Test Drive - 2008 Mazda Tribute

By now you must be wondering if I've ever met a Mazda product I didn't like, since most of my reports are glowing reports on the magnificence of whatever Mazda car I've just driven. Well, here's a report to put that wonder to rest.

Over a two day period I've driven two Mazda CX7's and one Mazda Tribute. As for the CX7s, they handled like Mazdas, had good brakes and communicative steering with well designed instrument panels, etc. I did not, however, appreciate the CX7's slight turbo lag and high center console lid that bumped my right elbow when steering. I was able to adjust the seat to minimize the elbow to console bump, the CX7s are nice cars and I still like them. If I had to have a big wagon sort of cross-over I'd surely have these on my short list.

A friend and I drove a 2007 VW Passat chase car to pick up a 2008 Mazda Tribute in Parkersburg, West Virginia. We had ample time to critique our VW on the way down and the Tribute on the way back north. I've driven these VWs before and this one was as nice to drive as every other one, but I was bothered with a few niggles on interior trim fit, overly complicated electronics and I just could not get comfy in the hard leather seats.

Once we arrived in Parkersburg it was agreed that I'd begin the trip home in the Tribute and we'd possibly switch cars along the way. Our Tribute was nice enough looking, painted a Light Sage color that looked good on the rugged looking vehicle. The grille was 100% Mazda and the fenders also picked up the familial Mazda styling cues.

As I said, it looked rugged and was styled very well on the outside, on the inside the Dark Chocolate Cloth seats were rich looking (how could anything "chocolate" not be) and on the ride home I found these seats to be more comfortable than those in the VW, so I stuck with the Tribute all the way home. The steering wheel was a nice fat molded black plastic item that fit my hands perfectly, the cruise control (unlike the VW's overly complex cruise control) was easy to use and the car rode well enough on the interstate, holding a straight line even with some very strong cross winds on I-77. The door and center console arm rests were up high, in a king's throne fashion, providing a great place to rest my weary arms as I drove home and the door pull in the armrest was just the perfect place to hold my iPod. The speedometer and fuel gauges were easy to read and visibility from the drivers seat was also fine, and there will be no complaints about the engine or transmission either, both were up to modern standards.

Yes, those Chocolate seats were both good looking and comfy, but the dash was some horrid shade of flesh colored hard plastic that flowed on over onto the door panels and clashed with both those classy seats and the weird bright shiny black hard plastic bits. There were a few oddly placed chrome pieces around to add yet another dimension to the effect. Everywhere my hand went it found cheap feeling hard plastic.

On the center stack were more than 30, mostly identical, buttons that worked the HVAC and audio systems. Deciphering which was audio and which was HVAC took a long look away from the road, followed by yet another long look to discern just exactly what each of the identical little black buttons actually did. Remember those easy to read gauges? Well they looked like those little ashtrays you used to get as souvenirs from tourist traps that had been spray painted and lettered. Easy to read but crude looking and the fuel and temperature gauges were tiny little affairs that, of course, required another hard squint to read.

Those high arm rests that had me feeling like a king on his throne, should have stayed on the king's throne, my elbows constantly banged and bumped them. An enthusiastic drive would have required elbow pads. Ah yes, remember that comfortable steering wheel, it had perfect places for my hands to grip and you'd have thought that Ford (yes Ford, I'll get to that) could have factored in some style too. So yeah, the wheel was ugly, but at least it was connected to the front wheels. At least when I turned the steering wheel the Tribute turned, but with the numb dead steering I could not be sure until the car actually responded. The Tribute turned well and held a line in the corners but it made it known that spirited cornering was behavior that it didn't like. But, of course, like all trucky little SUVs, this is not meant to be a Miata, so any of my criticisms on handling must be taken with a few grains of salt. Or maybe even the whole salt shaker. Better yet, just keep it going straight and everyone's happy.

Obviously I did not appreciate this Tribute, the CX7 is a much better small SUV type vehicle, but the Tribute might be a better bet if you're in need of a tow vehicle or, uh, whatever. I'm sure a better choice of interior colors wouldn't have put me off like that weird color combo in this Tribute did, but then there was that hard plasticy sounding rattle in the dash and that wonderful whistle in the AC system that varied in pitch when you turned the fan up or down (ever whistle a tune on your AC? Hey it was a boring and long ride home so I gave it a good try).

About my made by Ford comment, the Tribute is one half of Ford's contribution to the Ford/Mazda combo, Ford builds both the Tribute (Ford Escape) and B-Series pick-up truck (Ford Ranger pick-up). Sadly, Mazda seems to have gotten the short end of the stick with this one. Sorry Mazda, you should have designed your own.

That's all hard plastic folks, only the seats, tops of the arm rests and steering wheel are soft. Check out the button array on the center stack, it's hard enough reading this during the day, anybody care to give it a try in the dark? (Official Mazda photo.)

And here's that offending center console lid. Way up high and in my way as I drove. Everything on that door panel, except the top of the arm rest, is hard as a rock. Nice seats though. (Official Mazda photo.)