Used 2011 Mazda Tribute for sale 

The Tribute is offered by Mazda in varied levels of powertrain configurations alongside the three trims that are already on offer. The base Sport trim gets both a manual and automatic transmission whereas it also can be had with the AWD setup. The other two trims do not feature a manual transmission and the larger V6 engine is available for the top-end Grand Touring and costs just $1,615 over the regular smaller engine trim.

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The Touring trim with the AWD drivetrain makes for a very interesting package with a pretty decent amount of features and added functionality, all the while keeping the prices as low as possible. 

The base Tribute crossover SUV is powered by a 2.5-liter which produces a healthy 171 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. The 5-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic is mated to the engine and the power is sent to the front wheels as standard with the optional AWD drivetrain.

The 9.3 second 0-60 mph run and 16.9-second quarter-mile sprint both make things a little exciting and keep you from being bored to death. 

Being just rebadged versions of one another, the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute both have identical engine specs and performance, but the Mazda Tribute is a bit on the cheaper side. It in fact is the cheapest of them all while the RAV4 is the most expensive of the lot. The RAV4 is also the quickest in the acceleration tests while the other three are pretty much neck-to-neck. 

The Mazda Tribute is powered by a Ford engine as well and hence is pretty frugal in comparison to the others in the segment. The EPA rates it for 23 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway while the combined fuel economy is rated for 25 mpg. The large 17.5-gallon gas tank ensures that the Tribute does not need frequent gas station trips and can be driven for over 400 miles on a single tank of gas. 

The Escape and the Tribute both obviously have identical figures in this aspect while the Nissan Rogue too also has similar fuel efficiency figures. But the small fuel tank in the Rogue adversely affects the driving range. The RAV4 has the shortest driving range thanks to its higher fuel consumption and smaller fuel tank than that of the Tribute. 

The interior of the Tribute is also almost indistinguishable from the Ford Escape and that is a good sign. The build quality and fit and finish are generally pretty good, while the seats are pretty well-bolstered and are comfortable even for longer duration rides. 

The rear seat isn’t as comfortable though as the flat button cushion isn’t really supportive and is made that way to create a flat loading floor. There is ample space for all the passengers and their luggage inside the cabin of the 2011 Mazda Tribute. 

The Toyota RAV4 has the most spacious rear seat in this comparison and the Nissan Rogue is the most spacious of them all at the front. Other than that, there is not much to differentiate between them. The Rogue has the smallest trunk while the RAV4 again has the biggest boot capacity, while the Escape-Tribute twins are somewhere in the middle.

• 6-way power driver adjustable seat
• Front reclining leather heated bucket seats
• 60/40 split-folding rear seat
• Leather-wrapped tilt adjust the steering wheel
• Electrochromic rearview mirror
• HomeLink universal garage door opener
• Chrome interior door handles

How is the 2011 Mazda Tribute’s infotainment system?

The biggest difference between the new Mazda Tribute and the Ford Escape is that the Tribute does not get Ford’s SYNC system and the available navigation system and has to make use of its own system. The climate controls and the stereo controls are pretty straightforward and look good with blue and white characters, although it might seem tacky to many. Bluetooth and iPod interface is now available as standard. 

• Infotainment system
• 7-speaker audio system
• SiriusXM satellite radio accessory receiver kit w/6-month subscription
• 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 changer
• Automatic volume control
• Built-in navigation system

The exterior design of the 2011 Mazda Tribute isn’t intriguing and the boxy profile, flared wheel arches, and wide front grille does look odd in the sea of crossovers with smooth flowing lines and curves.

The side profile is pretty minimalistic too and the smaller-sized wheels with chunky rubber on them look smaller in comparison to the size of the Tribute. 

The Nissan Rogue is a much longer car in general and has a longer wheelbase which helps it open up more space inside the cabin. The RAV4 is the lowest to the ground in terms of ride height while the other three offer a similar level of ground clearance. They all weigh similar too and are almost equally wide and tall. 

• Auto on/off halogen headlights
• Folding power heated mirrors
• Black front grille w/chrome grille bars
• Roof rack w/cross bars
• Flip-up liftgate window
• Power sliding glass moonroof w/sunshade and one-touch open/close
• 17-inch 7-spoke cast aluminum machined wheels

The aging Tribute does alright even in the modern-day crash tests as it scores a respectable overall rating of 3-stars out of a possible 5-stars in the NHTSA’s crash test while it gets a ‘Good’ score in almost all aspects tested by the IIHS. The car has been designed with engineering techniques and makes use of crumple zones and various active safety systems to provide for a safe haven inside its cabin. 

• Dynamic stability control and roll stability control
• Traction control system
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Triple-H body construction w/Front/rear crumple zones
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Driver & front passenger advanced front airbags w/driver seat position and passenger weight sensors
• Front and rear side curtain airbags w/rollover protection

The Mazda Tribute is now aging in 2011 and since the original Ford Escape offers a bit more than what Mazda offers, its existence comes into question. That being said, the Tribute does offer most of what Ford has to offer at a much lower price tag trim to trim with loads of drivetrain, and powertrain configurations to choose from. So if you are on a tight budget and want an Escape at a lower cost, opting for the Mazda Tribute would not be a bad option.