Toyota Camry which we had problems with and Toyota never backed by with it's so called "warranty". Our Tribute is a Desert Metallic (great color) LX V6. It is loaded with every thing except leather and a driver power seat.I really like all the interior features and the easy dash access to the controls. We called Mazda about the wind noise, but they do not seem to have an answer as to why it is happening. My husband is thinking of trying side window deflectors to help. In my life this new car is about my fifth and I definitly like it the best of all of them.

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Good value. Great traction in snow. Great looks and rides like a car. Plenty of room. Engine sounds great and has good power.Great sounding radio with 6 disc changer.

Terrible gas mileage. After 2500 mi. getting an average of 11.5 mpg. Dealer says it should improve. Poor interior lighting. Control panel,tach and speedometer hard to see at night. Should have white background. Poor heating on feet. Rear headrests interfere with rear view. Would highly recommend gearshift on floor. Would appreciate a longer warranty.

I would recommend this vehicle as it is a great SUV for the price. MAZDA usually delivers a great product. Quite suprised at the poor gas mileage. Had it checked no problems. If it continues will definitely post a complaint.

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None

Really fast (Zoom Zoom Zoom), Excellent gas mileage, comfortable, precise steering, visibility, entry/exit, Mazda reliability, better performance than other SUV fun to drive

None yet

I have owned four Mazdas' before this one and the Tribute is by far the best. Accelerates really fast and doesn't suck up gas (gas mileage is excellent, 24-27 in city driving). This is just an awesome SUV that performs much better than the Navajo and Range Rover.

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Mazda 626, Mazda 323, Mazda Navajo, Mazda Millenia, Honda Civic, Land Rover Range Rover, Eagle Talon